Dec/22/11
17comments

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 thinnest 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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17 Comments

  1. Skwidspawn December 23rd, 2011 5:14 am

    Thanks Woodshed, I’ll be passing this around next week!

  2. Woodshed December 23rd, 2011 9:48 am

    Skwidspawn: Thanks very much for spreading the word.

  3. Ukulele Mondo (Armando) December 23rd, 2011 9:43 pm

    Gave my girlfriend’s sister a ukulele for christmas and sent her here! Thanks Woodshed!

  4. Laura December 24th, 2011 9:30 pm

    Just got my first uke and stumbled on this site – glad I did and just wanted to thank you for putting it all together. Really refreshing to find something so comprehensive, easy to follow and beautifully laid out. A real achievement – I look forward to making use of your work in the coming weeks.

    Hope you have a wonderful Christmas – I’m off to have a bash at Away in a Manger :)

  5. jon December 26th, 2011 2:10 am

    I’m another newby to the ukulele. I have just got a Cordoba CM15 Concert ukulele, and then I ordered a Makala Dolphine soprano. Had to do it. I needed a tuner anyway, and got a Dolphin for $40.50 with soft case and Cherub tuner freight free. I also ordered a Kala hard case for the Cordoba. I live on the Big Island of Hawaii now, in the Puna District.
    Thanks for setting up this great website.

    Jon

  6. Cathal December 26th, 2011 10:34 am

    Hey iv been playing guitar for like 5 years now mainly acoustic. I got a baritone uke for xmas and the tuning is the same as the bottom four strings on a guitar. iv already learned souls sister and over the rainbow just wondering is there any advantages of having a standard uke over a baritone is there much of a tone change?

  7. Sarah December 27th, 2011 12:48 am

    Hi, I just got a ukulele & I was wondering if you would do the chord or tab (I think that’s what it’s called and I’m not to sure what the difference is) of the of the song “Be My Escape” by Relient K. Thank you!

  8. L.Bo Marie December 27th, 2011 4:55 am

    yay for new christmas ukes!!!
    the family has contributed to my UAS by giving me money as my gift… oh, the decisions.

    Cathal, imagine your capo on the 5th fret of your guitar, your top 4 strings there (GCEA) are like a C tuned uke… I like to encourage guitar people to give it a try if only to give your brain an exercise- it can only help your guitar playing!

  9. NicoTSD December 28th, 2011 8:21 pm

    I love playing the uke I got for Christmas, I’m trying to learn The Debt, by Julia Nunes, but it just doesn’t sound right. I think it might have to do because I’m strumming it like a guitar, but I don’t really know. I found the chords, and I’m pretty sure those are the ones she uses.

  10. Deano December 29th, 2011 2:17 pm

    Uke for christmas, loving it so much, just finished he uke tab for ten million slaves :D love that song, tried learning on guitar but couldnt live up to the sound of a banjo, but uke definitly suits :D

  11. Hails December 30th, 2011 1:20 am

    Thanks for the beginner tips! I saw this amazing New Years ukulele/guitar duet video with Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but for the life of me I cannot figure out the exact chords that are being played on the uke. It seems to be a jazz progression, but I’m still a beginner and can’t make heads or tails of it. Do you think you could enlighten us o ukulele master Woodshed? Thanks!

    Here is the video… http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aSq1cez_flQ#!

  12. skwidspawn December 30th, 2011 1:43 am

    Not a huge fan of She & Him, but that’s a nice song! The fingerings don’t look too difficult, but they might not sound right without the guitar playing along with them.

  13. Woodshed December 30th, 2011 2:46 pm

    Ukulele Mondo: Thanks very much!

    Laura: You’re welcome!

    jon: Hope you’re enjoying your uke.

    Cathal: Yeah, there’s a big tone change. I find baritone a bit too guitar-y for my tastes.

    L.bo: Congrats on the new uke!

    Deano: Glad you’re enjoying it.

    Hails and skwidspawn: It’s up here.

  14. KatiePotatie March 26th, 2012 8:40 am

    I got a lovely pink uke for my 30th on Friday – I was so happy I cried!

    Luckily, I have now found your site so I will be able to learn how to play the darn thing ;)

    Look out for me topping the charts soon!

    Keep up the good work xxx

  15. Woodshed March 26th, 2012 9:18 am

    KatiePotatie: Happy Birthday!

  16. Jack December 12th, 2012 1:25 am

    I coulndt get ur tabs section to down load? So what’s some easy tabs to look up?

  17. Woodshed December 12th, 2012 11:01 am

    Jack: These ones.

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