Stand by Me - Ben E King

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This song is pretty simple, as it is the same chord progression for the whole song. This version is for a full band, as the ukulele only plays chords on the second and fourth beats. The song is in the key of A, so the chord progression is I - vi - IV - V. 

Stand By Me - Ben E King Lead Sheet

If you wanted to play the song by yourself, you could simply change the strumming pattern to make it more full like this example below.

Stand By Me - Ben E King Ukulele Alternate Strumming

We hope you enjoyed this lesson. If you have any questions or comments you can contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Triads

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Triads are a way to play each major and minor chords with the root on either of the three first strings. Below is a diagram of the three shapes of both minor and major chords. Simply find the root note of the chord you want to play and try to find each variations of it.

Triads Ukulele

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Drop 2 Chords

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Drop 2 chords are a way to play different variations of the chords with a 7th. In theory, drop 2 refers to the second note from the top of the chord that you drop to the bottom of your original chord. Then, you do the same process for the three inversions of the chord as shown below.

Drop 2 Chords

Below are the different fingering for each of these chords. You can use them in different genres where you will use chords with a 7th extension. Each diagram shows the four different variations of shapes for each chord.

Drop 2 Major 7th Chords

Drop 2 7th Chords

Drop 2 Minor 7th Chords

Drop 2 Minor 7th Chords

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Minor Scale

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The minor scale is a very important scale, as it gives you that dark sound that the major scale won't provide. This scale is considered as: 1, 2, 3b, 4, 5, 6b, 7b. The "b" next to the notes mean flat, which is related to the major scale. So, compared to a regular major scale like C Major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B; the minor scale would be: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb. If you were in the key of E Major you would have: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#; but if you were in the key of E minor, you would have the notes: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D. Notice, that having flats next to the numbers in the minor scale doesn't necessarily mean that your notes will be flat, but rather that they will be one half tone lower than its major counter part.

Below is a graphic showing what the minor scale looks like on the ukulele. The green colour is the root note. So, you simply need to find the root note for the key signature you are playing in and start the scale from there.

Minor Scale (Ukulele)

Practice going up and down this scale to remember it well.

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Major Scale

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The major scale is the most basic scale in music and it is the one that every other scales get compared to. This scale is considered as being: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. What that means is that this scale has no modification and it has seven notes. This scale, just like every other scales, is used for melodies, solos, riffs, etc.

If you were in the key signature of C, the notes of the scale would be: C, D, E, F, G, A, B

Below is a graphic showing what the major scale looks like on the ukulele. The green colour is the root note. So, you simply need to find the root note for the key signature you are playing in and start the scale from there.

Major Scale (Ukulele)

Practice going up and down this scale to remember it well.

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Major Pentatonic Scale Positions

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The notes of the major pentatonic scale can be found everywhere on the neck of the ukulele. Therefor, there are positions to help you remember where the notes are. 

Below is a graphic showing what the pentatonic scale positions looks like on the ukulele. The green colour is the root note. So, you simply need to find the root note for the key signature you are playing in and start the scale from there.

Position 2 starts on the second note of position 1; position 3 starts on the second note of position 2, etc. Each position is connected with the following one, position 5 being connected with position 1. 

Major Pentatonic Scale Positions (Ukulele)

To remember all those positions, practice them individually going up and down. Once you feel comfortable with each of them, try to combine them to help you remember them and understand how to use them in solos. You can go up one position, then down the next position. Be creative!

You can try to practice improvising using this blues track below. The Blues is in E, so use E major Pentatonic.

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Minor Pentatonic Scale Positions

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The notes of the minor pentatonic scale can be found everywhere on the neck of the ukulele. Therefor, there are positions to help you remember where the notes are. 

Below is a graphic showing what the pentatonic scale positions looks like on the ukulele. The green colour is the root note. So, you simply need to find the root note for the key signature you are playing in and start the scale from there.

Position 2 starts on the second note of position 1; position 3 starts on the second note of position 2, etc. Each position is connected with the following one, position 5 being connected with position 1. 

Minor Pentatonic Scale Positions (Ukulele)

To remember all those positions, practice them individually going up and down. Once you feel comfortable with each of them, try to combine them to help you remember them and understand how to use them in solos. You can go up one position, then down the next position. Be creative!

You can try to practice improvising using this blues track below. The Blues is in E, so use E minor Pentatonic.

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Major Pentatonic Scale

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The major pentatonic scale is as useful a scale as the minor pentatonic. Just like it's counter part, the major pentatonic is made of five notes that work well on genres from Blues, Rock 'n' Roll to jazz, pop, etc. 

The major pentatonic scale is made of: Root (1), second (2), major third (3), fifth (5) and major sixth (6). So, if you were in the key of C, the notes would be: C, D, E, G, A

Below is a graphic showing what the pentatonic scale looks like on the ukulele. The green colour is the root note. So, you simply need to find the root note for the key signature you are playing in and start the scale from there.

Major Pentatonic Scale (Ukulele)

This scale is used to improvise solos, create riffs and melodies. The best way to work this scale is to practice playing going up and down the scale in different keys, so that your fingers get used to it. Once you are comfortable with it, you can start improvising with it, playing the notes of the scale with a rhythm and order of your choice. You can try to practice improvising using this blues track below. The Blues is in E, so use E major Pentatonic.

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Minor Pentatonic Scale

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The Pentatonic scale is probably the most useful scale in almost any genre. It is one of the first scale taught and one of the last one you'll use. Penta meaning 5 and tonic meaning tone or note; the scale has only five notes, compared to most scales that have seven notes. 

The minor pentatonic notes are: root (1), minor third (3m), fourth (4), fifth (5) and minor seventh (7m). So, if you were in the key of C it would mean: C, Eb, F, G, Bb

Below is a graphic showing what the pentatonic scale looks like on the ukulele. The green colour is the root note. So, you simply need to find the root note for the key signature you are playing in and start the scale from there.

Minor Pentatonic Scale (Ukulele)

This scale is used to improvise solos on different genres or to create riffs and melodies. The best way to work this scale is to practice playing going up and down the scale in different keys, so that your fingers get used to it. Once you are comfortable with it, you can start improvising with it, playing the notes with a rhythm and order of your choice. You can try to practice improvising using this blues track below. The Blues is in E, so use E minor Pentatonic.

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com

Basic Chord Chart

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Here is a basic chord chart for Ukulele. There is only one barre chord (chord of E), meaning that one of your fingers will be playing more than one string; to do that you simply need to flattened your finger, so that it presses on both strings at one. 

The numbers in the circles are the fingers used for those notes. These fingers are suggestions only, as depending on the shape and size of your fingers, you might need to use different fingers. Make sure that you are comfortable and try to change the position of your thumb behind the neck of the ukulele if you feel tension in your arm/wrist. The green colour indicates the root note in your chord.

Ukulele Basic Chord Chart

If you have any questions, please contact us at patrice@paliatsky.com