Ukulele Glossary

32 essential terms explained — tap any to learn more

Techniques

A chord where one finger presses multiple strings across the same fret.

The technique of sweeping your fingers or a pick across the strings to produce sound.

A technique where individual strings are plucked one at a time with the fingertips.

A technique where you sound a note by "hammering" a finger onto the fretboard without picking.

A technique where you pluck a string by pulling your finger off the fretboard.

Dampening the strings to stop them from ringing, used for rhythmic and percussive effects.

A technique where you fret a note and slide your finger up or down to a different fret.

Changing the key of a song by shifting all chords up or down by the same interval.

Music Theory

A specific arrangement of the notes in a chord across the fretboard.

The central note and scale that a song is built around.

A series of notes arranged in ascending or descending order that forms the basis of melody and harmony.

The smallest interval in Western music — the distance of one fret on the ukulele.

Chord Progression

A sequence of chords played in order that forms the harmonic backbone of a song.

The distance in pitch between two notes.

Playing the notes of a chord one at a time instead of all together.

Pentatonic Scale

A five-note scale widely used for melodies and improvisation.

Anatomy & Gear

A thin metal strip on the neck that divides the fingerboard into semitone intervals.

The small slotted piece at the top of the neck that guides the strings and sets the string height.

The thin strip on the bridge that the strings rest on, setting the string height at the body end.

The distance between the strings and the fretboard — how high the strings sit.

The specific pitches each string is tuned to — standard ukulele tuning is gCEA.

A clamp placed across the fretboard to raise the pitch of all strings.

The standard reference pitch where A above middle C equals 440 Hz.

Tablature (Tab)

A notation system that shows which frets to play on which strings, without requiring music reading.

A chord that includes one or more open (unfretted) strings.

Rhythm & Timing

The pattern of strong and weak beats that gives music its groove and feel.

The speed of the beat in a piece of music, measured in beats per minute (BPM).

A notation that tells you how many beats are in each measure and what note value gets one beat.

Placing rhythmic emphasis on normally weak beats or between beats for a more interesting groove.

A strum where your hand moves downward, from the G string toward the A string.

A strum where your hand moves upward, from the A string toward the G string.

A device or app that produces a steady click at a set tempo to help you practice keeping time.