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How to read ukulele chord diagrams
Turn the lines, dots, numbers, and symbols in any ukulele chord diagram into a shape you can play.
How to read a ukulele chord diagram
Start with one open C major shape and read it from top to bottom.
A ukulele chord diagram is a map of the fretboard. The four vertical lines are the strings, the horizontal lines are fret wires, and the dots show where to place your fingers.
C major at a glance
- Strings
- The four vertical lines read G, C, E, A from left to right.
- Frets
- The horizontal lines are fret wires. Press inside the spaces between them, close to the body-side wire without sitting directly on it.
- Nut
- The thick top line marks the start of the playable neck.
- Dots
- A dot marks a finger position. Its number suggests which finger to use.
Read this C shape from left to right. The G, C, and E strings stay open. Put finger 3, your ring finger, on the third fret of the A string. Hold that note and strum all four strings.
Ukulele chord diagram symbols and finger numbers
Numbers tell you which finger to use. O means open, while X means skip that string.
How to read a ukulele barre chord diagram
A long rounded mark means one finger presses more than one string at the same fret.
In this B♭ major diagram, the rounded mark joins the E and A strings at the first fret. Barre the first fret across the E and A strings with finger 1, your index finger.
Put finger 3 on the second fret of the C string and finger 4 on the third fret of the G string. Strum all four strings.
How to read chord diagrams higher up the neck
A starting-fret label replaces the nut and tells you where the visible part of the diagram begins.
This alternate C major diagram begins at the third fret. The 3fr label replaces the nut, so the first space is fret 3, followed by frets 4, 5, and 6 as you move down the diagram.
Hold the E and A strings at fret 3 with finger 1. Put finger 2 on fret 4 of the C string and finger 3 on fret 5 of the G string.
The shape appears in a different place on the neck, but its notes still make the same C major chord.
Frequently asked questions
- Which way do you read a ukulele chord diagram?
Read the four vertical strings from left to right. In standard ukulele tuning they are G, C, E, and A. The top of the diagram is nearest the headstock, and the frets continue downward toward the body.
- What do the numbers inside the dots mean?
The numbers suggest which fretting-hand finger to use: 1 is index, 2 is middle, 3 is ring, and 4 is pinky. The dot's position tells you which string and fret that finger should press.
- What do O and X mean on a ukulele chord diagram?
O means play that string open without pressing a fret. X means do not play the string. Ukulalala's diagrams place these symbols above the nut.
- What does 3fr mean on a chord diagram?
3fr means the diagram starts at the third fret instead of the first. The top horizontal line is then a fret wire rather than the nut.
- What does a barre look like on a ukulele chord diagram?
A barre appears as one long rounded mark across two or more strings. Press all the covered strings with one finger, usually the index finger. The fingering guidance beside the diagram identifies the suggested finger.
- Are chord diagrams different for low G and baritone ukulele?
High-G and low-G ukuleles both use GCEA tuning, so the chord shapes stay the same. The open G sounds an octave lower with low-G tuning. A baritone ukulele uses DGBE tuning, so its string names and chord shapes are different.