Learn to play ukulele

Ukulele lesson: Learn How To Read Ukulele Tab

by Peter Edvinsson

Most ukulele players use the uke to play chords as the sing but you can impress your friends by playing a melody. Let's start playing ukulele tab!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is a popular English nursery rhyme with a French melody You can play this song on the first three strings on the guitar.

The text is from a poem, "The Star", by Jane Taylor. It was first published in 1806. Here you have the English lyrics:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

We will use ukulele tab so you will not need to read sheet music. You will use the first three strings on the ukulele.

The string with the highest pitch is called the first string and is usually an A. The first string is the string nearest your feet when you hold you uke in a playing position.

Look at the following ukulele tab:

1. 0--0--0--0--------------------------------
2. ---------------1--1--1--1-----------------
3. ------------------------------2--2--2--2--

This is a ukulele tab staff and the four number 0 indicate that you play the first string four times without pressing down any finger on your right hand. This is called to play on an open string.

The four number 1 coming after is played on the second string pressing down your first finger on the first fret. Then you will play the third string four times pressing down the string on the second fret.

This is what the previous ukulele tab notation is telling you.

Let's play the first notes of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star with guitar tablature:

1. --------------------0--0-----------------------------------
2. -----------3-3-------------3----1--1--0--0-------------
3. ---0--0-----------------------------------------2--2--0--

If you want to use your left hand in a professional way you can play the ukulele tab notes on the first fret with your first finger, the notes on the second fret with your middle finger and the notes on the third fret with your ring finger.

Now it's only one ukulele tab part left:

1. ---3-3-1-1-0-0-------3-3-1-1-0-0--------
2. ---------------------3----------------------3---
3. -------------------------------------------------

After having played this part, go back and play the first ukulele tab part and the melody is complete.

Now when you understand this ukulele tab notation you can play the songs on my ukulele page with PDF files.

If you have a guitar hanging somewhere you can use the previous ukulele tab notation too. The first three strings on a guitar are tuned the same way as on the ukulele. Not in the same key, though.

Just one more thing for you to do. Play the song for your friends! Good luck!

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