Learn to Play “Flower Drum Song,” a Traditional Chinese Dance Tune that Fits Perfectly on Ukulele

BY MARCY MARXER | FROM THE SUMMER 2026 ISSUE OF UKULELE MAGAZINE

I am in a band (with Cathy Fink and Chao Tian) called From China to Appalachia that features guitar, ukulele, banjo, and yangqin, a Chinese hammered dulcimer. We’re always looking for new ways to blend cultures, and “Flower Drum Song” is a perfect fit. The tune—a joyful dance melody that is widely known—comes from the Han people of China, and presenting it on the ukulele is a real treat.

This arrangement is in the key of G, with most of the fingerings centered around the fifth fret, where I find the sound and feel especially appealing. Start in a relaxed hand position with your palm parallel to the fingerboard. Notice the open A ringing between higher fretted notes; this allows tones to overlap as the melody continues, creating a sweet, sustained effect.

For measure 2, rotate your arm slightly so the thumb points toward the headstock, as shown in the video. I think of this as “fiddle fingers”—a position that extends the fretting-hand reach without strain. Stay in this position through measure 3, using your third finger for the B on the second string, then pivot back to your original hand position for measure 4. Measure 5 introduces an open E on the second string, along with an optional pull-off from frets 7 to 5 on the first string.

Measure 6 uses closed-string notes at frets 5 and 7, and measure 7 mirrors measure 3, again using the third finger on the last note to ease the transition to measure 8. From there, shift your hand up the fingerboard in measures 9 and 10 until your fourth finger reaches fret 10, where both the open A and E strings come into play. For measures 11 and 12, slide your hand back to access frets 3 and 5 while maintaining the same general position. Together, these elements create the piece’s flowing, layered sound.