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Curt Sheller • All Things `Ukulele and Jazz Guitar

The Basics and Beyond!!! Take your playing to the next level.
The Internet's largest collection of information for ukulele and jazz guitar.

Reading Music on Ukulele

UKEREAD1-cover-rotated

Hard Copy Book: $9.95
PDF Download: $4.95

Ukulele- Reading Music Series - Primer

Reading music is not as hard as one might think. It may be new and unfamiliar but is not hard when you have a proper plan of attack.

Reading music on the ukulele is easier than reading music on guitar or piano. There are only four strings with a smaller range of possible notes.

Music in the key of C with all natural notes, no flats or sharps is pretty easy to play in open position on a ukulele. This would be the same as playing the white keys of a piano.

Standard music notation has been the Lingua Franco of musicians, both professionals and hobbyists for many centuries.

Reading standard music notation opens you up to vast world of published music.

Reading simple melodies in open position is the first step to reading music on the uke.

More info and complete samples of entire book.

Reading Music on Ukulele?

All it takes is time and a plan - The right plan.

toon_DaylightSavings_tnsReading is the ability to reproduce music from written notation. It includes five phases; note recognition / alternate note locations, rhythm recognition, fingering considerations, communication terminology and interpretation.

Reading standard music notation really isn't that hard on ukulele. If using a re-entrant tuning with a high string four. You really only need to first learn to read on three strings. And, reading in the open position is somewhat simple.

Learning to read standard music notation opens a world of music to you. Music notation is the Lingua franca of amateur and professional musicians alike.

There is a distinction between reading and sight reading. Reading is not as hard as you think with the right plan of attack.

Reading involves note recognition, note locations on the fingerboard, rhythm, the music symbols used to navigate an song or composition.

These series of lessons will tackle these individual topics and get you reading standard music notation.

For learning to read in open position my book Reading Music on Ukulele in Open Position - A Primer. is available FREE online.

Demystifying Cut Time by Chuck Anderson

Lesson Code: ML04
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Cut Time is a source of confusion for many musicians. What exactly does it mean and how do you apply it?

Too often cut time is thought of as having two beats in a measure. There are not two beats in a measure of cut time - there are four beats in a measure of cut time. So what makes cut time any different than common time 4/4 time?

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Enharmonic Equivalents

Lesson Code: UL19
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

An Enharmonic Equivalent is where a musical pitch can have different names depending on the context in which it is functioning. An example is G# produces the same pitch as Ab.

Enharmonic equivalents will sound the same but are notated differently using standard music notation.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures

Lesson Code: UL09
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

There is a load of information in traditional Key Signatures. Unlocking the principles in this circle leads to a better understanding of music and how think work.

A key signature is a series of sharp or flat symbols placed on the staff, designating the notes that are to be consistently played higher or lower than the equivalent natural notes. Key signatures are generally written immediately after the clef at the beginning of a line of musical notation. Each major and minor key has an associated key signature that sharpens or flattens the notes which are used in its scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - A Major and F Sharp Minor

Lesson Code: UL47
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for A Major and F Sharp Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - Ab Major and F Minor

Lesson Code: UL55
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for Ab Major and F Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - B Major and G Sharp Minor

Lesson Code: UL49
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for B Major and G Sharp Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - Bb Major and G Minor

Lesson Code: UL53
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for Bb Major and G Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - C Flat Major and A Flat Minor

Lesson Code: UL58
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for Cb Major and Ab Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - C Flat Major and A Flat Minor

Lesson Code: UL58
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for Cb Major and Ab Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - C Major and A Minor

Lesson Code: UL44
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for C Major and A Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - C Sharp Major and A Sharp Sharp Minor

Lesson Code: UL51
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for C Sharp Major and A Sharp Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - D Flat Major and B Flat Minor

Lesson Code: UL56
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for Db Major and Bb Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - D Major and B Minor

Lesson Code: UL46
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for D Major and B Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - E Major and C Sharp Minor

Lesson Code: UL48
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for E Major and C Sharp Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - Eb Major and C Minor

Lesson Code: UL54
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for Eb Major and C Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - F Major and D Minor

Lesson Code: UL52
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for F Major and D Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - F Sharp Major and D Sharp Sharp Minor

Lesson Code: UL50
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for F Sharp Major and D Sharp Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - G Flat Major and E Flat Minor

Lesson Code: UL57
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for Gb Major and Eb Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - G Flat Major and E Flat Minor

Lesson Code: UL57
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for Gb Major and Eb Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Key Signatures - G Major and E Minor

Lesson Code: UL45
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Learn the recognize the key signature for G Major and E Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Natural, Sharp and Flat Notes of the Ukulele Fingerboard - C Tuning

Lesson Code: UL23
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Standard music notation, the natural, sharp and flat notes of the ukulele fingerboard for C tuned ukuleles. Covers both high C and low G tuning variations.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Natural, Sharp and Flat Notes of the Ukulele Fingerboard - D Tuning

Lesson Code: UL106
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Standard notation - the natural, sharp and flat notes of the ukulele fingerboard for D tuned ukuleles. Both high A and low A variations.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Reading Music on Ukulele Series

Lesson Code: UL300
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

This series of lessons will allow you finally, to check that Reading item off your music To Do list.

Learning to read standard music notation opens a world of music to you. Music notation is the Lingua franca of amateur and professional musicians alike.

There is a distinction between reading and sight reading. Reading is not as hard as you think with the right plan of attack. Especially on a ukulele.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Reading Ukulele TAB - Alternate Notation

Lesson Code: UL22
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

TAB or Tablature is a form of musical notation, which tells players where to place their fingers on a particular instrument rather than which pitches to play.

Generally speaking, tablature is commonly used by informally trained musicians in folk, popular and rock music.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Standard Music Notation

Lesson Code: UL17
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

Rather than do a complete lessons on standard music notation. Why reinvent the wheel. There are lot of great resources online and books in music stores that already exsist. Here is my take on several of the offerings.

However, here is a link to a greate pdf download from:.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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The Trouble with TAB

Lesson Code: UL43
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

TAB, short for tablature is a form of musical notation using numbers and letters on a staff that that corresponds to the number of strings of fretted string instrument. Theses number tell a player which fret to place their fingers on rather than which pitches to play.

TAB has a history with lute music from centuries ago and has found wide use in the music publishing industry catering to the guitarist who can't or doesn't want to learn to read. TAB doesn't exist in mainstream music, primarily by some music magazines and on the internet.

Learning to read TAB can be accomplished in minutes. Learning to read standard music notation takes a little longer.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Which Way Is Up? - Up, Down, Ascending, Descending, etc...

Lesson Code: UL32
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969

Lesson Info

What is up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending on a ukulele? Up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending should refer to musical pitch and not to direction as we know it. Up and higher refers to the raising of musical pitch. Down and lower refer to the lowering of musical pitch. Top refers to the upper note of a chord voicing or musical phrase and bottom refers to the lowest note.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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UKESTRUM1-cover-rotated

Hard Copy Book: $7.95
PDF Download: $4.95

“A strum is the execution of a rhythmic pattern — in a specific style”

A Guide to Ukulele Strums

One of the first skills a ukulele player learns is the art and craft of strumming, playing rhythm. This refers to an accompaniment technique suitable for the singer, singer - songwriter or someone who plays a support role for another instrument.

Strumming requires a specific set of skills. They are: 1) Memorization of chords 2) The ability to switch chords smoothly and 3) The ability to choose and execute a suitable rhythmic strum. It is this 3rd skill that is our focus in “A Guide to Ukulele Strums & Rhythmic Patterns”.

Though strumming looks natural to the casual observer, it is anything but natural to the beginning ukulele player. Even experienced players have difficulty in identifying and executing certain strums. Though this is one of those topics that is typically taken for granted, there is much to learn about rhythmic feels, accents, dynamics, strum direction, feel, percussive accents, idiomatic styles and tempo variation.

First and foremost, the subject of strumming is inseparably linked to rhythm. Though an ability to read rhythm is helpful, it’s not necessary to profit from this material.

More info and complete samples of entire book.

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Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!

Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Thanks, Curt

UL32 - INDEX.PHP | Updated: Monday, 26th March, 2012 @ 08:28am

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