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 few chords (31–40)
Messenger from Sunday↑THE HIGH-LOWS↓
A staple at events like karaoke and school festivals, this song was released in 2004, but it was actually included on their first album released in 1995, and was also used as the ending theme for the TV show “Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji”! It’s a very simple piece that can be played with just three chords, making it easy to do a sing-and-play performance with a guitar or ukulele in hand.
Featuring Hiroto Kōmoto’s husky voice and Masatoshi Mashima’s soul-stirring guitar, the song was also used in 2014 as the commercial song for Asahi Beer’s “Asahi Off.”
I look up as I walkSakamoto Kyu
You may have friends who ask you to play something on the ukulele.
In that case, I recommend a song that everyone has heard at least once.
If you can play “Ue o Muite Arukou” (Sukiyaki), you can enjoy playing the chords yourself while your friends sing.
Once you’re comfortable, try singing harmony to create a beautiful blend.
Feel the joy of music with this song!
dancerVaundy
Vaundy is a talented new-generation artist who’s now in high demand at music festivals.
“Odoriko” is one of the masterpieces that helped make his talent widely known.
This is a helpful video that not only shows close-ups of the ukulele and a chord chart, but also includes strumming patterns.
The melody is recorded separately and plays as audio only, so you can focus on strumming the chords while following the flow of the song.
Once you’ve gotten comfortable with the chords, be sure to try singing and playing at the same time!
Aloha ʻOe
If you want to feel Hawaii and the tropics through the ukulele, be sure to try practicing “Aloha ʻOe.” Once you can play this song, your performance will convey that quintessential ukulele sound.
It uses only a few chords, and the fingerings are easy—perfect for your very first song!
Into the DreamInoue Yosui
A video by Gazzlele, known for his super simple and easy-to-understand ukulele lessons.
True to his tagline, “Even beginners can play right away,” his take on ‘Yume no Naka e’ is impressively straightforward.
It’s complete with just the ultra-basic chords C, G7, F, and Am, so you can watch, play along, and sing immediately.
If anything still feels unclear, there’s a link to his ultra-beginner videos, so no worries.
Give this famous song—a hit for Yosui Inoue and Yuki Saito and beloved by people of all ages—a casual try.
Fun for ukulele beginners too! Easy songs you can play with a few chords (41–50)
Grandfather’s Clock
The charm of the ukulele is that you can start easily, and it has fewer difficult chords than the guitar.
It’s a great instrument for elementary school students.
A recommended song for them is “My Grandfather’s Clock.” They’ve probably heard it in music class.
It uses only four simple chords, so give it a try on the ukulele.
Lingering Snowiruka
Once you’ve gotten used to playing the ukulele, I recommend trying Iruka’s “Nagori Yuki.” There aren’t any difficult chords, so it’s perfect for beginners.
Try playing while feeling each beat one note at a time.
Once you’re comfortable, I also recommend an arpeggio style to convey a touch of melancholy.