Play All Over The Ukulele Neck With Just Four Shapes

[@TTdmhBT]

My mind is blown!

[@JBearwa]

He approaches this incredibly logical but manageable way that totally makes sense to the student. Well done

[@stanleysokolow]

Here's a little trick that helps you find chords farther up the neck. Most ukuleles have fret marker dots at frets 5, 7, 10, and 12, plus others sometimes. If you move a chord shape from its "first position" at the nut to the fret 5 dot position (barring across fret 5), you will be playing the chord that is "a fourth" higher than the chord was in its first position. If you move to the 7th fret dot, you'll be playing it "a fifth" higher. For example, the C7 chord moved to fret 5 as a barre chord (where your index finger takes the place of the nut by pressing across fret 5), you'll be playing an F7. (F is the 4th note in the C scale.) At the 7th fret dot, you'll be playing a G7 (G is the 5th note of the C scale.) Now look at the Circle of Fifths. F is immediately counterclockwise from C, and G is immediately clockwise from C. That's how the Circle was constructed. The note to the left (counterclockwise) is always a fourth higher, and to the right it's a fifth higher, everywhere. The Circle of Fifths can be your roadmap to figure out what chord you will make when you move any chord from its first position up to the 5th or 7th dots. This will work with any key. Likewise, if you move up to the 10th fret marker, you'll be making the chord that is 2 positions counterclockwise on the Circle of Fifths. Moving up to the 12th fret marker gives you the same chord name as the original, but an octave higher. Using these landmarks, you can figure out the positions of other chords by going lower or higher from the landmarks. Perhaps this explains why there are marker dots at these particular locations.

[@stanleysokolow]

Here's an example of using the dots to position chords in live music. Sue Foley plays The Snake Blues kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqDKoZhtfMyIbK8 . Notice that she plays a little melody (a "riff") sometimes at the nut, sometimes at fret 3 (where guitars and some ukuleles have a dot), then jumping to fret 7 and playing the same riff, down to fret 5, jumping to fret 3 between the moves, and back to the starting position. In a bridge section she jumps much higher, I think to 12th or 15th fret. Watch her carefully. I talked about the 5th fret and 7th fret as the fourth-up and fifth-up chord. What about the dot at fret 3. That is 3 half-steps above the open position, so moving up that far gets you to the chord 3 half-steps up. What's that? It's the "flatted third". The third in a major scale is 2 whole steps up from the root, by the major scale formula WWHWWWH. The flatted third is a half-step lower than the major third. What role does that play? It's a bluesy note. Here's a lesson about the flatted third in blues: playguitar.com/lick13/ . Sue is playing a 12-bar blues, so the blue chord fits the style. Your ear tells you it really works well. (If you don't understand the music theory in this comment, don't worry, but keep learning.) Here's another example where you can see Sue Foley moving between the root position, 5th, 7th, and 12th frets: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqPUqmh7eq-IjKM . Sue is an award-winning Canadian blues guitarist, stuck in the United States at the moment because of the US-Canada border being closed due to COVID-19.

[@PhilDoleman]

She's really good! I play slide guitar, and yes, those dots are exactly where you need to be!

[@timyong6152]

Thank you

[@ZopcsakFeri]

Gosh, too bad the linked video is no longer there - I wish I had seen it then it was still freshly uploaded! But the dots explanation is still solid gold!!! Thank you!

[@RickCarlo]

Phil! I totally appreciate you. I see videos like these as key for me moving from "experienced beginner" to intermediate. Thank you so much for breaking it down so nicely.

[@samthousand]

The GOAT uke instructor!

[@ianwilson5205]

Phil, thanks for this, I am 72 year old complete beginner. Got half way through the video and nearly stopped watching it as it was way, way over my head. Carried on and the last part of the video brought it all into focus. Thanks so much, I have a lot to learn and I pray I can enjoy the journey on the way 👍

[@PhilDoleman]

This is a bit scary if you're just starting, but I'm glad you stuck with it, thanks! As long as you understand the concept, then all of the chords will get under your fingers eventually but it will take time. Enjoying the journey is the most important bit because it never ends, there's always another thing to learn!

[@ZopcsakFeri]

At 37 I used to feel I was too old to start the ukulele... but then there was a guy who showed me a 7 year old girl ace it all and defeat everyone with her ukulele skills... The moral of the story was: there will always be a 7 year old beating me in just about anything, so why bother? We should just have fun and enjoy the ride! :) A secondary purpose when learning something 'this old' is I can learn it in the light of teaching it to my kids, which is a whole different mindset that gives real purpose to just about anything! :D

[@christineleongweiss4735]

It is amazing! Love it. Thanks.❤

[@patbenvenuti7470]

Great video Phil..done at a nice speed, well explained and easily understood by a 71 yr old Ukeleist who's been playing for 3 years. I saved your video to come back to and refresh. I also subscribed to your UT channel. All that's required now is some practice, practice, practice !!!

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks Pat!

[@NicolaSalmoria]

Ah! Phil, I had independently reached the conclusion that the 7 chord shapes are the fundamental building blocks of all chords, and your video is the only thing I could find referencing it. It was so mind opening for me, that I'm surprised there aren't more people advocating this approach. As usual, you are ahead of everyone else when teaching theory! The CAGED (or CAGFD) system is what's taught everywhere, but I don't think it does a good service to learning how to form chords: it only teaches to move major chords over the neck. For other kinds of chords, you're told to learn different shapes, which I think misses the point. The issue is that to really master the fingerboard, one shouldn't just learn the shapes of of the chords, but also HOW THEY ARE FORMED (where is the root, where is the 3rd, etc). Using the major shapes as a starting place, this is harder because they are all different (some repeat the root, others the 3rd, others the 5th). Starting from the four 7 chords, instead, there's a strong symmetry, which helps remembering which note goes on which string: the root is always only on the corresponding open string, and the 5th is always next to the root, for example. Forming a major chord from the 7 is straightforward since it can only be done by getting rid of the 7th, either by raising it (C7->C, A7->A) or by lowering it (D7 in C7 shape-> D); or even not playing it (E7->E by muting the 3rd string). The traditional F shape is derived either from G7 by raising both 7th and root, or from E7 by lowering both 7th and 5th. It is the shape farthest away from a 7 chord, because it has a duplicated 3rd, and the major 3rd is 6 semitones away from the minor 7th in both directions. And it doesn't stop there, which was the most important thing for me: once you know just these four shapes and how they are formed, you can make ANY chord easily! Maj7? Just raise the 7th by one fret. Sus4? Form the major and raise the 3rd by one fret. And so on; most of the "spicy" chords include a 7th, so it makes sense to have it already included in the base forms you start from. I'm also delighted that the four 7 chord shapes are formed by taking the perfectly symmetrical dim7 chord, and lowering each of the possible roots. Makes the dim7 "the mother of all chords", so to speak.

[@PhilDoleman]

Hi Nicola, This is exactly what I teach my students! Once you learn how to make a new chord, you instantly have the ability to play it all over the neck (or indeed you don't have to learn a new chord, you can build it!). I remember discovering the diminished chord > 7th chord 'trick' a few years ago and being equally delighted!

[@jdtwelve12]

I’ve been learning ukulele via KZbin for a few years now, including several lessons on Barre chords. I just stumbled across yours, and I think it’s one of the most important instructional videos I’ve seen. It’s theory well explained, and practically presented. Mind blown. Thank you!

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@judynpeterjones3307]

Thanks Phil, I could listen to you all day, great teacher!

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@nildakhalessi1139]

excellent teachings

[@mikeclarke9281]

A lot of practice i think. Great lesson

[@stevebailey8515]

Thanks, I've never learnt things like a parrot and was pulling my hair out trying to learn chords down the neck. You have explained it so clearly and logically thanks.

[@sgttim8617]

Although I have a Barotone uke, You just demonstrated, for me the basic technique of barr-chords on the upper part of the neck- techniques. Not Complete, yet- for me- But... A Major Step Forward. Thank you !

[@TheChrislmitchell]

Phil you make a superb teacher

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks Chris!

[@2011hib]

I will have to come back to this. I cannot flatten the barr and stretch a single finger onto a final string.

[@alexmackenzie1773]

Brilliant. Now I can play my guitar chord sequences on my uke. Thanks so much. Invaluable to a guitarist moving over to a uke. Sandy

[@keithjohnson5190]

Lots of information to digest and it will take awhile to absorb all of this but in time it will make sense to me. Thanks for the information.

[@mingpl2077]

Thanks a million.

[@BelindaJohnstone]

I wish I could give this 100 likes. So well explained and after playing for 8 months I am excited by all these shapes! Thank you!

[@Mymgb32]

All the accolades emphasize how great your videos are. We all appreciate you and your videos- thank you

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@jonathansadler4911]

This is just brilliant Phil. The most useful thing I've come across in my short Uke journey

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you Jonanthan.

[@michaelwilkinson4633]

Thanks for these tutorials they are helping me to fill in some gaps in my uku playing and understanding. Very clearly instructed with simple broken down steps, yet not making the viewer feel condescended. 😊

[@mickeho]

I THINK VIEWERS SHOULD BE TOLD WHERE THE ROOT OF CHORD IS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO RELATE TO THE CHORD SHAPE. HAPPY UKE

[@PhilDoleman]

I think you're right, Michael, and if I made this video again I would do that. In fact I recently made a video for my Patrons where I go further and show where all of the chord tones are. All the best, Phil

[@meherflamenca]

Brilliant ~ love this. Thank you! Music remains mysterious to me ~ hope the clouds will pass and some clarity and "aha' will stick, transforming into useful understanding. This helps ~ Little by Slowly. A Big Thank You!

[@uppiahserge8683]

Fantastic and amazing Mr Phil ! You made us discover the tricks to manage with different patterns of same chords ! Thank you so much ! Best Regards from Serge Uppiah of Mauritius, small island surrounded by the Indian Ocean !!!

[@samakin4896]

This is really helpful, thanks! Now I can see how I might play along with another ukulele or guitar play, by playing the same chord, but using a different chord shape somewhere else on the neck. I really appreciate how easy your tutorials are to learn from!

[@rickberry899]

I first saw your video about learning the notes on the fretboard and now this so I've decided that I need to subscribe. Thank you for posting.

[@angelacherrington208]

Very informative and clearly explained video. Why don't people teach the first position chords without the index finger from the start ( unless they're 4 finger chords) ? Then you wouldn't have to relearn the finger shape when you add a barre.

[@annedelima8501]

Fantastic instruction! You explained it so brrilliantly I am starting to understand and use the knowledge. Thank you Phil.

[@sofiatsin592]

I am really thankful to find this channel! I am searching the last months ukulele lessons in youtube, but the most of the times, it's just for following specific tutorials and tabs, or just for learning songs etc, and personally I found them very limited for my practice. Your teaching method except than being very comprehensive and easy to understand, it also helps me to acquire a deep understanding of the instrument and to explore many concepts of music too. Especially, the lessons are very helpful in order to slowly slowly enhance my improvisation with ukulele, that i am really interested about. For sure i will check the patreon resources! Thank you very much!

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@LeilaniCaywood]

Love this instruction. Wow! Thanks for making it easier to expand to more 7th chords. As a visual person I took notes and appreciate the diagrams off to the side. Excellent and fun.😉

[@GpoppaJohn]

This is fantastic Phil. Bit over my level of understanding, but definitely one that needs revisiting 👍

[@janinesyoutube1096]

It's a new world!!! Just starting to get a handle on this .. since I'm now trying to find alternative chord shapes to add interest to my playing. or to do something different for an intro or a solo part in a song. Appreciate your clear sequential teaching!!! Thank you for sharing your talents ! j

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks!

[@JumpingJimmyAllen]

Just reiterating what the masses are saying. These are great lessons - especially the 2 minute tips for a world that simply can’t be bothered with long tutorials. 🤓 But even this one “feels” like a 4 minute video. There’s loads of instructional youtubers out there, but you seem to cut to the quick in a logical way and I’ll be recommending you.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks Jimmy, I really appreciate that!

[@Lester-te3vb]

Thank you very much. I’ve been playing on and off for about 2 yrs. Very useful and well taught video. If i can ever get away from “you are my sunshine” I’ll be doing great lol. Excellent instructor.

[@PhilDoleman]

@@Lester-te3vb Thanks!

[@scottgifford7226]

Hi Phil - I was a little worried that this would be too advanced for me, but it’s all making sense, and I will definitely start on baby steps of replacing first position chords here and there. Also, tomorrow night, I have a class of beginners, who learned C7, C, and F last week, so they’ll be ready for G7… And I’m so glad you reminded me about “you never can tell” - MUCH cooler song than “buffalo gals”, LOLOL. Thank you so much! You’re a great teacher, and I’m so glad I found your videos. Best wishes from the north SF Bay! 🤗

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@joeydrew4847]

Fantastic tutorial

[@nildakhalessi1139]

Thanks, Phil! Great lessons. I feel good understanding them. ❤

[@edwardmorton6691]

Very useful and enlightening. I love your videos, you're a great player and teacher. thanks very much.

[@ProductivePM]

Phil you are awesome buddy, thank you for this tutorial. Very much appreciated, I really like your style of teaching. All the best!

[@timyong6152]

This tutorial is gold! Thank you sir.

[@michaeltreleaven7171]

Fantastic explaination Phil. Only found you yesterday and my playing is already improving. I love the enthusiasm and clear explanation

[@WebmasterPLUC]

Beautifully and simply explained. Made to look so effortless. Hopefully it will encourage people to venture further up the fretboard! Thanks. Jeanette

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks Jeanette!

[@pamelarossetti568]

Oh my. Great class and tips for practicing and learning using songs u know🎉😂

[@johnbarnett9628]

Thank you so much Phil, you explain things so well. Have also got your book ' How Music Works on the ukulele ' and that has been a revelation! You really are a fabulous teacher!!

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you John!

[@stephenescamilla2015]

Yes Phil I also just recently found you and I must say you make it much easier learning to play better.Your positive attitude and enthusiasm is super thank you.

[@moodvillepro]

This is a great lesson. Thank you!

[@makgeoff]

Excellent advice. Love yr instructional videos. Clear, easy to understand. Keep up the nice work.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@Samstraysongs]

A mighty fine teacher...many thanks!

[@dunrobincourt]

Very interesting and usable approach to making magic on the uke! Thank you, I enjoyed your shared visions. B

[@juanmanuelsosa107]

Gracias Phil

[@georgefrench1907]

Excellent approach.👍

[@evakarjagin2413]

Wow, Best info ever. I spent hours with these chords And making notes. I Will start using New c ang g7 And a7....E7, C7, A7 placements And all Thank you🐰you are Best teacher

[@paul_mitchener_ukulele]

This is incredible. Next level knowledge. I’ve been playing for four months, and I’ve been paddling in very shallow waters of moveable shapes (moving the open C and C7; I prefer a barred D by moving the C shape for example) but you’ve just opened up new vistas for me. I can’t reach most of them yet and won’t for a long time, but I’m excited by the journey, and you’ve shown me a really nice view and indicated a route.

[@davidbaird1898]

Beautifully well presented. A great way to learn sliding shapes

[@susannekalejaiye4351]

Thank you so much for your comment on the other video I just watched. This one will take considerably more time to acquire the dexterity to place my fingers. As promised, I subscribed (and turned on notifications)!

[@itzguy_t]

Ive just started learning the Ukulele and have to say this video was very useful indeed, well explained & opened up quite a few options in my practice. Your "learning the fretboard" was also very useful. You've gained a subscriber. Cheers Phil. Keep up the great work

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Merci beaucoup, Phil.

[@marjajansen7756]

Wauw! This is great to know and practice . Thank you very much Phil!

[@nathans.3751]

Another amazing video. This one made my brain hurt. It is going to take me hours of replaying this video to get a rudimentary handle on just the first two shapes. Just awesome!

[@jeecube8934]

Wow thats so amazing.thanks for the knowledge you’ve shared.

[@sujayanarula3913]

This lesson is useful and important to learn, exceptionally taught👏🏼👍🏽😊Thank you Mr. Phil.

[@shadfan66]

Wonderful stuff, just shared this on our club page, have always been put off learning the chords on the higher neck positions by the seemingly endless (and potentially useless) practice sessions. I really felt for the student learning the C#7. Will now be substituting these higher position chords as often as possible. Thanks so much for the tip for the tip.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks John!

[@ParthaDuttaER]

Hey Phil. I have started learning Ukulele recently, and I kind of went into brute method of learning all the chords. The point you made about getting frustrated with this approach is bang on. Thanks for getting me out of this maze of chords. Will try the practice chords with songs approach

[@PhilDoleman]

Glad it helped :-)

[@MrBloomers2]

Thanks Phil much appreciated 👍

[@cemiloguz]

thank you phil that was a wonderful lesson.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you Cemil!

[@kevinmahon3623]

A veritable cornucopia of chords !! Thanks, Phil - inspiring stuff. 👏👏👏

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks Kevin!

[@user-bx6gr7mp3r]

That was fascinating. Thank you! I’m excited to start practicing shapes. Woohoo!😁

[@rutsan68]

Thanx Phil, that helps so much!!!!

[@jaguarazul]

🤯💥Brilliant!! 🥰😍👌👏👏 Thanks a lot. Greetings from Colombia and Merry Christmas.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you, Merry Christmas!

[@jaguarazul]

@@PhilDoleman 🥰

[@georgefrench1907]

Outstanding!

[@PhilDoleman]

Thanks!

[@MrSupersidewinder]

Well structured! Great lesson, Thanks!!!

[@Marksurfz]

Really great stuff...Cheers!

[@grantryder5463]

Thanks for teaching in these wonderfully concise and easy to follow videos. Oh, I just bought my 3rd book from you :) If you are new to the Ukulele or like me, trying to understand what I'm doing, you can find no better books than Phil has written. Like the videos, they are clearly set out in a logical order for quicker understanding. Some aspects of music on the Ukulele can at first be quite complicated to comprehend but Phil does a great job of piecing it all together for you. Thanks Phil.

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank youy Grant, I really appreciate that!

[@mingpl2077]

Thanks

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!

[@jimoshea3764]

Brilliant thanks

[@allensacharov5424]

phil, could you please do this for the baritone ukulele???

[@PhilDoleman]

I will!

[@Doomclown]

Brilliant!

[@paadumpanda990]

Sooo exceptionally taught! ❤️

[@wtpwtp]

Awesome video. Hope I get it myself someday.:)

[@PhilDoleman]

You will, it'll come!

[@valentain7839]

Спасибо ! Дай БОГ Вам здоровья !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bryan3550]

Whizzo: Tomorrow, The World! Thanks Phil. 😉

[@kirknorman2403]

Thanks I’ve been struggling with this idea. I knew that something like this would be possible. You have crystallized it for me. Brilliant! 🖖 would this apply to the baritone Uke??

[@PhilDoleman]

Yes, absolutely! Just the chord names change.

[@kirknorman2403]

Thank you

[@TKRM2007]

My problem is that I cannot get a clean sound out of “Baring” a chord. What do you suggest?

[@PhilDoleman]

See if this helps... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoK4mYyfjsaKa9U

[@TonyHaran]

Phil, I would love to play my ukulele using musical notation. I have scoured the internet looking for books dealing with scales, arpeggios etc, but have drawn a blank. All results come back with everything in tab form only and not relating to the stave. Help!

[@PhilDoleman]

Hi Tony, Have at look at the materials from Colin Tribe (I believe he has over 800 arrangements that you can buy directly from him, plus several published books available. Anything I have publicly available in tab can also very easily have the notation added, and I'd be happy to do that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/paK4gX-Zf6mZrKM

[@jillhumphrys8073]

Phil, I'm looking in the description below hoping to find a link to a chord chart with all these fingerings on it. I would love to explore using different fingerings like you did in this video, but I really need something I can look at whenever I'm stumped and want to try something different. Do you have one somewhere and I'm not seeing it, or do you know where I could find one? Thank you very much lots of love from Arkansas usa.

[@PhilDoleman]

Hi Jill, You'll find the notes here... www.learntheukulele.co.uk/longer-lessons I used to have a link in the description (and have again now, thanks for spotting it wasn't there!), it somehow got lost along the way!

[@jillhumphrys8073]

@@PhilDoleman thank you so much! I think you just opened a while new world for me! I have been using the C chord at the 7th feet for a couple weeks and I love ending some songs with it! Thanks again!

[@susanreed849]

@@PhilDoleman😊😊

[@susanreed849]

@@PhilDoleman😊

[@kimvabs]

The strings you are jusing seams thich , what is the name ?

[@PhilDoleman]

They're Aquila Nylgut

[@dough.1355]

Another fine lesson you've gotten us into Phil!! ;) Won't this technique work with any chord? Just moving the nut up the fretboard?

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you! It does, yes, but those 4 shapes are particularly useful in finding musical patterns. Also some other chord shapes are kind of one of these in disguise! For example, you can move an F shape up the neck, but the minute you turn it into an F7, it becomes the same as our E7 shape!

[@paigehedgecoth2956]

What if bar chords are impossible for your arthritic fingers?

[@PhilDoleman]

Try this video where I look at playing all over the neck with no barres kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnatiGutp6-cjs0

[@stefaustinovic]

it'll take me a while until i understand this video

[@PhilDoleman]

It'll come eventually, there's a lot of info, but it's powerful stuff.

[@stefaustinovic]

@@PhilDoleman the king replies. You taught me the fret board in another video so thank you for that

[@robbrown8483]

CAGE btw you will arrive at these forms by lowering four roots of a diminished chord.

[@PhilDoleman]

Absolutely!

[@jyutzler]

I'm not seeing how building on the 7ths makes it any easier to find sibling chords. Sure C7 C is easy but C7 Cm? Not so easy. Same for G7 G / Gm. You literally taught the Am shape by demonstrating A7 -> A -> Am. Why not just teach the major shapes (C/F/A) and be done with it?

[@PhilDoleman]

Absolutely you could do it with 3 major shapes. I use these 4 7th shapes because they all make a good 7th. Some do not make a very friendly minor, or major, so we can safely throw those out as we have 3 others. The main advantage though us the sequence C A G E. This tells us the next shape that will give us the next chord (so if I am going to find multiple places to play C7 te first will be based on the C7 of course. The next one we find going up the neck is based on the A7 shape, the next on G7 and the last on E7.

[@ThomasMcEvoy]

❤️👍❤️🎶🎼🎵

[@JoanFord-o4z]

but NOBODY can show me how to play a "bar" chord

[@PhilDoleman]

I have two videos on barre chords, showing the technique for both Bb and E chords. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoK4mYyfjsaKa9U kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYargaB7hLObi9U

[@ronalddobson3130]

You see,Phil, you were doing great then until you said that dirty word “barre”, and ninety per cent of watchers gave up watching.

[@PhilDoleman]

Sadly a lot of players give up on that. I can sympathise, when I was a young guitarist the F chord was my nemesis! It's got to be done, though!

[@juanmanuelsosa107]

Gracias Phil

[@christineleongweiss4735]

Thanks

[@PhilDoleman]

Thank you!