Ukulele Central: 2013

Tuesday 31 December 2013

The C Major Scale

First of all, whats a scale? A scale is a pattern of notes starting in one note and ending with that same note, going through every note (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) in order before going back to that note. The note that it starts and ends with is the key. The C major scale is very important because with it you can figure out allot of riffs, and it's what you play on the piano, starting at C and playing only on the white keys. The order of the notes is C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Here's how you play it:
----------------------------0(A)-2(B)-3(C)-
------------0(E)-1(F)-3(G)-----------------
-0(C)-2(D)---------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
You can make this scale into any key by moving it the appropriate number of steps up. Steps are how many notes between notes. Up one half step means turn it up to a #/b (A-A#/Bb) or on B-C or E-F you go only one half step up, so no B#/ Cb or E#/Fb. And one step up means to the next note, so A-B or F-G. You don't play on your G string because it's your re-entrant string, which means it's higher than the string below it, unlike guitar, which doesn't have a re-entrant string. I'll give you a ex ample for what I was talking about earlier, about figuring out allot of riffs with the scale. Here's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star:

-----------0-0-------------------------------------------------------------0-0-----------------------
------3-3------3-1-1-0-0--------3-3-1-1-0-0---3-3-1-1-0-0-------3-3-------3-1-1-0-0-----
-0-0-----------------------2-2-0---------------2--------------2-0-0-----------------------2-2-0-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice how every note in it is in the C major scale. Have fun!

Monday 30 December 2013

How To Read Tab

I'm sorry. I should have made this post earlier, posting up so much tab and for all I know you don't know how to read it! Tab reading is very important. If you don't want to play chords all the time, then you need to know how to read tab. This is just the basics, by the way, and if you want some thing more in depth go here: http://ukulelehunt.com/how-to-read-ukulele-tab/. Tab is when instead of playing a chord (4+ notes) you play just a few. So for example, you play the C note, which is 0th fret, C string, instead of playing the C chord, which is 0003. When tab is written, it's upside down. So the A string is at the top, G at the bottom, etc. The numbers mean what fret you press down on. So -3-
        ---
          ---
       ---
means press down on the 3rd fret, A string. When there's multiple numbers below and above each other it means you play them at the same time. Tab is written just like normal writing, from left to right. Hammer ons are when you pick the string and then put another finger on a fret above the one you're currently playing so you make two notes in one pick. Slides are basically the same thing except you slide instead. P.S. s=slide and h=hammer on. Hope this helps.

How To Finger Pick

Finger picking is really hard, let me start out by saying that. It's not easy unless you practice. Do it with a invisible Uke while you're watching TV or something. One of the cool things about finger picking is you can do it with any song, as long as you do the chords with your left hand while picking with your right. Unlike most tabs, you will need to use most of your fingers. Below is the section where I talk about the actual patterns. I will have letters on the left of the tab. They talk about which finger you should use. T means thumb, P means pointer, M means middle finger and R means ring finger.

There are quite a few patterns you can follow. Here are 2 of the basic ones:
R-0-----
M---0---
P------0-
T-0------

M-0---
P-0---
T----0-
--------

You're not play chords in these tabs. Usually you would have them. Remember, you can use these on any song. From Back In Black to Stand By Me, there are no limits. Also, there are other patterns, find your own! Have fun.

Brave

This is the first time I heard of Sara Bareilles, and she has such a amazing voice, it's incredible. this is the first song I post up on the blog that is sung by a girl, and I'm happy it's this one. I also love the video. Mental note: post more songs sung by girls.

Source: http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/s/sara_bareilles/brave_ukulele_crd.htm and http://ukuchords.com/

/F#m

Intro:
A

A
You can be amazing
                                                            F#m
You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug
You can be the outcast
                                                           D
Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love
                E
Or you can start speaking up
A
Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do
                                        F#m
And they settle ‘neath your skin
Kept on the inside and no sunlight
                              D
Sometimes a shadow wins
      E
But I wonder what would happen if you

A
Say what you wanna say
F#m                          D
And let the words fall out
            E
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
A
With what you want to say
F#m                          D
And let the words fall out
        E
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

A
I just wanna see you

D
I just wanna see you
F#m
I just wanna see you
E
I wanna see you be brave

A
Everybody’s been there, everybody’s been stared down
                 F#m
By the enemy
Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing
                                D
Bow down to the mighty
        E                              A
Don’t run, stop holding your tongue
                                                                     F#m
Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live
                                                                   D
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
            E
Show me how big your brave is

A
Say what you wanna say
F#m                          D
And let the words fall out
            E
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
A
With what you want to say
F#m                          D
And let the words fall out
        E
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

F#m                 A
And since, your history of silence
D                  E
Won’t do you any good
D         E
Did you think it would?

F#m A
Let your words be anything but empty
D E
Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Acapella until D
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
D         E
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
A
With what you want to say
F#m                     D
And let the words fall out
        E
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

A
I just wanna see you
D
I just wanna see you
F#m
I just wanna see you
E
I wanna see you be brave

A
I just wanna see you
D
I just wanna see you
F#m
I just wanna see you
E
I wanna see you be brave

A
I just wanna see you
D
I just wanna see you
F#m
I just wanna see you
E
I wanna see you be brave

Don't Stop Believing

This is the intro to a great, inspiring good 'ol Journey song. Enjoy!
Source: http://ukutabs.com/j/journey/dont-stop-believing/

--------------------------2-4-6-4-6-7-0-6-7----------------------------2-4-6-----0-

---0---0---0---0---2-4------------------------0---0---0---0---0---2-4--------4-4--

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-4---4---4---4-----------------------------------4---4---4---4-------------------------

How To Make Chords Sound Better

You can play chords just as the are written down, but often they sound better with just a little change of finger placement. When you play these in most songs you'll have to switch between the regular chord and the modified chord. Often when you do this your chord turns 5th chord or something like that, but don't worry, they're almost the same thing. Here's a few examples:

-Instead of putting your ring finger on the 3rd fret on the bottom string for C, you can put it on the 7th or 5th.
-On your G, you can put your pinkie on the the 5th or 3rd fret on the bottom string instead of the 2nd.
-You can take you middle finger of on your F so there's just your pointer finger on the 1st fret 3rd string.
-Put your ring finger on the 3rd fret 3rd string or leave the 3rd string open.

Of course you can find your own, theses just for examples. Have fun!

Radioactive

Sorry for no posts in the last week, I was on vacation in Cuba, Anyway, this is my second song from Imagine Dragons, and my second favorite after Demons. I find the video weird, but I also find that for allot of Imagine Dragons songs you have to watch the video to understand the message. Enjoy!

Source: http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/i/imagine_dragons/radioactive_crd.htm

Verse
Bm                 D                             A
I'm waking up to ash and dust
                     E                                            Bm
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
                              D           A                                E
I'm breathing in the chemicals (big breath)
Bm                     D                      A                                       E
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
Bm        D                        A           E
This is it, the apocalypse, whoa

Chorus

                         Bm                  D
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
A                                           E
Enough to make my systems grow
Bm                                                    D
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
A                                                        E
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Bm        D                    A                        E
Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Bm        D                    A                        E
Whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive

Verse
Bm              D                            A
I raise my flags, don my clothes
                      E                  Bm
It's a revolution, I suppose
                                D                              A   E
We're painted red to fit right in, whoa
Bm                     D                       A                                       E
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus

Bm D A E
This is it, the apocalypse, whoa

Chorus

Sunday 22 December 2013

All Ye Faithful

I just finished this one. It's not the full song, but it's the first verse, which is the most recognized of all of them. This is the first tab on the blog completely arranged by me, so please give feedback. Also, I'm going on a trip to Cuba today, so I won't be able to post for the next week. Enjoy!

----------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------

-5-0-5-7-0-9-7-9-10-9-7-5-4-2-4-5-7-5-4-2-0-0-

Saturday 21 December 2013

21 Guns

This Green Day song was at the end of the second Transformers movie, and in my opinion, it's a great way to top off a movie. It's the first time I really liked a Green Day song. Hope you like!

Source: http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/g/green_day/21_guns_acousticukuhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7jtC8vjXw8lele_crd.htm

Intro/Outro thing:
---1---3-
----------
-2---0---
----------- x4

Intro: Dm, Bb, F, C x2

Dm        Bb                    F                           C
Do you know what's worth fighting for,
Dm             Bb                F         C
When it's not worth dying for?
Dm        Bb                F            C
Does it take your breath away
Bb                                      C
And you feel yourself suffocating?
Dm             Bb                 F             C
Does the pain weigh out the pride?
Dm           Bb              F               C
And you look for a place to hide?
Dm            Bb                         F          C
Did someone break your heart inside?
Bb                         C
You're in ruins

F        C   Dm
One, 21 guns
C                           Bb
Lay down your arms
F                      C
Give up the fight
F        C Dm
One, 21 guns
C                           Bb   F               C
Throw up your arms into the sky, F Bb C
You and I

Dm                   Bb        F                   C
When you're at the end of the road
Dm          Bb          F               C
And you lost all sense of control
Dm            Bb                          F                    C
And your thoughts have taken their toll
Bb                                                   C
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul
Dm              Bb             F            C
Your faith walks on broken glass
Dm           Bb               F             C
And the hangover doesn't pass

Dm Bb F C
Nothing's ever built to last

Bb C
You're in ruins

F        C   Dm
One, 21 guns
C                           Bb
Lay down your arms
F                      C
Give up the fight
F        C Dm
One, 21 guns
C                           Bb   F               C
Throw up your arms into the sky, F Bb C
You and I

Dm         Bb       F                      C
Did you try to live on your own
Dm              Bb                              F                   A
When you burned down the house and home?
Dm         Bb               F                        A
Did you stand too close to the fire?
Bb                          C
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone

F - C - Dm - C - Bb - F - C (x2)
Dm - Bb - F - C (x2)

Dm            Bb           F              C
When it's time to live and let die
Dm          Bb               F              C
And you can't get another try
Dm                Bb                F                  C
Something inside this heart has died
Bb                         C
You're in ruins
F        C   Dm
One, 21 guns
C                           Bb
Lay down your arms
F                      C
Give up the fight

F        C Dm
One, 21 guns
C                           Bb   F               C
Throw up your arms into the sky,
F        C   Dm
One, 21 guns
C                           Bb
Lay down your arms
F                      C
Give up the fight
F        C Dm
One, 21 guns
C                           Bb   F               C
Throw up your arms into the sky, F Bb C
You and I

Friday 20 December 2013

Kids

I got introduced to this MGMT song in my school's Uke club and instantly loved it. This tab is loosely base on the on UkeHunt, but I added and took away some stuff. The easy part is it's very pattern based, so try to remember that. One of the many wonderful qualities about this song is that it's about the environment, a subject I find not often talked about in music.

Source: http://ukulelehunt.com/2009/07/22/mgmt-kids-tab/

Capo 2 / tune one step up (A, D, F#, B)

Riff:

----0-2-5-7---9---7---5---2-2-2-x-0-0-0-x----0-2-5-7---9---7---5---2-2-2-x-3-2-0---0----------0-2-5-7-9-7-5-

-3-3-3-3-8---8---8---7---3-3-3-x-2-2-2-x--3-3-3-3-8---8---8---7---3-3-3-x--------3---3-0---3-3-3-3-8-8-8-7-

-4-----------0---0---0---0---2-2-x----2-2-x--4-----------0---0---0---0------2-2-x--------------------4-----------------

-0------------------------------0-0-x----2-2-x--0------------------------------0-0-x--------------------0-------------------

-2-2-2--x-0-0-0-x-----0-2-0---0--------

-3-3-3--x-2-2-2-x--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-3-

-2-2-----x----2-2-x--4---------4---4-4-4-

-0-0-----x----2-2-x--0---------0---0-0-0-

Anything

This is one of my favorite songs of all time and it's soooo easy! The only bad thing about  it is the video. It's so unrelated so I put up a lyric one. Enjoy!


Source: http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/h/hedley/anything_crd.htm

 G
Everybody said, you better stay in school,
Get a real job, boy, don't be a fool,
C
Burn that guitar, you can never be a star,
G
I can, I can, I can, so

Prechorus

  G
A hundred thousand disbelievers couldn't keep me on the ground,
I've invented a momentum that'll never slow me down,
C
I believe it cause I feel it, and I shout it out loud,
G
I can, I can, I can, so

Chorus
G
Everybody said, boy, don't go any higher,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything,
C
Never push the limit, and don't play with fire,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything, 
G
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
C
Wear my heart on my fist take you by surprise fighter,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything

G
Be a movie star, or rock a main stage,

An X-Box tester, or an astronaut in space,
C
If they tell you that you can't, you can shove it in their face,
G
I can, I can, I can, so

Prechorus

G
A hundred thousand disbelievers couldn't keep me on the ground,
I've invented a momentum that'll never slow me down,

C
I believe it cause I feel it, and I shout it out loud,

G
I can, I can, I can, so

Chorus

G
Everybody said, boy, don't go any higher,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything,
C
Never push the limit, and don't play with fire,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything, 
G
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
C
Wear my heart on my fist take you by surprise fighter,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything


G  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
C
I can do anything,
G
Never try, never win, never get a break, 
           C
You miss a hundred percent of the shots you never take,

G         
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
C
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh  x2






G
Everybody said, boy, don't go any higher,

G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything,
C
Never push the limit, and don't play with fire,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything, 




Chorus

G
Everybody said, boy, don't go any higher,

G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything,
C
Never push the limit, and don't play with fire,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything, 
G
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
C
Wear my heart on my fist take you by surprise fighter,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything
G
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na
C
Everybody said, boy, don't go any higher,
G
Uh uh, forget that, I can do anything

Jesse James Riff

This tab is super hard to learn, but remember it's all based on G, and once you have it it's awesome. It's been covered so much, I can't tell you who it's by, but I really like The Pogues's cover. Have fun!

------2-2-2-0----------------------------2-0-5-5-5-5-2-3-5-5-5-2---------------------------2-0-

----3----------3----3-3-3-0---3-3-3-0--------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-0---3-3-3-0-----3

-2----------------2-----------2------------------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2------2----------2-----------------

---------------------------------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0------------------------------------

MP3

Bulletproof Pride

This is one of my favourite K'naan songs, I'm a big fan of his stuff. Anyway, I arranged allot of it myself and I'm not sure if the bridge is right, so please feel free to correct. Enjoy!

Sources: http://chordify.net/chords/knaan-bulletproof-pride-true-heru and http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/k/knaan/bulletproof_pride.html

Intro: F#, Db, B, Ebm, Db x2

F# Db

I’'ve been running out of

My 70 excuses

Ebm

There comes a point when patience

Can’’t take all these abuses

F# Db

Now my reserves are empty

I’’m feeling kind of low

Ebm

Because when do you fight for someone

And when do you let ‘em go

Abm B Abm

The other day I thought I saw you on a magazine

Ebm Db

Your stubborn nose pretending to belong to the machine

F# Db B

I’’ve been waiting for you to come to your senses

Ebm Db

Holding up your heavy heart, down there in the trenches

F# Db B

You don't have to carry that weight all by yourself

Ebm Db

Even you the mercenary could use a little help

F# Db B

You've got your gun, your bulletproof pride

Ebm Db

You never run, but you sure know how to hide

F# Db B Ebm Db

Ohhh, Ohhh, Ohhhh

F# Db

My friend said he had seen you

At a movie theatre

Ebm

You looked just had you had always

Db F#

Didn’’t ask about me either

I won't say life ends without you

But you're the only answer

Ebm

You got me like a thief

Db F#

You got me with my hands up

Abm B Abm

The other day I thought I saw you on a magazine

Ebm Db

Your stubborn nose pretending to belong to the machine

’F# Db B

I've been waiting for you to come to your senses

Ebm Db

Holding up your heavy heart, down there in the trenches

F# Db B

You don't have to carry that weight all by yourself

Ebm Db

Even you the mercenary could use a little help

F# Db B

You've got your gun, your bulletproof pride

Ebm Db

You never run, but you sure know how to hide

F# Db B Ebm Db

Ohhh, Ohhh, Ohhhh

Db B Db

Yeah, there’’s something wrong

Ebm Db Ebm

Yeah, be safe now

There’s a faith in my heart

Going days won't stop

When I feel that I’m still

In the beat of your soul

When you talk

When you write

When you weave and you flow

And you leave and you stay

Only waiting is left

Now I'm kneeling around in the cold

Db B

I’’ve been waiting for you to come to your senses

Ebm Db

Holding up your heavy heart, down there in the trenches

F# Db B

You don't have to carry that weight all by yourself

Ebm Db

Even you the mercenary could use a little help

F# Db B

You've got your gun, your bulletproof pride

Ebm Db

You never run, but you sure know how to hide

F# Db B Ebm Db

Ohhh, Ohhh, Ohhhh

About

Tuesday 31 December 2013

Monday 30 December 2013

Sunday 22 December 2013

Saturday 21 December 2013

Friday 20 December 2013