People of all ages and abilities can play the ukulele, from the complete novice to the musical maestro looking to add another instrument to their repertoire. Perhaps that's why so many people are picking up this handy and versatile instrument, and this book has everything you need to start making music with your new ukulele. We'll take you through choosing which type of uke is best for you, through warm ups and basic chords, to learning how to read tablature and musical notation, through to playing tunes in the styles of your favourite artists, from Taylor Swift and One Direction to Kanye West and Elvis Presley. Pick up this book and start strumming! Featuring: Getting started - Pick your ukulele, learn how to take care of it and get ready to play Techniques - Master basic chords, strumming patterns, finger-picking and more Reading music - Get to grips with tablature, notation and chord charts and start playing your favourite tunes Play in the style of... - Re-create the sound of artists like One Direction, Lorde, Bruno Mars and Bob Marley

Welcome to Ukulele for Beginners

Getting started • The ultimate guide to picking up your ukulele and making it sound great, with step-by-step tutorials and tips for warming up, tuning and keeping the uke in top condition

Get to know your ukulele • Just picking up a ukulele for the first time? Then take time to get better acquainted with your instrument

Choose the right ukulele • There are several types of ukulele available. We tell you all about each one so you can make an informed choice about which model to purchase

Tune your ukulele • Tuning up properly before you play will make learning a whole lot easier. Here’s how to make sure things sound right

Hold your ukulele • There are numerous ways to hold the ukulele, but not all of them are conducive to good playing. Here we outline the best ways to hold your instrument

Take care of your ukulele • If you want your instrument to continue producing crisp, defined sounds, you need to take good care of it

Restring your ukulele • Whether you’ve snapped a string or your ukulele is sounding dull, restringing is essential and can give it a whole new lease of life

Essential accessories • As with any hobby, there are a wide range of accessories available for ukulele players to make playing easier. Here we take a look at some essential kit

Warm up your hands • Warming up is key to playing well. Use these four quick exercises to get your hands loose, limber and ready to play

Stretch to improve • Performing more complex stretches, even if you’re not about to play, can improve your reach and ability overall

Techniques • From playing basic chords to pleasing effects like sliding, string bending and tremolo picking, master essential ukulele techniques

Notes, strings and frets • Music is made up of notes, and knowing where to find these notes on the neck of a ukulele is vital if you are to develop as a player. Here, we show you how and where to find them

Play basic ukulele chords • Learning these five basic chords is the first step on your ukuleleplaying journey. Practise often to master the art of switching chords

Basic chord progression • Now it’s time to get sore fingers. We will show you how to form basic chords and even recognise any song on the ukulele by ear

Strum your ukulele • Strumming is one of the most basic, but crucial, aspects of learning to play the ukulele. Here’s how to get comfortable and confident with this key technique

Strumming for different genres • From folk to pop to punk to reggae, follow these strumming pattern guides to learn how to strum for different musical genres

Practise with chords • To play your first song, you will only need to know three chords. You might recognise...