Ukulele chords

How to read a chord diagram

A chord diagram is the fretboard seen from the front, standing upright: vertical lines are the strings, the lowest-sounding string on the left, and horizontal lines are the frets, with the thick bar at the top as the nut. Dots show where to press, and the number inside each dot is the finger to use: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger.

A circle above a string means play it open; a cross means don’t play it. A curved bar across several strings is a barre: one finger presses all of them at once. When a shape sits higher up the neck, a number beside the first fret tells you where it starts.

The main chord types

Major chords sound bright and settled; minor chords sound darker. Seventh chords (7, maj7, m7) add a fourth note that creates movement towards the next chord; the plain “7” is the dominant seventh you hear at the end of blues and pop phrases.

Suspended chords (sus2, sus4) replace the third with a neighbouring note and sound open and unresolved. Add9, 6 and 9 chords colour a simple triad; diminished and augmented chords are tense passing chords that lead somewhere else.

How to learn chords faster

Learn chords in pairs, not one by one: practise switching between two shapes for a minute at a slow, steady tempo with the metronome, then add a third. Keep the fingers that stay in place on the strings during the change, and look for “anchor” fingers shared by both shapes.

Press just behind the fret, with the fingertips upright so you don’t mute the next string. Strum each chord slowly and listen: if a string buzzes or is silent, move that finger closer to the fret or arch it a little more. A few minutes every day beats an hour once a week.