| In this ukulele lesson we will use the uke to play a | | | | anything about which left hand finger to press |
| melody. Not many people can play Beethoven on | | | | down on the frets on your ukulele.You can of |
| their ukulele but soon you will be one of them. | | | | course use your first finger for all the notes.A |
| Let's start!"To Joy" is an ode written in 1785 by | | | | more professional approach is to play the notes |
| the German poet Friedrich Schiller. It is commonly | | | | on the first fret with your first finger, the notes |
| referred to as Ode To Joy. The musical setting is | | | | on the second fret with your long finger and the |
| by Beethoven in the fourth and final movement | | | | notes on your third fret with your ring finger.It |
| of his Ninth Symphony.I use my own form of | | | | might be difficult at first but if you practice it will |
| ukulele tab for articles like this to be sure that the | | | | be easier for you to find the right notes. You |
| tabs are readable on article sites.The more | | | | don't even have to look at your fingers to find |
| common ukulele tab staff notation can be found | | | | the right fret if you get used to this way of |
| on my site with ukulele tab, guitar tablature and | | | | playing.The next part of the melody is a repetition |
| free sheet music.The string with the highest pitch | | | | of the first part:0/1 0/1 1/1 3/1 3/1 1/1 0/1 3 |
| on the ukulele is usually an A and is called the first | | | | 2You know what the ukulele tab above tells you |
| string. This is the string nearest your feet when | | | | by now.The last ukulele tab in the first part |
| you play.The first number indicates the fret. The | | | | comes now:1/2 1/2 3/2 0/1 3/2 1/2 1/2A new |
| second number after the slash tells you which | | | | melody is introduced as a contrast:3/2 3/2 0/1 1 |
| string to play. Here is the first part of the melody | | | | 2 3/2 0/1 1/1 0/1 1/23/2 0/1 1/1 0/1 3/2 1/2 3/2 |
| with ukulele tab:0/1 0/1 1/1 3/1 3/1 1/1 0/1 3/20 | | | | 0/3This ukulele tab version of Ode To Joy will be |
| 1 indicates that you play the first string with your | | | | completed when you play this part of the first |
| right hand without pressing down any left hand | | | | melody:0/1 0/1 1/1 3/1 3/1 1/1 0/1 3/21/2 1/2 3 |
| finger. It is called to play on the open third | | | | 2 0/1 3/2 1/2 1/2Now you can play Ode To Joy |
| string.We will not dicuss how to play with you | | | | by Beethoven on your ukulele with ukulele |
| right hand. I suggest that you play the notes with | | | | tab!Actually you can play this melody with the use |
| your right hand thumb but do as you like.This | | | | of the above ukulele tab notation on a guitar also. |
| type of ukulele tab doesn't indicate the length of | | | | The first three strings on a guitar are tuned the |
| the notes. I leave it up to you to figure out the | | | | same way but not in the same pitch.I recommend |
| length of the notes.Let's play the next ukulele | | | | you to learn the melody by heart rather than |
| tab:1/2 1/2 3/2 0/1 0/1 3/2 3/23/2 means that | | | | looking on the ukulele tab so you can play it |
| you press down a left hand finger on the third | | | | anytime and anywhere!Peter Edvinsson is a |
| fret of the second string. I haven't told you | | | | musician, composer and music teacher. |