What is the easiest ukulele chord?

C major — it takes a single finger, which makes it the perfect first chord.

Do I need to read music to play ukulele?

No. Chord diagrams are all you need to start playing songs right away.

Ukulele chords for beginners

The ukulele is one of the friendliest instruments to start on — a few simple chords and you're playing songs the same day.

Your first chords

Start with C, Am, F, and G7. C major is a single finger, and Am and F are close cousins you can move between quickly. GrooveWithin shows each shape on a ukulele diagram so you can see exactly where your fingers go.

Reading a chord diagram

The vertical lines are the strings and the horizontal lines are the frets. A dot shows where to press; an "O" above a string means play it open, and an "X" means don't play it. Once you can read a diagram, you can learn any chord.

Play along in any key

Generate a groove, set it to a key that's comfortable to sing or play in, and strum along with a real-sounding band. It's the quickest way to make new chords feel like music.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest ukulele chord?: C major — it takes a single finger, which makes it the perfect first chord.
Do I need to read music to play ukulele?: No. Chord diagrams are all you need to start playing songs right away.

The fastest way to learn this is to hear it. Generate a groove and play along — free, no account needed.

Start a Groove →