Five Ukulele Scales You Should Be Practicing Right Now! 

It's crazy how I absolutely HATED memorizing and practicing scales in school band but now that I'm an adult and learning a new instrument on my own terms I've been looking for and practicing scales like mad 😂

Clearly one of the best ukulele (and guitar) instructors I have found! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

Very greatful to you man. 1) It helped me know how to assign fingers to each fret 2) Memorize and visualise the location of each note 3) Improve speed 4) Last but not least, obviously improved finger picking

I'd sure love for you teach us how to finger pick and play these... and in this order too. LOL! 1. Ellens GesangIIIin F MajorGounod by (Michele Nobler) 2. Ballerina (Yehezkel Raz) 3. Falling Asleep (Michele Nobler) 4. Joking Together (Michele Nobler) 5. Midnight Sun (Beneaththe Mountain) 6. Nocturne Eb (Ohad Ben Ari) 7. The Path (Patrick Ussher) 8. Summerin Paris (Lance Conrad) 9. Wonderland (Midtro) 10. BrokenVals (Biba Dupont) 11. Venice (GAEL)

Your lessons are incredibly helpful, thank you so much for all the effort you put in your videos!

It helped me to look at a scale chart and practice the right hand by itself, to get used to the picking pattern. Thanks for a great video!

Just what I wanted! Played violin as a kid and scales were mandatory. It feels wrong not to do the same on ukulele.

Great lesson! It's so important to work on left hand technique too!

This is great video, thank you! It will be even better if it comes with a graphically tab on the side showing which note and finger to play on. Many thanks

SLOOOOOWWWW down....

This is so great! I'm a beginner and I've been looking for a video like this! Thanks so much man!

Thanks so much! I’m a beginner and looking to expand my knowledge and skills so I really appreciate your videos!

I play F major starting on the 5th fret, C string (most of the time) G-major is good to know as well, the pattern is different ( at least on my low G because the third between C and E strings is in a different part of the scale) but those 2 patterns allow you to play any major scale and their relatives, I think of playing A-minor for example as playing the A and B on the G string and then playing a C major scale up to the open A , if I play G A B C to G in the same way, I get a mixolydian scale, theory really helps! Scales are movable in the same way as chords and further, When I play a chord progression I see the scales in the shapes I am making so i know what chords and embellishments will be consonant and which should be used very sparingly, if at all.

One can pause the video and i took notes.. this is a wonderful lesson. Love it

I've just signed up for your tabs- have been inspired by your style of playing and your musicality. I'm a Ukulele beginner (and a very basic guitarist) and appreciate your clear guidance. It's taking work, but I can feel myself improving. Enjoying your videos very much - keep it up:)

Thanks I needed a refresher on the scales it's been a while since I've played the uke.

Marco. Good lesson as usual, but what are your thoughts on some universal major and minor patterns that can be slid up and down frets to change key. I would rather gain muscle memory on fewer shapes, versus having unique shapes for every key. For example, my Am pentatonic, adapts to a lot of keys.

Man you are the best. Gonna buy an ukulele in january after my exam.

I feel like a proper player/musician... not just plodding through the same songs over and over aain! Using the same old strums Don't get me wrong LOVED Learning over the rainbow/wonderful world... But its good to stretched 😊 I just make sure I watch your videos on as big a screen as I can, and keep rewinding each scale or tutorial until I get it, and I write EVERYTHING down in a notebook... then move on to the next one. So after a week of doing that everyday, I can get to anticipating chords, and even play some phrases off by heart 👍🏻😆 Thank you 😊

You really have a gift for conveying your love of playing in your lessons.

Teaching scales using an open string as the tonic makes more memorization. Teaching them as relations between each string that can start anywhere multiplies results, like learning movable chord shapes.

Really I like your teaching ...you are a good teacher...love you sir...from Bangladesh

Thank you so much Marco, It's wonderful, the way you teach. For me the scales were always boring, but with your method it's fun. They make me happy now.

Thank you so much. I have been playing for 8 month. Today because of you I now have learned my fret board and 5 scales. I first played your Silent Night finger picking special at Christmas. What is the Ukelele you are playing today? Looking for a excellent sound.

You are a standout teacher. I cant wait to see what kind of new uke you buy. (Referencing your recent post asking for input) I have not graduated to the Big K Hawaiian made ukes (Kanilea, Koaloha, Kamaka, Koala) but they would be grateful to have one of their ukes in your hands! Pepe Romero’s production line of ukes are pretty amazing with different tonewood choices. Love the recommended tempo for scales. Thank you Marco.

"To give a finger to each fret..." Now, that's what I'm talking about m8! 👌👌👌

First minute of the video - I can do this. Yes I can. After C major. OHH 😨 But in all seriousness,Such a fun excersize. I'm gonna tackle one scale at a time. 😃✌🏽

Very nice and helpful! Thank you so much! Do you also have a video for the pentatonic scales?

Awesome Video. Thank You Marco. I am So happy I found Your channel. You are a Great teacher . Again Thank You, learning the scales is very important. God Bless You !

i'm a beginner, i've recieved my uk 2 weeks ago and let me assure you that you are an amazing teacher ! thanks for your time !

I want & aim to learn this thoroughly.I understand some of it. Thanks for a Well put together video. Sincerely Sara

Your lessons are so helpful...thank you so much for providing us with very useful techniques to improve our skills....

Great lesson Marco! Thank you. I have now moved onto playing the major scales with different note patterns. I also discovered that if you play the D Major scale in the 2nd position without any open strings you have a moveable scale pattern. It can also be done with the minor scale, but I am preferring to move positions when moving from the 3rd string. I would love to learn more about scales for high g tuned ukulele from you. Thanks a lot. I feel like my fret board and musical knowledge has taken a major (intended pun) leap.

F-scale is the one I am practicing right now!!!I Thank your so much, Marco, for this wonderful lesson. Its not only inspiring, but very instructive. I wanted to follow your recommendation on learning these so I started out just going through the entire lesson once a day for about 15 minutes, maybe 5 days a week. But my progress was fumbling, awkward and sloooow. I realized I needed to simplify and streamline my practice to maximize mastering the scales and do it in a paced manner. I had previously mastered the C-scale using either my thumb or my first finger for picking. The other scales are all completely new to me. The concept of alternating fingers was also completely new. As an older adult with no experience on a stringed instrument the dexterity needed to play with each hand doing completely different things and in time is surprisingly challenging. I want to get familiar with the fret board. It is so different than a clarinet or a piano. Focus on hands, fingers, rhythm and sound. I decided to take a more rhythmic approach for practice. Starting with the F-Scale I practice for 5 minutes, three times a day for 5 days a week. I’m alternating right hand fingers 1 and 3 on each note to a count of 4 (X2), then moving to the next note. My primary goal is to isolate the alternating fingering method to master that specific skill. Then I will start reducing the count to 4, 2 and then 1 to follow your recommended timing. It’s working very nicely. I will keep you posted on my progress. Thanks for providing the TAB on Patreon because that really helps me learn to read music and the TAB and associate the notes on the page with where my fingers are on the fretboard.

Thank you so much for such detail!

Sir u are the best to learn from

This was a great lesson. Thank you

Hi!, thank you for your videos, I really enjoy them. Greetings fron Mexico City

love the way you say ukulele

Hello, it is hard for me to know which Finder plays wich note. I don’t see well wich wich finger you use. Is it possible to specify for each scale ? I appreciate. Thanks from Canada

Okay I need to invest in a concert ukelele 😩

Brilliant video Marco, any advice on right hand finger picking as you alternate between index finger and longest finger really well. It’s harder to do than it looks. Many thanks

A question about technique: I see you anchoring your thumb on the adjacent string and picking notes only with fingers. Why not pick with the thumb? A classical technique? Thanks!

genial thanks you are the best!

Thanks for this lesson

Thank you, Marco Cirillo ☘️ I’m going to enjoy practicing these scales! ☮️

Best teacher ever

(im a beginner) Aside from learning the ukelele chords , may i know why we need to learn the scales? what is the application ? how to incorporate it into the song?

This is very helpful. Thank you so much!

Thank you for the lessons sir❣️

Very useful and clearly presented.👍

Love your videos!

You are the best 👏

Hi Marco 👋Thanks for the lesson. Just wondered if you have a lesson on your right hand technique at all? Are you resting your thumb on the string above the string you’re playing? Thanks 🙌

Great 👍 sir 👏

Thank you this is Awesome!

Really I like your method and explanation ❣️❣️❣️ Very good teacher

Hi Marco, I love your tutorials! I'm curious about why you're teaching a natural minor scale rather than a harmonic minor scale?

Good intro lesson. Did you also record a pentatonic scale lesson? Thank you. Grazie

U the rock🤟🤘 Love from Bangladesh🇧🇩🇧🇩

Good lesson! I gave thumbs up, even tho you broke your left hand rule at the beginning with your left hand-you used finger 2 in the 3rd fret (oopsies)

Thanks for the tips! Also your accent is super cool. Where are you from? :)

Love this vedio.I love uke and try to practice fingerpickinh

I appreciate the lesson 🙏

Thanks for the lesson. Couple quick questions. Why these scales? What advantage is there to learning these particular scales first? I do like the idea of learning Am as it helps me to learn notes on that 1st string.

Excellent! TX U so much

Left hand is very clear to see. But I'm still confused about which finger plays which on right hand (after slowing down)... Is it alternating 232323/242424 or depending on which fret left hand is playing?

Whats a good basic beginner scale for rock and metal that can go up and down the neck!?

Can you do all other scales please both major and minor? Thsnks

Your lessons are super helpful, but seriously slow down on some of your explanation, for slightly more beginners here lol hi.

You are great! Thanks

do you know how to play the middle eastern scale on uke???

If too hard go to Marcos more basic videos..hes a,great teacher..

Thank you.

Start at 1:50

Great video, just subscribed 👍🏆.

Or, just learn one major scale and one minor scale starting on each string, then you know them all, depending on which fret you start off with as the tonic.

Hey Marco, What is the brand of your ukulele

5:09 D Major versus 8:46 D minor

thanks!!!

Hi Marco, what strings do you have on your ukulele? Mine don't sound anything like yours.

Great video!! Curious about the chords you played at the 25 second mark of this video. What was the name of the that song? It sounded familiar and I can’t figure out what it is. Anyhow, thanks for the amazing content and have a good one!

Marco - are you playing on a concert or a tenor?

Why do you start playing d major scale from string c and not any other string.?😢

Great lesson Marco. I have a Low G ukulele. Is there a way to convert these scales to Low G? Thank you.

This and the fingerpicking patterns are terrific lessons! New YT subscriber. :) I considered your Patreon as well, but $5 as the lowest tier is a bit much for me (I usually don't go over 2 or 3 dollar for new subscriptions). Have you considered adding a cheaper 'entry' tier? From what I have seen on Patreon, it works better to get a large number of subscribers - from which a part will then take the more expensive tier.

Same fingerings but different Keys and notes for baritone ukulele.

nice

On the D scale why not go to the E on the 3rd string

why is Am chord 4th string 2nd fred and Am scale only on 1st string?

Please explain what you mean with "thumb down" thx

What mics or recording system you use...the sound you play is very smooth

what about G

Is that a Concert or a Tenor uke?

On what notes have to tuned your ukulele??

Gracie marco

What Uke are you playing on this video?

Why do all the scales on c (3rd) string?🤔😢

I like it, but wish youd slow it up a bit during the instruction of strings

Why do you choose not to show us a movable major scale pattern? Are they not used on uke like on guitar?