Chords 07: E major

This may be the first chord that makes beginner ukulele players genuinely wince. However we twist our fingers, E major is simply not very comfortable to fret. There is no need to be frightened of it, of course; it simply requires a little more patient practice than something like C major.

In the video below I show two different fingerings. One can be written as 4447 and the other as 4442. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and it is useful to learn both because the better choice depends on the particular song and the sound you want. The number 4 beside the chord diagram on the left indicates that the shape starts at the fourth fret of the ukulele.

Like every chord, E major has additional possible fingerings, but for simplicity we will learn these two for now. I wish everyone patient practice and some excellent finger gymnastics!