Ukulele Underground

“Wild Mountain Thyme” Ukulele Solo Arrangement with Matt Dahlberg

2025-08-30T02:03:48Z

Learn to play “Wild Mountain Thyme” on Ukulele

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Print the Tab to “Wild Mountain Thyme”

Hey UUers!
On this month’s episode of Uke Lessons we’re learning the classic folk tune “Wild Mountain Thyme” on ukulele with instructor Matt Dahlberg! This lesson takes you through the entire song in a clear, bar-by-bar style, with tabs right on screen so you can follow along. You can also download the tab to make practicing even easier.

The post “Wild Mountain Thyme” Ukulele Solo Arrangement with Matt Dahlberg appeared first on Ukulele Underground.

“Die With A Smile” (Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars) Ukulele Chords

2025-05-01T11:59:39Z

Learn to play “Die With A Smile” (Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars) on Ukulele

Browse the Full List of UU Song Tutorials
Print the Lyrics and Chords for “Die With A Smile” (link)

Hey UUers!
On this month’s episode of Uke Lessons we’re learning to play the hit song “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars on ukulele! We’re playing the cover in the Key of C, so for beginners it’s easy to just play the simple versions of these chords. Aldrine plays some interesting inversions that will keep intermediate players on their toes. And for the advanced players there are a few flourishes that make playing and singing the lyrics at the same time a challenge to tackle.

Here’s a quick video where Aldrine breaks down the intro, chords, strumming, and some of the chord progressions for this song:

Have fun with this – play along with the “Die With A Smile” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page. And if you need extra info for learning the chords, rhythm, or intro part, start off with any of the steps below:

STEP 1 – Chords

Here are the simple chords that you need to start playing “Die With A Smile” on the ukulele:

Cmaj7(0002), F(2010), Fmaj7(2410), Fadd9(0010), G(0232), Am(2000), A7(0100), Em(0432), E7(1202)

Notice that there are a few versions of F, including the Fmaj7 and Fadd9, which can be used interchangeably during the song. All of the chords here are fairly simple and these are the versions that appear along the bottom of the Ukulele Play-Along video, over the lyrics.

If you’d like to try your hand at the slightly more challenging chords that Aldrine is playing, here are some of the alternate versions that he uses:

F(2013), Fmaj7(5500), Fmaj7(5557), Fadd9(5530), G(4235), Am(2003), Am7(2030), Em7(4435), E7(4445)

Memorize and practice the chords based on your ability, and when you can easily switch between the ones you need, try playing along with the “Die With A Smile” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page. When you can change to the right chords at the right times, move on to Step 2 to add some rhythm:

STEP 2 – Rhythm

Now that you can play the chords and switch to them at the right times, it’s time to add some strumming. Start by counting “1 2 3 4 5 6” and strum down on each count. Try emphasizing beats 1 and 4 by playing them slightly louder.

Now add up strums in between beats 2 and 3 and 5 and 6. So your count should be “1 2&3 4 5&6″ – where your strumming down on all the numbers, and strumming up on the &s. To get a better feel, refer to Aldrine’s simple rhythm that he does in the explainer video above. You can also experiment with strumming some downs with the pad of your thumb to get that softer, muted sound or adding rolls to add emphasis to certain strums.

See if you can feel out the rhythm and play along with the “Die With A Smile” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page to find a strum that works for you while playing this song. And when you want to try the intro part that Aldrine does in the beginning, move on to Step 3 below.

STEP 3 – Intro

The Intro to this song is fairly simple. It uses 3 chords:

Cmaj7(0002), C(00010), Fmaj7(5557)

So it’s basically the 6 beat rhythm that you learned earlier. Play Cmaj7 for one full measure (1 2 3 4 5 6). For the next measure play Cmaj7 for the first 3 beats, then do that 10th fret C chord for the last 3 beats. Then play the Fmaj7 for two full measures (1 2 3 4 5 6, 1 2 3 4 5 6).

And that’s it! Be sure to use the “Die With A Smile” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page to learn the intro and practice the chords & rhythm. When you can play all of it, you’re golden! Great job, you just played “Die With A Smile” on the ukulele!

Awesome!

If you liked this Ukulele Play-Along, be sure to check out the Play-Along videos for “Uptown Funk“ and “Leave The Door Open“ – both also featuring Bruno Mars, or check out the complete Library of Ukulele Play-Alongs for more great song breakdowns. Hope you enjoy playing and singing this one and as always if you have any questions, please send a message! Mahalo for all the years of UU – keep strummin’

Aloha,
-UU Staff

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Rainbow Connection (The Muppets) – Fingerstyle Solo

2025-04-15T22:24:41Z

Learn a Fingerstyle Arrangement of “Rainbow Connection” Download the TAB – “Rainbow Connection” Fingerstyle Solo Ukulele TAB(.pdf) Watch the Whiteboard…

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“Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” (Frankie Valli) Ukulele Chords & Picking

2025-04-02T09:07:53Z

Learn to play “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” (Frankie Valli) on Ukulele

Browse the Full List of UU Song Tutorials
Print the Lyrics and Chords for “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” (link)
Download the TABS – “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” Ukulele Breakdown Riff(.pdf)

Hey UUers!
On this month’s Uke Lessons we’re learning the song “Can’t Get My Eyes Off Of You” by Frankie Valli on ukulele! This version is in the Key of D with lots of chords, so it’s a great way for beginners to practice their chord changes. The chord inversions and Breakdown Riff (see Step 3) is a nice challenge for intermediate players. And putting it all together – singing, chords, and rhythm – is a great practice for advanced players.

Try it out by playing along with the “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” Ukulele Play-Along above. And if you need help learning the chords, rhythm, or Breakdown Riff, start off with any of the steps below:

STEP 1 – Chords

Here is the chord pattern you’ll need in order to play the Verses for “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” on the ukulele:

D(2220), Dmaj7(2120), D7(2020), G(0232), Gm(0231), D(2220), E(4442), Em(0432), D(2220)

These are the simple versions of the chords, as shown along the bottom of the “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” Ukulele Play-Along video. So if you’re a beginner, be sure to practice these. If you’d like a challenge, you can also try the chord inversions that Aldrine is playing (shown on the left side fretboard) for D, Dmaj7, and D7 as well as the Em7 substitution that he uses for Em:

D(2225), Dmaj7(2224), D7(2223), Em7(4435)

Here is the chord pattern for the Breakdown:

Em(0432), A(2100), D(2220), D(2220), Em(0432), A(2100), D(2220), B7(2322)

And here is the chord pattern for the Chorus:

Em(0432), A(2100), F#m(2120), Bm(4222), Em(0432), A(2100), D(2220), B7(2322), C(0003)

Be sure to practice switching between all of these in order. When you can do this relatively easily, try playing along with “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page. Try to switch to the right chords at the right times and when you’re ready to add some rhythm, move on to Step 2 below:

STEP 2 – Rhythm

Now that you can play the chords and can to switch to them at the right times, try strumming a simple rhythm. Start by counting “1 2 3 4” and strum down on each chord. Next double up the count by strumming down strums in between each beat. Then add up strums in between each of the downs.

To make it more interesting, add emphasis on beats 2 and 4 by playing them slightly louder (or if you’re an advanced player, substitute Chunks instead of strums on beats 2 & 4). Also emphasize the up strum just before beat 3.

The important part is to really listen to the rhythm and do your best to sync up with it. Play along with the “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page to find a strum that works for you. And when you want to add in the chord riff that happens during the Breakdown, move on to Step 3 below.

STEP 3 – Breakdown Riff

Now that you can play the chords and strum this song, try adding the Breakdown Riff. Start with the Em chord and sliding it into place.
Then use various chord inversions for the Breakdown chords. Here is a quick video of Aldrine explaining how to do it:

If you know how to read TABs, be sure to check out the:

“Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” Ukulele Breakdown Riff TAB(.pdf)

Also remember that YouTube has a built in slow down function (the gear icon > Speed > set to 0.75 or 0.5). Be sure to use that for the “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page to learn and practice the Riff. When you can play it at full speed, that it! Good job, now you can play “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” on the ukulele!

Awesome Job!

If you liked this one, be sure to check out the Ukulele Play-Alongs for “Up On The Roof” by The Drifters, “It’s Now Or Never” by Elvis, or the complete Library of Ukulele Play-Alongs for more great song tutorials. Have fun practicing this and if you have any questions, feel free to send a message! Rock on & keep strummin’

Aloha,
-UU Staff

The post “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” (Frankie Valli) Ukulele Chords & Picking appeared first on Ukulele Underground.

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan) – Chord Melody Strumming Solo

2025-03-15T01:40:34Z

Learn a Chord Melody Arrangement of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” Download the TAB – “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” Solo Ukulele…

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“Anything You Want” (FIJI) Ukulele Chords & Picking

2025-03-01T10:11:31Z

Learn to play “Anything You Want” (FIJI) on Ukulele

Browse the Full List of UU Song Tutorials
Print the Lyrics and Chords for “Anything You Want” (link)
Download the TABS – “Anything You Want” Ukulele Picking(.pdf)

Hey UUers!
This time on Uke Lessons we’re learning the song “Anything You Want” by FIJI on ukulele! It’s in the Key of F, so it’s a great way for beginners to learn and practice the basic chords in the Key of F. It uses the reggae strum and has a simple picking, so it’s fun for intermediate players to tackle. And the little nuances like hammer-on chords and precisely strumming three or less strings at a time is a nice practical practice for advanced players, too.

Check it out and play along with the “Anything You Want” Ukulele Play-Along above. And if you need help learning the chords, rhythm, or picking riff, start off with any of the steps below:

STEP 1 – Chords

Here are the 5 chords that you need to start playing “Anything You Want” on the ukulele:

F(2010), Am(2000), Dm(2210), Bb(3211), C(5433)

If you’re a beginner you can use the basic version of C(0003). But if you’re already practicing the Bb chord, all you need to do is move it up 2 frets and you have a version of C that sounds more appropriate for this song. You’ll be using this for the riff (Step 3 below), so practice it and get it down. Switch between all of the chords and when you can easily switch between all of them, try playing along with “Anything You Want” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page. Practice switching to the right chords at the right times and when you’re ready to add some rhythm, move on to Step 2 below:

STEP 2 – Rhythm

Now that you can play the chords and can to switch to them at the right times, it’s time to learn that reggae rhythm. Start by counting “1 2 3 4” and strum down on each chord. You can try adding up strums in between each of the downs, then emphasize beats 2 and 4.

Next, use your pinky finger to mute the strings and only lift it off on beats 2 and 4. If you don’t have this down yet, it will take some practice. Check out the Rhythm videos from our “Get Up Stand Up” tutorial to learn and practice the reggae strum.

Remember that you’ll be changing chords on beat 1 (F, Am, Dm, Bb) and sometimes on 3 (C), but letting your strum sound out only on beats 2 and 4. *For advanced players, you can also practice intentionally strumming the up before the chord change on an open chord and hammering the entire chord on the down beat (but not strumming the down).

Experiment with rhythm and play along with the “Anything You Want” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page to find a strum that works for you while playing this song. And when you want to add in that fun riff that Aldrine does, move on to Step 3 below.

STEP 3 – Picking

When you can play the chords along with a strum that works for this song, you can add the main riff of the song. There are 4 basic positions that you’ll need to remember:

The first one is the main picking part of the riff that is played over the chords F and Am. Next is the Dm chord that you’ll play briefly before hammering on the Bb chord and doing a partial C chord that uses your ring finger to add and remove the E string 5th fret. If you know how to read TABs, be sure to check out the:

“Anything You Want” Ukulele Picking TAB sheet(.pdf)

Also remember that YouTube has a built in slow down function (the gear icon > Speed > set to 0.75 or 0.5). You can use that on the “Anything You Want” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page to learn the picking or practice.
When you can play the riff at full speed, you got it! Congrats, you just played “Anything You Want” on the ukulele!

High Five!

If you enjoyed this Ukulele Play-Along, be sure to check out the complete Library of Ukulele Play-Alongs for more great song breakdowns. A very special MAHALO to Kaniho for lending his vocals and guitar playing on this Play Along. Have fun with this and if you have any questions, please send a message! Rock on & keep strummin’

Aloha,
-UU Staff

The post “Anything You Want” (FIJI) Ukulele Chords & Picking appeared first on Ukulele Underground.

Pasilyo (SunKissed Lola) – Filipino Wedding Fingerstyle Solo

2025-02-20T20:25:43Z

Learn “Pasilyo” on the Ukulele Download the TAB – “Pasilyo” Fingerstyle Ukulele TAB(.pdf) Print the Lyrics and Chords for “Pasilyo”…

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“Here’s a Lei” (Ka’au Crater Boys) Ukulele Chords & Picking

2025-02-02T10:49:00Z

Learn to play “Here’s a Lei” (Ka’au Crater Boys) on Ukulele

Browse the Full List of UU Song Tutorials
Print the Lyrics and Chords for “Here’s a Lei” (link)
Download the TABS – “Here’s a Lei” Ukulele Picking(.pdf)

Hey UUers!
On this month’s episode of Uke Lessons, it’s another song from The Ka’au Crater Boys: “Here’s a Lei.” This one is a relatively simple song in the Key of C with just 3 chords so it’s great for beginner players to sing and strum. Aldrine uses some fun chord inversions for the Dm7 and Em7 for intermediate players to practice. And the intro and main picking parts offer a fun challenge with lots of hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides for advanced players to learn and play.

Try it out by playing along with the “Here’s a Lei” Ukulele Play-Along above. And if you need help learning the chords, rhythm, or picking parts, start off with any of the steps below:

STEP 1 – Chords

Here are the 3 chords (plus 2 substitutions) that you’ll need to start playing “Here’s a Lei” on the ukulele:

Cmaj7(0002), Dm(2210), Dm7(2213), Em(0432), Em7(4435)

Practice switching between the Cmaj7, Dm, and Em chords (or if you’re up for it Cmaj7, Dm7, and Em7 chords). When you can quickly and easily switch between all of them, try them out by playing along with “Here’s a Lei” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page and try to switch to the right chords at the right times. When you’re ready to add some rhythm, move on to Step 2 below:

STEP 2 – Rhythm

Now that you can play the chords and are able to switch to them at the right times, add a simple rhythm. Start by counting “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” and steadily and strumming down on each.

Add emphasis by playing slightly louder down strums on beat 1 and the & after 2. If you want, you can also replace beats 2 and 4 with chunks.

Try to really feel out the groove of the song and sync your strumming with the tempo and rhythm. And when you’ve found a strum that matches the song and works for you, try it out by playing along with the “Here’s a Lei” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page to listen to and follow the rhythm. And when you are brave enough to tackle the picking, feel free to move on to Step 3 below.

STEP 3 – Picking

Now that you can hold the chords and strum the song, you might want to try playing the picking parts. There is a quick intro riff as well as a longer picking in the middle of the song. If you need some direction for this, be sure to check out the

“Here’s a Lei” Ukulele Picking TAB sheet(.pdf)

Also be sure to utilize the built in YouTube slow down function (the gear icon > Speed > set to 0.75 or 0.5) on the “Here’s a Lei” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page. It will take some patience and practice, but once you’ve got the picking down, that’s it. Awesome, you just played “Here’s a Lei” on the ukulele!

Great Job!

If you enjoyed this Ukulele Play-Along, be sure to check out the Play-Alongs for other Ka’au Crater Boys hits (including Opihi Man, Tropical Hawaiian Day, I Hear Music, All I Have to Offer You Is Me) or check out the complete Library of Ukulele Play-Alongs for more great song breakdowns.

Have fun with this one and if you have any questions, please contact us! Have a great one & keep strummin’

Aloha,
-UU Staff

The post “Here’s a Lei” (Ka’au Crater Boys) Ukulele Chords & Picking appeared first on Ukulele Underground.

Mele of My Tutu E – Hawaiian Fingerstyle Solo

2025-01-22T21:09:17Z

Learn “Mele of My Tutu E” on the Ukulele Download the TAB – “Mele of My Tutu E” Fingerstyle Ukulele…

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“Are You Missing Me” (Ka’au Crater Boys) Ukulele Chords & Picking

2025-01-10T23:28:38Z

Learn to play “Are You Missing Me” (Ka’au Crater Boys) on Ukulele

Browse the Full List of UU Song Tutorials
Print the Lyrics and Chords for “Are You Missing Me” (link)
Download the TABS – “Are You Missing Me” Ukulele Picking(.pdf)

Hey UUers!
This time on Uke Lessons, we’re breaking down “Are You Missing Me” by The Ka’au Crater Boys. It’s a pretty simple song in the Key of G so it’s great for beginner players practicing their basic chords. Aldrine does a few flourishes and uses an interesting triplet strum that will be a challenge for intermediate players. And the picking for this song is a Troy Fernandez-inspired arrangement that will be fun for advanced players to tackle.

Try it out by playing along with the “Are You Missing Me” Ukulele Play-Along above. And if you need help learning the chords, rhythm, or picking parts, start off with any of the steps below:

STEP 1 – Chords

Here are the 5 chords that you need to play the Verses for “Are You Missing Me” on the ukulele:

G(0232), D7(2020), C(0003), G7(0212), A7(0100)

These are all of the simple chords that you can use to play the song (as indicated over the lyrics along the bottom of the Play-Along screen). At various times during the song, Aldrine tends to let go of the note on the A string for the G chord, or add the E string 3rd fret for the D7 chord (shown on the fretboard on the left side of the Play-Along screen). This is just to add color, so it’s totally up to you if you want to follow what Aldrine is doing.

Try out the chords by playing along with “Are You Missing Me” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page and try to switch to the right chords at the right times. And when you’re ready to add some rhythm, move on to Step 2 below:

STEP 2 – Rhythm

Now that you have memorized the chords and are able to switch to them at the right times, try adding a simple rhythm. Start by counting 1, 2, 3, 4 steadily and strumming down on each number.

Next double up your strum by adding up strums in between each of the downs. Add emphasis on beats 2 and 4 and you’re good to go!

If you really want to follow the rhythm that Aldrine is strumming, you’ll have to use a triplet strum. He breaks down what he is doing here:

Basically you would be using a triplet for each beat, alternating between a Down Up Down triplet (beats 1 and 3) and a Up Down Up triplet (beats 2 and 4). So you’re still doing a Down, Up, Down, Up … strum, but you’re cramming 3 strums into each beat (instead of just 2). And your emphasis can still be on beats 2 and 4 (though they will be Up strums instead of Down strums now).

Try it out by playing along with the “Are You Missing Me” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page to listen to and follow the rhythm. When you’re able to strum, either with the regular strum or triplet strum, while changing chords at the correct times, feel free to move on to Step 3 below.

STEP 3 – Picking

Now that you can hold the chords and strum the song, you might want to try learning the picking part that happens in the middle of the song. If you need some direction for this, be sure to check out the

“Are You Missing Me” Ukulele Picking TAB sheet(.pdf)

Remember you can always use the built in YouTube slow down function (the gear icon > Speed > set to 0.75 or 0.5) on the “Are You Missing Me” Ukulele Play-Along at the top of the page. Great job, you just played “Are You Missing Me” on the ukulele!

Congrats!

Hope your New Year was amazing and if you have any questions, please send a message! Mahalo & keep strummin’

Aloha,
-UU Staff

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