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First Chords

With regard to the tangibility of chords different instruments are preferred to special keys, for a beginner on the ukulele the simplest chords, depending on the tuning, are to play in the key of C major and A minor (C-Tuning), or in the key of D major and B minor (D-Tuning). In principle, all keys can be played - with a little practice.

C-Tuning
(so-called Hawaiian standard)

  C
Basic /Tonic

Am
Tonic-Parallel

F
Subdominant


Dm
Subdominant-
Parallel

G
Dominant


Em7
Dominant-
Parallel

a-string
e-string
c-string
g-string
|-|-|3|-|
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|-|2|-|-|

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|1|-|-|-|
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|-|2|-|-|

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|1|-|-|-|
|-|3|-|-|
|-|2|-|-|

|-|3|-|-|
|1|-|-|-|
|-|2|-|-|
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|-|3|-|-|
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|-|2|-|-|
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D-Tuning (traditional standard, still in Canada and Europe)

  D
Basic / Tonic

Bm
Tonic-Parallel

G
Subdominant

Em
Subdominant-
Parallel

A7
Dominante

F#m7
Dominant-
Parallel

b-string
f#-string
d-string
a-string
|-|-|3|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|

|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|2|-|-|

|-|-|-|-|
|1|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|2|-|-|

|-|-|-|-|
|1|-|-|-|
|-|3|-|-|
|-|2|-|-|

|-|3|-|-|
|1|-|-|-|
|-|2|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|

|-|3|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|2|-|-|
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Griffmuster entsprechen dieser Draufsicht  The point of view is as shown by the picture in the left. Numerals denote the following fingers: 1=indexfinger, 2=middlefinger, 3=ringfinger. My fingersettings may differ from most chord tables, but they are more practicable for any changing to other chords. With these few chords you are able to accompany a lot of tunes - many simple songs actually need only two chords!

   All keys, both, in C- and D-Tuning gathered in my so called Ukulele Circle This is a key circle, also known as circle of quints (circle of fifths), showing 11 chords in each key. It is helpfully for understanding harmonic structures, and for transposing the key of a song. I