Instant Noodles! Musical Ingredients for Tasty Bites of Ukulele

BY MATT DAHLBERG | FROM THE SUMMER 2025 ISSUE OF UKULELE MAGAZINE

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from students is, “How can I sit and noodle with the ukulele?” It’s like asking a chef how they whip up delectable meals using whatever ingredients are available. The more recipes you learn to prepare with diverse ingredients, the more familiar you become with how they work together. Creating music follows the same process.

In this lesson, we will introduce some musical ingredients that work well together, including fingerpicking patterns, creating a simple melody, and combining harmony with chords. The goal is to make tasty bites of music that you can learn to create quickly using the skills you already have on hand.

In and Out

We will begin with an in-and-out finger-picking pattern for your playing hand
using open strings, which makes a C6 chord in standard (G C E A) tuning. Starting with your thumb and alternating between the thumb and index finger, pick the strings in this order: 3-2-4-1-4-2 (Example 1).

When you’re comfortable with this pattern, you can add a melody. Experiment with the first string using the open, second, and third frets, as shown in Example 2. These notes sound great together and harmonize well with the rest of the open strings. Try different combinations to find which ones you like most.

Once you’ve decided on a combination you enjoy, change up the harmony by adding the first fret to the second string with your first finger, transforming
the chord from C to Fadd9 (Example 3). Then, play the same melody as before, but hold down the first fret on the second string instead. Notice how much the texture of the chord changes when just one string is modified by a single fret.

Next, try Example 4, which demonstrates how to alternate between different C and F chords while maintaining your melody. Adjust the speed and volume, and observe how the same melody feels different depending on the chord being played.

Once you’re ready for another layer, work through a passage based around the open G7 chord shape (Example 5). You’ll notice that this chord creates a more tense sound using the in-and-out pattern compared to the others. Change the melody notes by adding the third-fret C with your fourth finger in bar 2, removing it to play the second-fret B in the following measure, followed by the open first string in the last bar. As you explore, try switching between these different chords and creating different melodies.

Out and In

Now, let’s mix up our picking technique a bit. Instead of in-and-out, we’ll use an out-and-in pattern. Using the same fingering as the in-and-out pattern, pluck the strings in this order: 1-4-2-3-2-4, as shown in Example 6. This creates a more descending feel, and since we’re starting with the first string, it makes our melody stand out even more. Not only can you apply this pattern to everything you’ve learned so far, but you can also switch between patterns to achieve different sounds.

Other Variations

It’s enjoyable to play just three melody notes alongside three chords using these techniques. But to make this even more fun, you can experiment by moving the melody up higher on the fretboard. All the frets on your uke with a dot work great for this exercise, allowing you to reach notes up to the 15th fret!

To change up the harmony, try playing other chords in the key of C major, like Dm, Em, F, G, and Am. Leaving a string open or playing a different note within a chord can create a variety of textures and sounds. Some of my favorites are Dm(add4), Em7, and Am7 (Example 7). Don’t be intimidated by their big names—these are actually easier versions of standard chords, just played using more open strings.

One of my favorite techniques is transitioning from Dm(add4) to Am7 and back, followed by playing G7 back to C, as notated in Example 8. This creates a pleasant vibe. Try mixing and matching these chords as you noodle around to make your own sounds.

Another ingredient we can incorporate is chromaticism. This term refers to a note that doesn’t fit within the key. Since we’re in the key of C, we don’t have any sharps or flats, but that doesn’t mean we can’t experiment! One way to use chromaticism is on the C string, descending one fret at a time. As shown in Example 9, play an Em7 chord, then move down to the first fret on the C string. This transforms it into an A9 chord. Notice how it creates a tense sound, and how by simply moving one more note down to the open string, you’ve walked into the familiar sound of a Cmaj7.

In the Test Kitchen

Now that you’ve acquired the ingredients of melody, harmony, and rhythm, each with its own variations, you can begin experimenting on your own. I suggest focusing on one element at a time to start, as it can easily become overwhelming to combine too many new pieces at once. Keep things simple, and gradually expand as you gain confidence to see what kind of instant noodles you can create.