Top 5 Ukulele Tools for Beginners
Getting started playing the ukulele can be a little overwhelming. However, taking those first steps is half the battle. To help smooth the process for you, I have compiled a list of the top 5 ukulele tools for beginners. Enjoy!
1. Tabs
When you got your uke, you probably imagined playing songs. I would hope so. Well, tabs are how you do that. Tabs are essentially documents (or often a webpage) that show you the chords you need to play the song, the lyrics, and when to play the chords when singing the lyrics. They can also include strumming/plucking patterns and where to place your capo to get the right key.
My favorite place to get tabs is Ultimate Guitar. They have tons of tabs created by users from everywhere. They have a desktop version and an app. Below is a screenshot of what most of their tabs look like.
When searching for songs, I recommend filtering it by the instrument you are using. The tabs that are presented when searching often have ratings. I usually pick the one with the highest number of 5-star ratings. As a tip, if the chords are not shown at the top of the tabs, click on the chord in the lyrics section. It will show you how to play that chord. However, if you do not want to keep clicking on chords to remember and would prefer a handy-dandy pdf of basic ukulele chords (wink wink), feel free to sign up for my newsletter and you will get a FREE basic chords sheet!
As a side note, I am not affiliated with Ultimate Guitar, I just genuinely enjoy using their product.
2. Tuner
No matter what tabs you find, the song will not sound right if your ukulele is not tuned. There are many free apps that will use the microphone built into your phone to see if your ukulele is tuned. The one that I love is called GuitarTuna. It is super easy to use! I just open the app and play each string individually and it will tell me if I am sharp or flat and by how much.
In addition, there are also many tuners on Amazon that you can clip to your uke such as this one or this one. I have not personally used these tuners because I am a poor college student and prefer a free app that I can download instantly. However, I have seen many other people use this type of product to tune and it seems to work really well!
3. Capo
Capos are literally so fun! They are used to put you in the right key of a song. However, I also like to change which fret to put the capo on to see how it can change a song and its mood. I realize that is counterintuitive, but I have fun! Here is a link to a great capo available on Amazon.
4. Bag
How do you think you are going to carry your ukulele from gig to gig? With a bag!
Sorry for the Dora moment, but bags are so important! They keep your ukulele from getting scratched or damaged when moving around. For me, I am a college student and do not go a single break without it. I do not care if it is a weekend at home, I am bringing my ukulele home. I would be a lot more nervous traveling without a bag. Personally, I have this bag. I decorate it with pins that I have purchased on different trips I have taken.
If the black bag doesn’t suit your fancy, Amazon has many bags that are a bit more decorative and work well! When searching, I recommend getting something that is a thick material to protect your uke. Also, make sure you look at the reviews to make sure you are getting a quality item. This one and this one are cute options!
5. Voice Recorder
Finally, a voice recorder. I like to record myself practicing a song to hear what things I need to work on. The app that came with your phone is suitable.
As you become more comfortable with your ukulele and begin writing songs, I highly encourage you to record what you are writing. Sometimes, I do something that I really like, and I did not record it, so I can’t remember what I did. I do not want you to go through the same thing, so please learn from my mistakes. Record the entire session of writing songs! You will not regret it.
I hope that this list of the top 5 ukulele tools for beginners was helpful! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments below. Be sure to check out my beginners guide on how to play ukulele!
Also, do not forget to get your free basic chords chart! Just fill out the form below and click the link in the confirmation message! Thanks!
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