Learn How to Read Ukulele Tabs in 4 Easy to Follow Steps

Welcome to the simplest guide you need so that you can learn how to read ukulele tabs. Picking up an instrument and starting to play it sounds like a lot of fun. For those who find it difficult to understand how to play instruments but want to get a good start with something easy, the ukulele is their best bet.

This will not just help you master the ukulele faster, but the process is the same for guitar tabs if you want to learn both instruments. This is the simplest guide you need so that you can learn how to read ukulele tabs. Let’s get started, shall we?

Understanding the Tabs

The basic ukulele tab looks something like this

The Strings

The first thing you need to know about how to read ukulele tabs is the strings. The four horizontal lines you can see on the bar of a tab are the strings of the ukulele. Learn from what are ukulele strings made of?

The A-string is on the top and the G-string is on the bottom. Imagine your ukulele in front of you and think of the four strings while looking at this. The string closest to you, while you play, is the A-string and the farthest one is the G-String.

The Frets

The second thing you need to know about how to read ukulele tabs is the frets. They are read from left to right. Now, depending on which string line the number is on, you get to know what string to play the fret on.

This tab is telling you to pick the 3^rd fret, which is on the A-string one time.

This tab is telling you to play the 10^th fret on the G-string one time.

Simple enough?

This tab is telling you to play the 10^th fret on the G string and then the 4^th fret on the E string one time.

Representing Chords

If there is more than one fret number in a vertical line, you need to play those notes at the same time.

In this tab, you will play all the strings at the same time, but with the 10^th fret on the A string and the 9^th fret on the G string as well.

Final Thoughts

While this is not as comprehensive as you might think, when you start off with the ukulele it is ideal.

These are the very basics of how to read ukulele tabs and once you start to get the hang of it, you can move on to more advanced aspects of reading the tabs and how the formatting requires you to play differently. For now, this will suit any beginner just fine.