Ukulele Basics: 4 Essential Ukulele Chord Progressions

Chord progressions are sequences of chords that serve as the foundation for a song. Within a piece of music, chord progressions exist in relationship to the song’s key, supporting the melody, harmony, and rhythm.

Learning chord progressions is important because it allows you to better perform and write music. If you understand basic chord progressions, you can use that knowledge to figure out the chords for popular songs so you can play them yourself. Familiarity with chord progressions is also essential when you write your own songs. Begin with simple, foundational chord progressions and work your way into more creative combinations as you learn new chords.

Songs in a major key are based on the major scale, with triads (three-note chords containing a root, a third, and a fifth) built on all notes within the scale. Each triad in the major scale can be expressed with Roman numerals as follows:

• I—a major triad starting on the first degree of the scale
• ii—a minor triad starting on the second degree of the scale
• iii—a minor triad starting on the third degree of the scale
• IV—a major triad starting on the fourth degree of the scale
• V—a major triad starting on the fifth degree of the scale
• vi—a minor triad starting on the sixth degree of the scale
• viiº—a diminished triad starting on the seventh degree of the scale

For example, the triads for the F major scale are:

• I—F major
• ii—G minor
• iii—A minor
• IV—B♭ major
• V—C major
• vi—D minor
• viiº—E diminished

For the natural minor scale, the triads are as follows:

• i—a minor triad starting on the first degree of the scale.
• iiº—a diminished triad starting on the second degree of the scale.
• ♭III—a major triad starting on the third degree of the scale (also known, in this case, as the flat third degree).
• IV—a major triad starting on the fourth degree of the scale.
• V—a major triad starting on the fifth degree of the scale.
• ♭VI—a major triad starting on the sixth degree of the scale (also called the flat sixth degree).
• ♭VII—a major triad starting on the seventh degree of the scale (which we sometimes call the flat seventh degree).

Four foundational chord progressions are perfect for beginner ukulele playing.

1. 1. I-IV-I-V: This chord progression works well for folk music, simple pop, and easy songs. If you apply it to the key of G major, you will play a G chord, a C chord, a G chord, and a D chord—all of which are easy chords with relatively simple fingerings. In the key of F major, you'd play an F chord, a B-flat chord, an F chord, and a C chord.
2. 2. I-V-vi-IV: This chord progression is common in ukulele songs and sounds great on a ukulele. In the key of G major, this progression would be a G chord, a D chord, an E-minor chord, and a C chord.
3. 3. I-V-II-VI-III: This progression uses the circle of fifths. Each chord is distanced from the one below it by an interval of a fifth. An example of a circle of fifths progression is C major, G major, D major, A major, E major.
4. 4. iii7-vi7-ii7-V7: This last progression involves seventh chords and produces a jazzier sound. It also works well with traditional Hawaiian strumming patterns.

These chord progressions don't just work for ukulele; they also work as guitar chords, piano chords, and the roots of a bass line. When you play ukulele in an ensemble, you'll be blending with other instrumentalists, with all players following the same chord progression.

Grab a MasterClass Annual Membership, stretch out those fingers, and get your strum on with a little help from the Jimi Hendrix of ‘ukulele, Jake Shimabukuro. With some pointers from this Billboard chart topper, you’ll be an expert on chords, tremolo, vibrato, and more in no time.