Chords for How to Play a Reggae Strum on the 'Ukulele
Tempo:
84.9 bpm
Chords used:
C
D
E
G
F
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Aloha everybody, this is Brad Wardessa from liveukulele.com and I'm gonna [N] cover how to do a reggae strum in this lesson.
It's something I end up playing a lot of for better or for worse.
That's what a lot of the guys around here like [E] to play.
But it's kind of a challenge when you're first learning it, [Db] but getting it down solid is
kind of important if you want to be able to play [D] reggae well because [C] just playing this
is a lot different than
[F] And so that using those mutes [Eb] and kind of
putting [D] the space in between the chords is what really tightens up the sound and allows you to be [E] able to
really kind of play the rhythm and
you know just get [D] the chords in there where it's gonna sound best and [N] keep the groove tight with the drummer.
So in order to play the reggae beat,
basically all you're doing is you're strumming down
and [C] up.
And the timing for that is going you're gonna be strumming down on the two and on the four.
So it's one, two, three, four.
One, two, three, four.
And the up comes on the and so you're gonna strum on two and three, four.
So one and two and three and four and.
[D] Okay, so that's basically your rhythm and
unless you're playing some sort of interesting reggae where you're doing like dub kind of stuff where you have the delay pedal on and you
[C] just punch a chord and go
[E] you're gonna be pretty much playing the two and four down up beats.
So that's pretty simple [Fm] for your right hand, but when it comes to your left hand
[Eb]
to make the muting easier, well, [D] there's a couple of ways you can do muting.
I'll talk about that first.
You can mute either by just lifting up on a chord where you just play a chord and you lift your fingers up enough
so the strings stop [E] ringing.
So you go [C] from
[A] chord to
muted strings and just you do [C] that just by lifting off your fingers.
This [Eb] is best though when you have a closed position chord that you can move around on the neck.
[C] If you try and do this
with like C,
the only [D] string you're gonna mute is the bottom string and
[Dm] that's not really enough to get the desired effect.
The other way to do mutes is with [C] your pinky.
[D] Drop your pinky down on the strings to do the mute.
[G]
[C] This is good if you're, if you are or it doesn't always have to be a pinky.
You can use your ring finger or whatever.
But this is good for when you are playing open chords and you do need to do the reggae thing.
So if you were playing C
[F] you
[E]
can achieve that even [D] with open chords, but
the way, the hands down kind of best way to do this is with closed position chords.
That's why you always hear guitarists playing kind of further up the neck so they can kind of get that.
It's kind of like a pumping effect.
You're pumping your hand on the [F] fingerboard.
So
[C] one of the [D] best places to start as [C] always is in the key of C.
So let's try this closed position C chord.
[Bb] This is like a B flat, but you move it up [C] two frets.
Now it's a C.
So five four three three just steps, but you're barring the bottom two strings with your first finger.
Okay, [N] and then just to do this you just push down and let up.
You push down when you want to hear the chord,
you let up when you don't.
So
the one and [Db] two and three [D] and four and one and two and three and four and one and three [C] and four.
So
you can if it's too hard to get [Eb] the lift between
the number and the and you can just hold down the chord so it's like
and then you let up.
[A] But to get a really tight sound I like
to lift up between both [C] of them.
So you play
so that's where you get the [B] pumping.
It's like
just [C] kind of like a heartbeat.
So it's kind of hard to see on the camera just because
you really aren't moving that much.
You're just going you know, you're lifting off like a quarter [C] of an inch at most.
To go from [Gb] playing a chord to muted. But
basically, that's the idea and if you can find your closed position chords in other places
you [Eb] can play through an entire song like that.
Like put a little love [C] by natural.
[G] [Am] [G]
[C] [G] [Am]
[G] That's just C, [Am] A minor.
That one's five four five three.
[B] Just like an F sharp minor [E] seven, but you move it up to the third [Am] fret.
And [Em] then it goes F G and the [F] last time I did it I played open chords and
[Bb] that's where I'm using the pinky [F] or ring finger mute.
[G]
[Cm] [N] Okay, so yeah, that's the reggae strum.
I don't think there's a whole lot else you can do with it.
It's pretty straightforward thing, but it takes a good while to get really
kind of solid and once you do get a solid you're gonna be able to play
It's something I end up playing a lot of for better or for worse.
That's what a lot of the guys around here like [E] to play.
But it's kind of a challenge when you're first learning it, [Db] but getting it down solid is
kind of important if you want to be able to play [D] reggae well because [C] just playing this
is a lot different than
[F] And so that using those mutes [Eb] and kind of
putting [D] the space in between the chords is what really tightens up the sound and allows you to be [E] able to
really kind of play the rhythm and
you know just get [D] the chords in there where it's gonna sound best and [N] keep the groove tight with the drummer.
So in order to play the reggae beat,
basically all you're doing is you're strumming down
and [C] up.
And the timing for that is going you're gonna be strumming down on the two and on the four.
So it's one, two, three, four.
One, two, three, four.
And the up comes on the and so you're gonna strum on two and three, four.
So one and two and three and four and.
[D] Okay, so that's basically your rhythm and
unless you're playing some sort of interesting reggae where you're doing like dub kind of stuff where you have the delay pedal on and you
[C] just punch a chord and go
[E] you're gonna be pretty much playing the two and four down up beats.
So that's pretty simple [Fm] for your right hand, but when it comes to your left hand
[Eb]
to make the muting easier, well, [D] there's a couple of ways you can do muting.
I'll talk about that first.
You can mute either by just lifting up on a chord where you just play a chord and you lift your fingers up enough
so the strings stop [E] ringing.
So you go [C] from
[A] chord to
muted strings and just you do [C] that just by lifting off your fingers.
This [Eb] is best though when you have a closed position chord that you can move around on the neck.
[C] If you try and do this
with like C,
the only [D] string you're gonna mute is the bottom string and
[Dm] that's not really enough to get the desired effect.
The other way to do mutes is with [C] your pinky.
[D] Drop your pinky down on the strings to do the mute.
[G]
[C] This is good if you're, if you are or it doesn't always have to be a pinky.
You can use your ring finger or whatever.
But this is good for when you are playing open chords and you do need to do the reggae thing.
So if you were playing C
[F] you
[E]
can achieve that even [D] with open chords, but
the way, the hands down kind of best way to do this is with closed position chords.
That's why you always hear guitarists playing kind of further up the neck so they can kind of get that.
It's kind of like a pumping effect.
You're pumping your hand on the [F] fingerboard.
So
[C] one of the [D] best places to start as [C] always is in the key of C.
So let's try this closed position C chord.
[Bb] This is like a B flat, but you move it up [C] two frets.
Now it's a C.
So five four three three just steps, but you're barring the bottom two strings with your first finger.
Okay, [N] and then just to do this you just push down and let up.
You push down when you want to hear the chord,
you let up when you don't.
So
the one and [Db] two and three [D] and four and one and two and three and four and one and three [C] and four.
So
you can if it's too hard to get [Eb] the lift between
the number and the and you can just hold down the chord so it's like
and then you let up.
[A] But to get a really tight sound I like
to lift up between both [C] of them.
So you play
so that's where you get the [B] pumping.
It's like
just [C] kind of like a heartbeat.
So it's kind of hard to see on the camera just because
you really aren't moving that much.
You're just going you know, you're lifting off like a quarter [C] of an inch at most.
To go from [Gb] playing a chord to muted. But
basically, that's the idea and if you can find your closed position chords in other places
you [Eb] can play through an entire song like that.
Like put a little love [C] by natural.
[G] [Am] [G]
[C] [G] [Am]
[G] That's just C, [Am] A minor.
That one's five four five three.
[B] Just like an F sharp minor [E] seven, but you move it up to the third [Am] fret.
And [Em] then it goes F G and the [F] last time I did it I played open chords and
[Bb] that's where I'm using the pinky [F] or ring finger mute.
[G]
[Cm] [N] Okay, so yeah, that's the reggae strum.
I don't think there's a whole lot else you can do with it.
It's pretty straightforward thing, but it takes a good while to get really
kind of solid and once you do get a solid you're gonna be able to play
Key:
C
D
E
G
F
C
D
E
_ Aloha everybody, this is Brad Wardessa from liveukulele.com and I'm gonna [N] cover how to do a reggae strum in this lesson.
It's something I end up playing a lot of for better or for worse.
_ _ That's what a lot of the guys around here like [E] to play.
_ _ But it's kind of a challenge when you're first learning it, [Db] but getting it down solid is
kind of important if you want to be able to play [D] reggae well because [C] just playing this _ _
is a lot different than_
_ _ [F] And so that using those mutes [Eb] and kind of
putting [D] the space in between the chords is what really tightens up the sound and allows you to be [E] able to
really kind of play the rhythm and _
you know just get [D] the chords in there where it's gonna sound best and [N] keep the groove tight with the drummer.
So in order to play the reggae beat,
basically all you're doing is you're strumming down
and [C] up. _ _ _
And the timing for that is going you're gonna be strumming down on the two and on the four.
So it's one, two, three, four.
One, two, three, four.
And the up comes on the and so you're gonna strum on two and three, four.
_ _ So one and two and three and four and.
[D] Okay, so that's basically your rhythm and
unless you're playing some sort of interesting reggae where you're doing like dub kind of stuff where you have the delay pedal on and you
[C] just punch a chord and go
_ _ [E] you're gonna be pretty much playing the two and four down up beats.
So that's pretty simple [Fm] for your right hand, but when it comes to your left hand
[Eb] _
to make the muting easier, well, [D] there's a couple of ways you can do muting.
I'll talk about that first.
You can mute either by just lifting up on a chord where you just play a chord and you lift your fingers up enough
so the strings stop [E] ringing.
So you go [C] from
[A] chord to
muted strings and just you do [C] that just by lifting off your fingers. _
This [Eb] is best though when you have a closed position chord that you can move around on the neck.
[C] If you try and do this
with like C,
_ the only [D] string you're gonna mute is the bottom string and
[Dm] that's not really enough to get the desired effect.
The other way to do mutes is with [C] your pinky. _ _
_ [D] Drop your pinky down on the strings to do the mute.
[G] _ _
_ [C] This is good if you're, if you are or it doesn't always have to be a pinky.
You can use your ring finger or whatever.
But this is good for when you are playing open chords and you do need to do the reggae thing.
So if you were playing C _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ you
_ _ [E] _
can achieve that even [D] with open chords, but
the way, the hands down kind of best way to do this is with closed position chords.
That's why you always hear guitarists playing kind of further up the neck so they can kind of get that.
It's kind of like a pumping effect.
You're pumping your hand on the [F] fingerboard.
So
[C] _ _ one of the [D] best places to start as [C] always is in the key of C.
So let's try this closed position C chord.
[Bb] This is like a B flat, but you move it up [C] two frets.
Now it's a C.
_ _ _ So five four three three just steps, but you're barring the bottom two strings with your first finger.
Okay, [N] and then just to do this you just push down and let up.
You push down when you want to hear the chord,
you let up when you don't.
So
the one and [Db] two and three [D] and four and one and two and three and four and one and _ _ _ three [C] and four.
So
you can if it's too hard to get [Eb] the lift between
the number and the and you can just hold down the chord so it's like
and then you let up.
_ _ [A] But to get a really tight sound I like
to lift up between both [C] of them.
So you play _
so that's where you get the [B] pumping.
It's like
_ just [C] kind of like a heartbeat. _
_ _ _ _ So it's kind of hard to see on the camera just because
you really aren't moving that much.
You're just going you know, you're lifting off like a quarter [C] of an inch at most.
To go from [Gb] playing a chord to muted. But _
basically, that's the idea and if you can find your closed position chords in other places
you [Eb] can play through an entire song like that.
Like put a little love [C] by natural. _
_ [G] _ _ _ [Am] _ _ _ [G] _
_ [C] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [Am] _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ That's just C, _ [Am] A minor.
_ That one's five four five three.
[B] Just like an F sharp minor [E] seven, but you move it up to the third [Am] fret.
And [Em] then it goes F G and the [F] last time I did it I played open chords and
[Bb] that's where I'm using the pinky [F] or ring finger mute.
[G] _ _
_ [Cm] _ _ [N] Okay, so yeah, that's the reggae strum.
I don't think there's a whole lot else you can do with it.
It's pretty straightforward thing, but it takes a good while to get really
kind of solid _ and once you do get a solid you're gonna be able to play
It's something I end up playing a lot of for better or for worse.
_ _ That's what a lot of the guys around here like [E] to play.
_ _ But it's kind of a challenge when you're first learning it, [Db] but getting it down solid is
kind of important if you want to be able to play [D] reggae well because [C] just playing this _ _
is a lot different than_
_ _ [F] And so that using those mutes [Eb] and kind of
putting [D] the space in between the chords is what really tightens up the sound and allows you to be [E] able to
really kind of play the rhythm and _
you know just get [D] the chords in there where it's gonna sound best and [N] keep the groove tight with the drummer.
So in order to play the reggae beat,
basically all you're doing is you're strumming down
and [C] up. _ _ _
And the timing for that is going you're gonna be strumming down on the two and on the four.
So it's one, two, three, four.
One, two, three, four.
And the up comes on the and so you're gonna strum on two and three, four.
_ _ So one and two and three and four and.
[D] Okay, so that's basically your rhythm and
unless you're playing some sort of interesting reggae where you're doing like dub kind of stuff where you have the delay pedal on and you
[C] just punch a chord and go
_ _ [E] you're gonna be pretty much playing the two and four down up beats.
So that's pretty simple [Fm] for your right hand, but when it comes to your left hand
[Eb] _
to make the muting easier, well, [D] there's a couple of ways you can do muting.
I'll talk about that first.
You can mute either by just lifting up on a chord where you just play a chord and you lift your fingers up enough
so the strings stop [E] ringing.
So you go [C] from
[A] chord to
muted strings and just you do [C] that just by lifting off your fingers. _
This [Eb] is best though when you have a closed position chord that you can move around on the neck.
[C] If you try and do this
with like C,
_ the only [D] string you're gonna mute is the bottom string and
[Dm] that's not really enough to get the desired effect.
The other way to do mutes is with [C] your pinky. _ _
_ [D] Drop your pinky down on the strings to do the mute.
[G] _ _
_ [C] This is good if you're, if you are or it doesn't always have to be a pinky.
You can use your ring finger or whatever.
But this is good for when you are playing open chords and you do need to do the reggae thing.
So if you were playing C _ _ _ _
[F] _ _ you
_ _ [E] _
can achieve that even [D] with open chords, but
the way, the hands down kind of best way to do this is with closed position chords.
That's why you always hear guitarists playing kind of further up the neck so they can kind of get that.
It's kind of like a pumping effect.
You're pumping your hand on the [F] fingerboard.
So
[C] _ _ one of the [D] best places to start as [C] always is in the key of C.
So let's try this closed position C chord.
[Bb] This is like a B flat, but you move it up [C] two frets.
Now it's a C.
_ _ _ So five four three three just steps, but you're barring the bottom two strings with your first finger.
Okay, [N] and then just to do this you just push down and let up.
You push down when you want to hear the chord,
you let up when you don't.
So
the one and [Db] two and three [D] and four and one and two and three and four and one and _ _ _ three [C] and four.
So
you can if it's too hard to get [Eb] the lift between
the number and the and you can just hold down the chord so it's like
and then you let up.
_ _ [A] But to get a really tight sound I like
to lift up between both [C] of them.
So you play _
so that's where you get the [B] pumping.
It's like
_ just [C] kind of like a heartbeat. _
_ _ _ _ So it's kind of hard to see on the camera just because
you really aren't moving that much.
You're just going you know, you're lifting off like a quarter [C] of an inch at most.
To go from [Gb] playing a chord to muted. But _
basically, that's the idea and if you can find your closed position chords in other places
you [Eb] can play through an entire song like that.
Like put a little love [C] by natural. _
_ [G] _ _ _ [Am] _ _ _ [G] _
_ [C] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [Am] _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ That's just C, _ [Am] A minor.
_ That one's five four five three.
[B] Just like an F sharp minor [E] seven, but you move it up to the third [Am] fret.
And [Em] then it goes F G and the [F] last time I did it I played open chords and
[Bb] that's where I'm using the pinky [F] or ring finger mute.
[G] _ _
_ [Cm] _ _ [N] Okay, so yeah, that's the reggae strum.
I don't think there's a whole lot else you can do with it.
It's pretty straightforward thing, but it takes a good while to get really
kind of solid _ and once you do get a solid you're gonna be able to play