Fun for ukulele beginners! Easy songs you can play with just a few chords
The ukulele is known for its light, cheerful sound.
It naturally evokes a Hawaiian vibe, and its compact shape is adorable—so it soothes the heart both to see and to hear.
Compared to the guitar’s six strings, the ukulele has only four, which makes it a friendly instrument for beginners.
There are plenty of online tutorial videos with simple arrangements and slow, easy-to-follow explanations, so even if you’ve never played guitar or another instrument—or tried and gave up—you may find your world opening up once you start!
Here, we’re introducing easy-to-play recommended songs with the theme of simple performance.
Let’s enjoy the ukulele together with some wonderful pieces!
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Fun for ukulele beginners too! Easy songs you can play with a few chords (11–20)
January 1
“January 1st” is also perfect for ukulele beginners to practice.
It’s a New Year’s song released in 1892, and many people may remember singing it in elementary school.
The key point of this piece is that it uses the fundamental finger placement in a balanced way, making it ideal for learning the basics while still offering a moderate level of challenge.
I also recommend an arrangement that adds a chromatic note around the 8th measure—it gives the piece a stylish feel.
I want to be kinder.Saitō Kazuyoshi
“Yasashiku Naritai,” one of the signature songs by Kazuyoshi Saito—often cited as a guitarist people admire—can be tough to play on guitar, and many who tried may have given up.
With the ukulele, though, it’s nice that even a song like this becomes easier to tackle.
In this video, three views are shown: a close-up of the ukulele fingering, a chord chart, and the lyrics with chords.
It’s recommended for those who aren’t complete beginners and can already play some basic chords.
hometownarashi
Arashi is a Japanese idol group, and one of their beloved signature songs is Furusato (Hometown).
Its lyrics gently express feelings for a distant hometown.
Since it was performed six times on the New Year’s Eve music show Kouhaku Uta Gassen, people of all ages have likely heard it.
Played on the ukulele, it takes on a relaxed, soothing vibe.
When you perform it, try being mindful of dynamics and tasteful pauses; it will really enhance the sense that you’re truly bringing the song to life.
A Little Love SongMONGOL800
The 8-beat strum is a fundamental technique for playing the ukulele, and “Chiisana Koi no Uta” is a perfect song to practice it with.
It’s a track released by MONGOL800 in 2001 and is also known as an insert song in TV dramas.
Give it a try and master the motion.
The fingering you learn with this song will be useful when you tackle other pieces as well.
By the way, if the original tempo feels too fast, it’s perfectly fine to slow it down and learn at a more relaxed pace.
Take your time and work through it carefully.
Stand By MeBen E. King
Even for guitar-and-vocal performances, Ben E.
King’s classic “Stand By Me” is highly recommended for beginners.
The bass melody in the intro feels great, doesn’t it? If you play the intro melody clearly and then switch to strumming for the singing, it seems like you can cover it in a really satisfying way!
