Dec/24/10
38comments

Uke for Xmas? Read This!

When I got my first ukulele, I was completely clueless. This was in those dark, long forgotten days before the internet had been discovered. I didn’t even realise that the strings weren’t supposed to go thickest to thinest and restrung it.

So, to save you from the social disgrace I experienced, I’ve put together a mini-ebook covering the basics that every first time uke owner needs to know. Here’s what it contains:

Five Things to Know
Five Chords to Learn
Five Songs to Play
Five Websites to Visit
Five Things to Get Free
Five Things to Buy
Five Videos to Watch
Five YouTube Channels to Subscribe to

You can download it free by clicking here:

So You Just Got Your First Ukulele (PDF)

And get playing by following the beginner ukulele lessons.

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38 Comments

  1. Kristin December 24th, 2010 7:26 pm

    I just got a ukulele for my 30th bday today. I’m so excited! Love the site, and subscribed to the blog. Here’s hoping I can learn to play it by the time I’m 31.

  2. Skulleigh December 24th, 2010 8:47 pm

    Happy Birthday, Kristin!

    Look though that eBook and you’ll be playing today :)

    That little eBook got me on my way pretty well this past May, so I will vouch for it!

  3. Joshua December 26th, 2010 2:12 pm

    Nice one brilliant site. Parents bought me a pineapple uke for Chrissy, looks great sounds great can’t wait to learn some songs : ) MERRY CHRISTMAS : )

  4. Audrey December 26th, 2010 8:08 pm

    Just got a bright orange uke for christmas, its awesome and fun to play, sounds pretty sweet too!

  5. durdlin December 27th, 2010 1:21 am

    I got a tenor ukelele for Christmas/birthday and I’m super excited! Can’t wait for my fingertips to man the hell up so I can play for more than 5 mins.

  6. Eavorclear December 28th, 2010 5:36 am

    I’ve been playing for a little over 8 months now, and for Christmas I got a brand new Lanikai Concert, and a Fender Nohea tenor.
    I love them both, I had to change the string on the Fender, but other than that, they’re both so wonderful!

  7. Dopefish7590 December 29th, 2010 4:33 am

    Nice little PDF… :)

    It will probably come in very handy.

    Just a heads up though, Audacity is actually multi-platform. :p
    (Mac, PC, Linux…)

  8. L.bo Marie December 30th, 2010 8:52 pm

    yay for Christmas ukes!
    I’ve been directing people to this post (again).

    I nearly restrung my first uke when I got it, I figured “what could some guy with an online store know about stringing ukes?” (it was musicguymic) was I ever glad I didn’t end up restringing it!

  9. Julian Faulkner December 30th, 2010 11:38 pm

    Man… This would have been useful to my newbie stages a year ago. XD Great guide Woodshed!

  10. John Sepulveda December 31st, 2010 2:34 pm

    Received a Grizzly ukulele kit for Christmas and just finished it yesterday. Lots of fun. :-)
    This site is super helpful!!

  11. Woodshed January 1st, 2011 11:50 am

    Kristen: Happy (belated) birthday!

    Skulleigh: Thanks! Great to hear that.

    Joshua: Hope you enjoy the site and your uke.

    Audrey: Awesome!

    durdlin: Good luck whipping those fingertips into shape.

    Eavorlear: Glad you liked the ukes. I’ve heard mixed reports about the Fenders but it looks like they’re finally getting their act together.

    Dopefish: Thanks for the tip-off.

    L.bo Marie: I actually did restring my first uke. But that was the days before the internet and also the guy in Bakewell music shop was not to be trusted.

    Julian: Thanks very much!

    John: Well done putting it together. Even kits are too much work for me.

  12. Eavorclear January 3rd, 2011 2:55 am

    Oh yes, I read up on your Fender article and what people were saying, it seems that my Fender has none of those problems at all. I guess they just needed time!

  13. Dan January 3rd, 2011 6:22 pm

    After reading ukulele hunt for 2+ years I finally bought a ukulele for myself for Christmas. In a couple weeks I have learned the chords for a good handful of songs. I also have been accompanying my sister’s piano playing with it.

    I am having a great time with it! Thanks for building my interest! :)

  14. Joe January 7th, 2011 11:18 pm

    I got my Ukulele last christmas and I have to say, I LOVE IT!!!!

  15. Cass January 10th, 2011 1:30 am

    This guide is fabulous! I got a uke for Christmas, and discovered this guide the same day. At this point I feel comfortable playing nearly anything…way faster than guitar. Thanks!

  16. UkePeas January 16th, 2011 12:38 am

    Whats happened to you? when is the blog going to be back? i hope you have enjoyed your time away though.

  17. Woodshed January 16th, 2011 10:35 am

    Dan: You read for two years and you didn’t play uke? I would never have expected that.

    Joe: Glad to hear it.

    Cass: You’re welcome.

    UkePeas: Back on the 21st.

  18. L.Bo Marie January 17th, 2011 2:28 am

    sheesh… isn’t it the 21st yet?

  19. Lindy Danny January 18th, 2011 3:53 pm

    Is that what we’re waiting for? I thought Woodshed had been taken hostage by martians…again…

    ~DB

  20. Emily January 21st, 2011 1:25 am

    Could you do the chords/tabs for Best Friends by The Perishers? Pretty please? :)

  21. Joe January 22nd, 2011 4:37 am

    Thanks for this, just got a beginner Kala for my midlife crisis because I couldn’t afford a sports car. Now I am scared and excited like a kid again.

  22. Angeline January 22nd, 2011 9:24 am

    Just got a late Christmas present. A very fine Kala Tenor. She’s very special and I love her. We have been getting to know each other and getting on very well, she needs a name though….

  23. Angeline January 22nd, 2011 9:26 am

    just a correction on the prevoius post (blame autofill on the computer) The new uke is in fact a Lag (solid Koa) and she sings so sweetly…

  24. Woodshed January 22nd, 2011 2:53 pm

    Marie: The long wait is over!

    Lindy Danny: The Martians were all ukers and were kind enough to stop probing long enough for me to write a few posts.

    Emily: Sorry. I don’t know the song.

    Joe: Glad to hear it.

    Angeline: Hope you come up with a suitable name.

  25. Isaac March 9th, 2011 7:31 pm

    I got a awesome london undergroung uke its so cool

  26. Noumi March 20th, 2011 2:12 pm

    Thank you!!
    :D

  27. Woodshed March 21st, 2011 7:27 am

    Noumi: Thanks

    Isaac: Not familiar with those. Glad you like it.

  28. Guy d. platter April 28th, 2011 1:43 am

    my 5 year old brother just got a cheap travel-tone from our local shop, and i want to learn how to play. he lets me play it, so i will download the ebooks. could you post tabs for fury of the storm or through the fire and the flames. who agrees these are awesome songs?

  29. Volvosneverdie July 3rd, 2011 2:13 pm

    Awesome awesome awesome.
    Got a Uke for my 32nd birthday and very much *heart* this site.

    Great work and thanks again.

  30. Puck August 23rd, 2011 10:29 am

    got my ukelele on my 12 birthday

  31. Woodshed August 23rd, 2011 10:45 pm

    Volvosneverdie and Puck: A very happy birthday to both of you.

  32. gareth November 1st, 2011 10:48 pm

    Just bought my first uke (bass player for 17 years), cheap and cheerful makala dolphin. Didn’t realise i could have so much fun for £25…totaly hooked, can’t put the damn thing down. Can feel a tenor uke coming as a christmas present. Very different to what I’m used to but massive fun!

  33. Woodshed November 2nd, 2011 10:35 am

    gareth: Glad to hear you’re enjoying it. Hope you enjoy your Christmas present.

  34. marissa December 25th, 2012 6:27 am

    I just got a new kala Tenor for christmas, but i hear i should change the strings to aquila. i have some but i don’t have the slightest idea how to change them. what would you guys recommend? Is it like a guitar?

  35. Woodshed December 26th, 2012 10:57 am

    marissa: There’s a useful video here.

  36. Paul October 20th, 2014 6:44 am

    I just got a Kona ukulele. I think it’s a pretty cheep one. Is it possible to learn a few things on this ukulele before I go out, and purchase a better one. Or will I just struggle?

  37. Astrid Teig November 11th, 2016 5:43 am

    Hi, does somebody know what is the lowest and the highest notes on a ukulele?

  38. Woodshed November 11th, 2016 8:28 am

    Astrid: It depends on the ukulele. But the standard starts at middle-C and the highest is around the C two octaves higher.

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