As most Ukulele people do not read Music Staffs I use the 4 line TAB system as shown. Lines are the 4 strings.

ie., G - C - E & A from bottom up. Vertical lines are the 'bar' lines. Chords are in 'hatch box' format and

numbers represent the position of the fret where the note is played on that string.

Oblique ticks above the lines are the beat markers. Beats are all of equal length, except for triplets (see below).

Diagrams below give definitions of the 4/4 symbol, double bar lines and single bar lines.

Note in bar no 4 above - two 'fermatas' or 'pause' symbols. Explanations of these symbols later. (see below).

'NOTE' VALUES, 'REST' VALUES AND STOP SIGNS:

A Whole Note or Rest is a note or rest occupying the whole of one measure (or bar) eg in 4/4 time = 4 beats

Half Note, Quarter Note etc are fractions of a Whole Note - also called Breve, Semi-breve, Crotchet, Quaver, etc

An X after a chord means STOP strumming. 'Tacit' also means 'no strumming' but you sing *'a-capella'. I also use

'fermata' signs with chords and beats to show approximately how long you 'hold' a chord or a rest. But you must

continue counting beats so your next strum occurs exactly at the next appropriate beat..

* 'a-capella' means - 'as in a chapel' and refers to singing without accompaniment as in a medieval church.

THE TREBLE CLEF TIME SIGNATURES ALLA BREVE

OR 'G' CLEF top number denotes the number of notes per bar or 'Cut Time' = 2/2 time

I prefer to bottom number is the time value of each note in There are two Half Notes

use "TAB" the bar ie quarter, eighth etc in each bar (Seldom used)

(L) REPEAT SIGNS (R) DOUBLE BAR LINES BAR LINES

Signal a passage to be repeated. denotes end of song or section separate the bars (measures) and

If (L) sign is absent you repeat '"" key change. are also placed at both ends of a line

from the top or the nearest ''"" tempo change.

previous double bar line. "'" style change (eg Solo, Chorus etc)

Words to guide you to the following section of the song. Note:"ENDING" used with a "DS" tells you where to finish.

Ticks placed high are beat markers where a note is entered on a TAB line. At a lower level it is a 'rest' symbol.

PAUSE sign or "Fermata" "Dal Segno" (lit, "from the sign") Segno or (Sign)

The note (or rest) may be sustained as long as you directs the player back to the last

wish. May be placed above or below the note or rest segno (sign) to repeat from there.

I use it to show where no audible strumming occurs. maybe used with another directive.

(tacitly tap out the rhythm with your feet to next cut in) eg, DS to ending (when you stop at 'ENDING')

VOLTA BRACKETS.Indicate different endings or time bars / These signs show Strum holds (S) & Rest holds (R).

eg you play the 2nd bracket of chords the 2nd time through/ Examples:1st bar is one S and one R each of 2 beats

the section./ 2nd bar is 2 S beats followed by 1 R of 2 beats;

3rd bar is 1 S beat and 1 R of 3 beats

4th bar = 0 S and 4 B of rests

SYMBOLS USED TO DENOTE CHORDS' NOTES MODIFICATIONS: These are used many situations.

'b' refers to a note lowered by 1/2 tone or one fret - eg., Bb is one fret lower than B

'#' refers to a note raised by !/2 tone or one fret. Thus A# is the same note as Bb and is one fret up from A.

'ad' means the note is an added note to the chosen chord eg Aad9 means Amajor chord with 9th (Bnat) added

'sus' followed by either '2' or '4' means the 2nd or 4th note of the root note is played with the chosen chord

'-', 'm', 'min' means "Minor" - NB I do not use a '-' sign to signify a 'b'. 'M', 'Maj', 'maj' or ^ all mean 'Major'.

'o' or 'dim' means Diminished and is used with either a Major or a Dominant 7th chord to denote the 5th note is

lowered by 1/2 tone or one fret. Uke players usually diminish the Dominant 7th rather than the Major.

' ' This sign signifies the chord is augmented by raising 5th note 1/2 tone or one fret. It applies to Majors or 7th's

'n' tells you a note has reverted to its natural pitch. It is seen after the note's pitch has been previously # or b.

Triplets:

The above bracket, closed at both ends, may be placed over 3 notes. This is callled a 'triplet'. The notes included

are to be played (and/or sung) within the time given by the beats within the bracket.