Common Chord Progressions & Picking Patterns

The seventh title in the Pick Pluck Play! series is a practical technique reference designed to streamline the learning process for fingerstyle ukulele. Instead of overwhelming players with theory, this volume focuses on the “80/20 rule”—mastering the essential 20% of common chord progressions and popular fingerpicking patterns that account for the vast majority of music. By providing a clear roadmap for both left-hand transitions and right-hand rhythmic patterns, this guide serves as a foundational resource for players looking to expand their repertoire with ease.

7 = T = Technique

Focus: Left-hand chord progressions & Right-hand picking patterns.

Release Date: 21st May 2026 – release party in 3 Chord Thursday in Zoom

Support the 2nd New England Ukulele Festival Auction

To support the 2nd New England Ukulele Festival, I’ve donated a “book + consultation” bundle to their online auction. The festival takes place Sunday May 3, 2026, from 11 AM to 5:00 PM in Newton, MA, but the auction is live now and open to all US-based bidders.

The festival is entirely free to participate – with performances, vendor tables, workshops, etc. I look forward to meeting other ukulele enthusiasts there and stay after for a shared dinner at a nearby Asian restaurant. Due to work, I will get to the venue after 1 PM.

3 Chord Thursday 21st May 2026 at 3 PM EDT

Immediately after the 8th session of my 8-week in-person ukulele course, I will host 3 Chord Thursday special session devoted to the contents of this new book. All sessions are free to join – just register for the Zoom link.

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What are common chord progressions and why important?

A “common chord progression” is a specific sequence of chords that appears repeatedly across different musical genres. Think of them as the “DNA” of popular music.

Understanding these patterns is a game-changer for several reasons:

• Play Hundreds of Songs: Most popular music is built on a small handful of recurring sequences. Once you master a few, such as the I-V-vi-IV, you can play thousands of songs instantly.
• Predictive Playing: You’ll start to “hear” where a song is going before the next chord is even played, making it easier to learn by ear.
• Faster Memorization: Instead of memorizing 50 individual chords for a setlist, you only need to remember a few familiar progressions.

Included in this book are cadences and Hawaiian vamps.

For examples of such progressions and song titles, scroll down the list of songs in 3 Chord Thursday Common Chord Progression thematic session.

Popular picking patterns

While a common chord progression provides the harmonic roadmap for the left hand, the accompaniment pattern is the engine driven by the right hand.

In this technique reference, we break down how these two elements interact:

• Left Hand: Manages the “pitch” through sequences of common chords.
• Right Hand: Creates the “texture” using specific formulas for strumming, fingerpicking, or a combination of both.

Years ago, I began compiling these formulas to help players move beyond basic rhythmic blocks. This book builds on resources like my 9 strum patterns for four-beat songs, providing a structured library of patterns that you can apply to almost any song in your repertoire.

One classic example of an arpeggiated accompaniment is the waltz pattern such as shown in my earlier blog post. In this book, we explore several other essential styles, including:

• Travis Picking: The alternating bass technique that adds a professional drive to your songs.
• Alberti Bass: A broken chord accompaniment that brings a classical, keyboard-like texture to the ukulele.
• Arpeggios: Various patterns that break chords into flowing individual notes.

More Details Coming Soon

Full book descriptions, interior previews, and purchase links will be added to this page as we near the May publication date. In the meantime, I hope to see you at the New England Ukulele Festival on May 3rd in Newton, Massachusetts!