Ukulele Magazine "How To Boost A Few Simple Chord Shapes"
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melanieparkerlrhsUkulele Magazine "How To Boost A Few Simple Chord Shapes"
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melanieparkerlrhsHow to Boost a Few Simple Chord Shapes
Moveable major chords can help expand your command of the fretboard
BY ALEC POLETSKY
1UkuleleMag.com
HOW TO BOOST A FEW SIMPLE CHORD SHAPES
M
Chord root notes are red.
ajor chords are usually the first
chords learned, and most players
know a handful of them, especially
A, C, D, E, F, and G.
What you might not know is that with
3 2 11
just these simple chord shapes, you can
play all of the other major chords as well.
It’s easy to do, too—all you have to
know is where in the chord shape (on
which string) your root note lays and
where on the neck you can find that root
The B-chord Shape
note. Then you just build the chords
It’s root note (B) is on
around it.
the A string and also the
First, let’s go over a few basics. The
G string. If you play this
root note is the note your major chord is
chord on the third fret,
built on and named after. For instance, the
it’s a C.
root note of an A7 chord is A, the root note
Play it on the fourth
fret, and it’s a D b . Play it
of a G minor chord is G, and the root note
of a Bb major chord is B b . There is a major
on the fifth fret, it’s a D.
chord for each note in the musical alpha-
bet—A, B b , B, C, D b , D, E b , E, F, G b , G, A b .
Play it on the sixth fret,
and it’s an E b chord, and
If you’re just starting out, take a mo- B
so on.
ment to find the notes on the neck: If your
ukulele is tuned G C E A, and you play the
first fret G string, you are playing an
A b note. To make finding each chord's root
note easier, we made each chord shape's
root note red. 3 3 31
If you play the second fret on the
C string, you are playing the D note. If you
play the second fret on the E string, you
are playing a G b note.
If you play fourth fret A string, you will
have a D b note.
The E-chord Shape
Now, let’s consider the various major
The root note (E) is on
chord shapes and their role in expanding
the C string. If you play
your command of the fingerboard. By mov-
it on the first fret, you
have an E b . If you play it
ing a chord shape up the neck, you can
add to the number of chords you can play
on the third fret, you
without having to learn new, unique
have an F. Play it on the
shapes for each of those chords. The
fourth fret, and it’s a
G b chord.
moveable chord shapes I have provided in
the diagrams are as follows:
On the fifth fret, it’s a
G. On the sixth fret, it’s
an A b . And on the sev-
enth fret, it is an A chord.
2UkuleleMag.com
HOW TO BOOST A FEW SIMPLE CHORD SHAPES
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The G-chord Shape
This voicing uses the index finger over the
C, E, and A strings with a middle finger on
the E string and a ring finger on the G
string. The root note (G) can be found on
the E string. Playing this shape on the
third fret will yield an A b chord. Play it on
the fourth fret, and it’s an A. Play it on the
fifth fret, and it’s a B b . Play it on the sixth
fret, and it’s a B chord.
111 4
G
The D-chord Shape
Use the index finger to span the whole fret-
board and your pinky for the A string. The
root note (D) is on the A and C strings.
Playing this chord on the third fret will
give you a E b . Playing it on fouth fret, and
you get an E chord. Play it on the fifth, and
it’s an F. Play it on the sixth fret, and it’s a
G b chord. Play it on the seventh fret, and
it’s a G chord. There you have it.
As long as you memorize the musical
alphabet (the notes on the fingerboard)
and these four chord shapes, you can find
any major chord on your ukulele. It’s up to
you to choose which of the chord shapes
to use. Some will be easier to get to than
others, depending on which chord you are
switching from. Some might sound more
appropriate to the particular song being
played as well.
The choice is yours.
3UkuleleMag.com