Repertoire Project: Song Four | Ukulelearn lessons

Some progressions feel melancholy. Some feel bright. The G-D-Em-C sequence leans bright, with an energy that suits pop, folk-pop, and upbeat acoustic playing. Starting on G gives the whole thing a settled, confident quality - and the Em landing in the third bar adds just enough contrast to keep it interesting without pulling into darker territory.

This progression is built from the same four chords as many of the earlier lessons, just starting from a different root. The order matters more than you might think.

The Chords

If you've worked through the earlier repertoire lessons, these chords aren't new. What's new is starting on G instead of C or Am. That shift in starting point changes the emotional character of the whole sequence.

The Strumming Pattern

This lesson uses a 16th-note strum feel. In a 4/4 bar, you're fitting 8 strokes across 4 beats, alternating down and up strokes. The basic pattern is:

D - DU - UDU - D

Written out with 16th-note positions (1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a):

Beat 1: Down stroke
Beat 2: Down, then Up
Beat 3: Up, Down, Up
Beat 4: Down stroke

Start by just doing straight downstrokes on every beat. Get the chord changes solid first. Then add the upstrokes once the changes feel automatic.

Comparing G-D-Em-C to C-G-Am-F

You may have played C-G-Am-F in earlier lessons. These two progressions use the same chords from the key of C major, just starting at different points. C-G-Am-F has a softer, more neutral quality. G-D-Em-C starts on the root of G major and has more forward momentum. The difference is real, and you'll hear it immediately once you've played both.

The practical takeaway: knowing one progression in multiple starting positions doubles your repertoire options without learning anything new.

The Tricky Transition: Em to C

Most players rush the Em-to-C change. Em sits on frets 2 and 4. C sits on fret 3 of string 1. They're not adjacent shapes, and the temptation is to clip the Em short to give yourself time to land the C.

Don't do that. Hold Em its full duration. Practice moving to C while keeping the strumming arm going - even if the C rings slightly late at first. Chord changes happen while the strum continues, not instead of it.

Drill the Em-C transition separately: four downstrokes on Em, four on C, repeat. Get the move precise before adding the full pattern.

Practice Exercise

Play G-D-Em-C with just one downstroke per chord, at any tempo. Focus only on clean chord changes.
Add four steady downstrokes per chord at 70 BPM. Keep the metronome running. Don't stop if you miss a change.
Drill the Em-to-C transition separately: 8 bars of switching between just those two chords at 70 BPM.
Play the full G-D-Em-C loop with the D-DU-UDU-D pattern at 70 BPM for 2 minutes. Count how many times you complete a clean loop.
Raise to 90 BPM. Aim for the same clean loop count at the higher speed.

Questions and Answers

What is the G-D-Em-C chord progression?: G-D-Em-C is a I-V-vi-IV progression in the key of G major. It's one of the most common chord sequences in pop and acoustic music, appearing across hundreds of songs in multiple genres. Starting on G gives it a bright, settled quality compared to minor-rooted progressions.
How do you strum a 16th-note pattern on ukulele?: A 16th-note strum pattern uses alternating down and up strokes fitted into a 4/4 bar, with up to 16 strokes possible per bar. A common version is D-DU-UDU-D, which combines downstrokes on the beats with upstrokes on the off-beats to create a rhythmic, driving feel. Start slow and add upstrokes gradually once the chord changes are solid.

Next up: Arranging Songs for Solo Playing - turning a chord progression into a self-contained solo piece with melody and bass.