Burl Ives - Pearly Shells Ukulele Chords
Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
How to play Pearly Shells on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
Burl Ives - Pearly Shells on ukulele requires 7 chords and 10 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.
Pearly Shells uses these transitions most often: G → D7 (8), D7 → G (6), and A → D (5). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with G - G7 chord transition.
1. G → G7 chord transition
Switching from G to G7:
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.
2. G7 → C chord transition
To move from G7 to C:
- While playing G7, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
- Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 2 to fret 3.
This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.
3. C → A chord transition
Here's how to move from C to A:
- While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on C string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.
4. A → D chord transition
To move from A to D:
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 2.
This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.
5. D → G chord transition
To move from D to G:
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.
This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.
6. G → C chord transition
Here's how to move from G to C:
- While playing G, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.
7. C → Cm chord transition
Here's how to move from C to Cm:
- While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on C string fret 3.
This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.
8. Cm → G chord transition
To move from Cm to G:
- Slide your index finger on C string from fret 3 to fret 2.
- Place middle finger on A string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 3.
This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.
9. G → D7 chord transition
Switching from G to D7:
- While playing G, lift your middle finger from A string fret 2.
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 3.
This transition appears in the section, played 8 times.
10. D7 → A chord transition
Switching from D7 to A:
- While playing D7, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.
Pearly Shells chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Pearly Shells.
- Pearly Shells includes 44 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- Pearly Shells contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how Pearly Shells connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
- G → C: 25%
- G → G7: 2%
After D7, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (51%), G7 (18%), and C (6%).- D7 → G: 51%
- D7 → A: 5%