Getting started is usually the hardest part. That’s why I tell my students that showing up is half the battle. It means you’ve already taken the first step. From there, a journey can lead anywhere: down a rabbit hole, toward insight, or somewhere completely unexpected. Step by Step is a new ukulele piece I’ve written for high or low G ukulele. It’s built on a simple idea and an even simpler truth: progress begins one step at a time. It’s the first of 12 progressive pieces in my third book “Step by Step to Chord Melody” – available worldwide on Amazon.
What motivates?
Have you ever felt so low on energy and motivation that you couldn’t move?
At the lowest point in my life, I couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed. I didn’t want to see anyone. I couldn’t even face myself in the mirror. I just wanted to hide.
In that stillness, nothing moved except my breathing. In that stillness I could stay forever.
So I gave myself a tiny goal.
Put on make up.
To put on make up, I had to wash and dry my face. I had to get out of bed to get to the sink.
Once I put on make up, I felt a lot better about what I saw in the mirror.
Sometimes it takes just one little thing to get you moving.
Your path to music making
In my previous blog post, I shared how I first got started on the ukulele—or rather, how I avoided it for years. I lived in Hawaiʻi, surrounded by ukulele players and even ukulele shops, yet I resisted picking one up until I knew I was leaving.
Now, I honestly believe that learning the ukulele is one of the easiest and fastest ways to start making music. If you don’t already have an instrument, borrow one from your local library, or find a second‑hand ukulele through Facebook Marketplace, a nearby thrift store, or Craigslist.
And if you do own a ukulele, take it out of its case or gig bag and make it visible in your home. Place it somewhere safe but accessible—on a table or hanging on the wall, not tucked away or balanced on a chair.
Seeing it will remind you to pick it up. Keeping it hidden adds an extra step, an unnecessary barrier, and one more excuse not to play. Music begins more easily when the instrument is already within reach.
About Step by Step
This short study is an example of my “finger fitness for flexibility” exercises, in a forthcoming book available on Amazon worldwide.
I’ve written two versions – one for high G ukulele, and another for low G ukulele.
Each section has eight bars. Each section has a different (right hand) fingerpicking pattern for all eight measures.
Right Hand Movements
In section A, I suggest that you use only your right thumb to fingerpick the four strings. It’s effectively a slow down strum.
More advanced players may use pima fingering, that is, thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers so that each finger stays on and controls its own string. The naming of these four fingers follow the classical guitar convention of first letters of the Spanish words for each of the fingers.
Likewise, it’s possible to use just two fingers (thumb and index pipi) to play Section B or three fingers (thumb, index, middle pipm).
Left Hand Movements
The left hand is also known as the fretting hand for most people.
In “Step by Step” I get your left hand to move one finger at a time in each measure.
Start by holding the ukulele. The chord with all open strings has two names: A minor seven (Am7) and C six (C6).
Next, place your left index finger on the E-string on the first fret. This second chord can be represented by four digits 0010, each digit corresponds to the fret to press.
Keep your index finger as an anchor and put your middle finger on the A-string second fret. This chord 0012 is not often used but it’s a stepping stone to the next chord and the next. And so on.
The left hand fingers are indicated in the chord diagrams below. 1 = left index finger. 2 = left middle finger. 3 = left ring finger. Leave your fingers there until you absolutely need to move them.
What else motivates?
Jen’s fitness class in Zoom gets me out of bed three times a week. Once I get out of bed and start moving my body, it’s hard to go back to sleep. Check out my next blog post about Jen’s classes.
Meanwhile, finishing my next book in the Pick Pluck Play! series motivates me, as do all deadlines. My goal is to publish a new book each month. In fact, I had even announced this book of ukulele technique exercises in a reel with the date 1-1-2026. Unfortunately, I slacked off and got caught in the December blues. I am now writing the section called “major scale in music.”
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