Meet Your Ukulele
Before you play a single note, we’re going to spend a few minutes just looking at what you’re holding. It might sound slow. It isn’t. The ukulele is the friendliest instrument I know, and it’s tempting to skip this orientation because it feels like you’ll be strumming in ten minutes. You might — but an extra few minutes of just meeting this instrument will shape the relationship you have with it from here on.
So take a breath. Pick up your ukulele. Put it on your lap or hold it any way that feels OK right now.
What kind of ukulele do you have?
Four common sizes: Soprano (smallest, ~21 inches), Concert (slightly larger), Tenor (richer tone, popular with performers), Baritone (bigger, tuned like the top four strings of a guitar).
This course is written for soprano, concert, or tenor — they share the same tuning (gCEA) and chord shapes. If you have a baritone, chord shapes will look different and I’ll note when it matters.
Its body has names
Run your hand along the ukulele slowly, starting at the top.
The narrow end with the tuning pegs is the headstock. The pegs are the tuning machines — each one tightens or loosens one of the four strings. Below the headstock, a small ridged piece the strings pass over is the nut. That’s the “top” of the playing length of every string.
The long straight part you’ll be pressing your fingers into is the neck. The flat surface on the front of the neck is the fretboard. The thin metal strips crossing it are frets, and the spaces between them are where you’ll put your fingers.
Follow the strings down to the body. That round hole is the soundhole — the speaker of the instrument. The strings pass over a wooden piece glued to the body, called the bridge. The strings are either tied to the bridge directly (classical-style) or anchored with tiny pegs or a slot.
The body itself is hollow and shaped to resonate. When you pluck a string, the body shakes with it; that’s why it sounds bigger than the tiny strings alone would suggest.
Four strings, not six
Unlike a guitar (six strings), the ukulele has four nylon or fluorocarbon strings. They’re soft to press on — your fingertips won’t hurt the way they do on steel-string guitar.
The strings are named, from the one closest to your face to the one closest to the floor: G, C, E, A.
The G string isn’t the lowest note — it’s actually higher in pitch than the C and E next to it. That’s the famous re-entrant tuning, and it’s what gives the ukulele its distinctive bright, jangly sound.
There’s a little melody that people use to remember the order: My Dog Has Fleas — sung on the notes G, C, E, A. Sing it to yourself once, then try plucking the strings in order from top to bottom while you sing. You’ll hear it.
Set a timer for three minutes. Put the ukulele in front of you. Don’t play it. Don’t strum it. Just look at it.
Notice:
- The shape of the body. What does it remind you of?
- The wood — how many pieces? Are they different colours?
- The strings — are they all the same material, or is one (the G, usually) thicker than the others?
- Any marks, scratches, signs of use.
When the timer’s up, put your hands on the instrument. Feel the weight — it’s light, much lighter than most stringed instruments. Breathe.
What drew you to the ukulele specifically? There’s a reason, and it’s worth knowing.
What’s next
Next up is Holding the Ukulele — how to stop the little instrument from slipping out of your grip without squeezing it to death.
You’re doing the real work already.
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