Learning Ukulele: Methods & Songbooks Compared – Musik-Ebert Gmbh

The ukulele is widely seen as the quickest string instrument to learn: three to four chords are enough to play your first songs, and its four soft nylon strings are gentler on untrained fingers than a guitar's six steel strings. With the right tutor book, you progress faster than with videos alone.

This guide compares tutor books and songbooks and sorts them by learning situation: child or adult, with or without note-reading skills, self-taught or in lessons. So you can find the book that fits you.

01Why the ukulele is so quick to pick up

The start is short because three to four basic chords are enough to accompany a whole range of well-known songs. The most common beginner chords are C, F, Am and G7 – with this handful you can cover children's songs, campfire classics and many pop tunes. The C major chord even needs only one finger.

Add to that the handy build: light, small, quickly tuned. A few minutes of practice a day is often enough to play a recognisable song within the first week. It is exactly these early wins that make the ukulele such a popular starter instrument – even for people who have never held a string instrument.

02Tutor book or songbook – what's the difference

A ukulele tutor book builds up step by step: posture, first strings, chords by difficulty, strumming patterns. It is the guiding thread for anyone starting truly from scratch who needs structure. Many tutor books include audio via CD or QR code/online, so you can hear how it should sound.

A songbook is a collection of songs with melody, lyrics, chord diagrams and grids. It assumes you already know the basic chords – in return, it motivates you with real songs. The usual order: work through a tutor book first, then expand your repertoire with a songbook. If you already play guitar, you can often start straight away with a songbook.

Tutor book vs songbook at a glance
	Ukulele tutor book	Songbook
Goal	Learn the basics systematically	Build repertoire, play songs
Prerequisite	none – true beginner	basic chords should be in place
Content	Posture, chords, strumming, exercises	Melody, lyrics, chord diagrams
Ideal for	First weeks, self-learners, lessons	After the first chords, playing for fun

03For children: playful and picture-based

Tutor books for children use large chord diagrams, colourful pictures and short songs instead of music theory. They are tailored to pre-school and primary-school age and work well at home and in lessons. What matters is a child-friendly progression – one new chord per step, plenty of repetition, quick wins.

Two proven books to start with: Die Ukulelenschule für Kinder im Vor- und Grundschulalter - Rube, Martin is picture-based and free of note-reading pressure, ideal from pre-school age. Garantiert Ukulele lernen für Kinder (+CD) - Pold, Tom guides children through the first chords and songs with an included CD, so they can listen and play along.

Die Ukulelenschule für Kinder im Vor- und Grundschulalter - Rube, Martin

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Garantiert Ukulele lernen für Kinder (+CD) - Pold, Tom

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04For adults: structured in the first weeks

Adult beginners benefit from a tutor book that leads quickly to the first songs and includes strumming patterns from the start. A compact, affordable book is often all you need to begin – what matters most is sticking with it and practising regularly.

Ukulele schnell und einfach lernen (+Online Audio) is an affordable, clearly structured start with online audio: chords, strumming patterns and first songs step by step. If you like to look up the right chord quickly while practising, add the handy Notenchecker Ukulele-Akkorde Fächer mit 140 Seiten – a fold-out fan with the most important chord diagrams to stand on your music desk.

Ukulele schnell und einfach lernen (+Online Audio)

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Notenchecker Ukulele-Akkorde Fächer mit 140 Seiten

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05Songbooks: building your repertoire

Once the first chords are in place, a songbook keeps motivation high – because you play real songs instead of just exercises. For families and school use, collections of children's songs with melody, lyrics and grids are a safe choice, as most titles get by with just a few chords.

100 Kinderlieder: für Ukulele (Melodie/Texte/Akkorde/Griffbilder) brings together 100 well-known children's songs with chords and grids – enough material for many shared playing afternoons. You will find a wider selection of tutor books, songbooks and chord booklets in our Noten category.

In short: if you start from scratch, take a tutor book – picture-based for children, compact with audio for adults. Once the first chords are in place, a songbook keeps motivation high. For the right ukulele size, see our guide “Concert, tenor or soprano” (/blogs/klang-kontext/was-ist-der-unterschied-zwischen-einer-konzert-ukulele-tenor-ukulele-und-sopran-ukulele).

Frequently asked questions

How many chords do I need for the first songs?

Three to four chords are enough for a whole range of well-known songs. The most common beginner chords are C, F, Am and G7 – C major even needs only one finger. That's enough to accompany many children's songs and pop tunes.

Ukulele or guitar – which is easier to learn?

The ukulele is widely seen as the quickest string instrument to learn. It has only four soft nylon strings, a short neck and chords you can often hold with one or two fingers – gentler for beginners and children than a guitar's six steel strings.

Do I need a tutor book if I already play guitar?

If you play guitar, you already know chord diagrams and strumming patterns and can often start straight away with a songbook. A compact chord overview or a chord fan helps you adjust to the different tuning.

From what age can children learn the ukulele?

With child-friendly tutor books, the start is possible as early as pre-school and primary-school age. Such books are picture-based with large chord diagrams and short songs instead of music theory and need no prior knowledge.

Which ukulele size suits learning?

For beginners and children, the soprano ukulele is the classic choice; concert and tenor sizes give more room and sound. We explain the differences in our size guide – the tutor book works on any common size.