In today's lesson we explore the left-hand position and how to move the fingers on the fretboard. Before starting this lesson, be sure your left-hand nails are trimmed as short as possible.
Left-Hand Position
Here’s how to form the left-hand position:
Place the thumb behind the neck.
Curve the fingers and hover them over the fingerboard.
Your left shoulder should be relaxed with the elbow pointed towards the floor. Hold the wrist straight or slightly curved.
Fretting Notes
The left-hand controls pitch by pressing the strings against the frets. To play a note on the fingerboard:
Use your fingertip to press the string against the fret.
Touch the string as near as possible to the fret.
Left-Hand Position | Elbow pointed at floor, thumb behind the neck, wrist straight and fingers curved over the strings.
Role of the Thumb
The thumb rests lightly against the back of the neck and stabilizes the hand. Do not use the thumb to tightly squeeze the neck when fretting. Squeezing results in discomfort and, in extreme cases, muscle cramps and pain. Use light pressure from the arm and fingers to press down the strings.
Left-Hand Position
Fret Technique | Lightly press the string against the fret with the fingertip. Touch the string as near as possible to the fret.
Rondo alla Turca | The left-hand fingers of Andreas David and Corey Fujimoto are held close to the fingerboard with palms parallel to the first string.
We're almost ready to try out the left-hand on a scale. But first we take a quick detour to tablature reading.
Tablature
Tablature, or TAB for short, is a music notation system for indicating finger placement on the fingerboard. In other words, a numerical map of where to place your left-hand fingers when playing a piece of music.
TAB Staff
The TAB staff has four horizontal lines, each line corresponding to a string on the ʻukulele fingerboard:
The uppermost line of the TAB staff represents the ʻukulele's first string or A string, i.e., the string nearest to the floor when in playing position. The second line from the top is the second string or E string. The third line from the top is the third string or C string, and so on.
Numbers on the lines indicate which frets are to be played: 0 = open, 1 = 1st fret, 2 = 2nd fret, 3 = 3rd fret, 4 = 4th fret, etc. Like English, TAB is read from left to right.
TAB Example | Lines present strings while numbers indicate fret positions on that string. Thus, play open, 2nd fret and 3rd fret notes on the first string.
We will use tablature as an alternative or supplement to staff notation.
C Major Scale Exercise
Here's your first scale exercise. Play this exercise with a firm, clear tone and a slow, steady pulse. Strive for accurate placement and economy of motion. Alternate the right-hand fingers (m-i). If alternating the right-hand fingers (m-i) is too difficult, pluck the strings using the thumb. The scale is played four times in the audio track.
Exercise 3 | C Major Scale
The above TAB translated into English:
Pluck the open 3rd string.
Place the 2nd finger in the second fret of the 3rd string and pluck the string.
Pluck the open 2nd string.
Place the 1st finger in the first fret of the 2nd string and pluck the string.
Place the 3rd finger in the third fret of the 2nd string and pluck the string.
Pluck the open 1st string.
Place the 2nd finger in the second fret of the 1st string and pluck the string.
Place the 3rd finger in the third fret of the 1st string and pluck the string.
To descend, play the above in reverse order.
Congratulations, you played a C major scale and discovered that reading TAB is easy! Practice this scale until silky smooth. Playing along with the audio helps. If you hear string buzzes, be sure the fingertip is as near as possible to the fret.
Sheet music in this course is written in both TAB and staff notation (music notes).
C Major Scale Demo
Next, we look at the basics of chord playing.
Chords
A chord is a group of three or more notes sounded together:
The process of connecting and organizing chords is called harmony. Creating harmony to accompany melody is one of the primary roles of the ʻukulele.
Chord Symbols
In popular and folk styles, chords are indicated with a chord symbol, a letter name such as F, G, C, etc. Suffixes such as numbers, accidentals and other letters may be added for chord alterations. When a suffix is present, pronounce both the letter and the suffix, e.g., C7 is called C seven. In order to play from chord symbols, you must memorize the position and shape of the chords.
Music Score | Chord symbols are written above the staff.
Reading Chord Diagrams
In student sheet music, a chord symbol with a chord diagram beneath it is often used. Chord diagrams are similar to tablature insomuch as they're a graphical representation of where to place your fingers. But, rather than depicting the fingerboard horizontally, the chord diagram shows the fingerboard vertically. Vertical lines represent strings while horizontal lines are frets. The black dots indicate where to fret with left-hand fingers.
Both the chord symbol and chord diagram are used throughout this textbook.
Chord Diagram
Music Score | Format used in this textbook: chords, staff and TAB.
Strumming Chords
In the exercises on the prior page, we worked on strumming the open strings with the thumb. This time we'll try it with a fretted chord. Here's a review of the thumb strum technique:
Place the thumb’s fleshy underside on the fourth string (G).
Moving from the forearm, quickly push the thumb through the strings. Maintain even pressure and strum perpendicular to the strings.
For a mellow tone, strum over the end of the fingerboard. For a slightly brighter sound, strum over the soundhole.
Exercise 4 | Flat-Four Strum
Learn to play the two chords below: C and F.
Count 1-2-3-4.
Strum on each beat.
If you hesitate between chords, practice switching back and forth between C and F chords until smooth. Place all the fingers at once rather than one finger at a time.
Flat-Four Strum Demonstration | C to F Chord
Vocabulary
C major scale, tablature, TAB, TAB staff, harmony, chord symbol, chord diagram, thumb strum
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Left-Hand Position
Tablature
Chords
