By Peter Edvinsson
Oh! Susanna is a song written by Stephen Foster in 1847. In this ukulele lesson you will learn to play the melody on your ukulele with the help of ukulele tablature. I will show you how to place your fingers in order to play the melody. You will also learn to play the chords!
What is tablature?
First of all we will take a look at sheet music notation. The notes in traditional sheet music notation tells you which note to play, like a C for example. This notation is the same for all instruments. You will have to figure out how to find the notes on your instrument.
Tablature notation on the other hand tells you how to place your fingers on your particular instrument in order to play a melody or something else.
Ukulele guitar tabs
Tabs are very common on guitar and on ukulele. In ukulele tablature notation you will find four lines representing the four strings on your ukulele. Here is an example of an ukulele guitar tablature staff:
1. -------------------------
2. -------------------------
3. -------------------------
4. -------------------------
The top line indicates the first string with the highest pitch. It will be the bottom string when you play.
Let us start with the melody!
We will start with the first part of the melody. First I will show you the lyrics. Below the lyrics you will find the ukulele tab notation and a description of how to interpret the tabs.
Here you have the first line of lyrics with ukulele tab notation:
Oh I (C)come from Alabama with a banjo on my (G7)knee
1. ------------0-------------------
2. ------0-3-3---3-0-----0-0-------
3. --0-2-------------0-2-----2-0-2-
4. --------------------------------
The numbers tell you which frets to press down. The two first numbers 0 and 2 are placed on the third line. This means, play the third open string, that is, the third string without pressing down a fret. Then, play the second fret on the third string.
Remember that the first string is the string with the highest pitch and the bottom string when you play!
Time for some ukulele chords!
Using the same type of ukulele tab notation you will now learn three chords that you can play as you sing the melody or if somebody else is playing ukulele together with you.
As you probably have noticed I have placed the chords in brackets in the first line of lyrics above. The chords are placed before the syllable where you are to change chords. Here you have the chords C-major, F-major and G7 written with ukulele tab notation:
C F G7
1. --3---0---2---
2. --0---1---1---
3. --0---0---2---
4. --0---2---0---
Let us continue with the melody:
I'm (C)going to Louisiana, my true love (G7)for to (C)see
1. ------------0-------------------
2. ------0-3-3---3-0-----0-0-------
3. --0-2-------------0-2-----2-2-0-
4. --------------------------------
It (C)rained all night the day I left, the weather it was (G7)dry
1. ------------0-------------------
2. ------0-3-3---3-0-----0-0-------
3. --0-2-------------0-2-----2-0-2-
4. --------------------------------
The (C)sun so hot I froze to death; Susanna, (G7)don't you (C)cry
1. ------------0-------------------
2. ------0-3-3---3-0-----0-0-------
3. --0-2-------------0-2-----2-2-0-
4. --------------------------------
Time for the refrain!
(F)Oh, Susanna, (C)don't you cry for (G7)me
12 12 01 01 32 32 02 03 23
1. -----0-0-------------
2. -1-1-----3-3-0-------
3. ---------------1-3---
4. ---------------------
For I (C)come from Alabama with my banjo (G7)on my (C)knee
1. ------------0-------------------
2. ------0-3-3---3-0-----0-0-------
3. --0-2-------------0-2-----2-2-0-
4. --------------------------------
Just two final thoughts:
1. Try to use your left hand index to play the notes on the first fret, your middle finger to play the notes on the second fret and your ring finger to play on the third fret. Even if it is a bit awkward at first you will soon feel the benefits from playing this professional way.
2. Learn the melody by heart as fast as possible. Try to learn one line at a time and you will have a song to play for your friends whenever you will find an ukulele around!
Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. He invites you to download your free sheet music and ukulele tabs at http://www.capotastomusic.com