Glossary (PREVIEW)
Last updated: Tuesday, 25th August, 2015
Friday, 13th March, 2015
A selection of ukulele based definitions presented in glossary format.
A bar (sometime referred to as a measure) is a small section of a song that corresponds to the number of beats described by the first or upper number in the
time signature. For example, a bar within a song written in 4/4 time lasts for four beats (1, 2, 3, 4). The speed at which you count those beats is determined by the
tempo.
BPM
BPM or Beats Per Minute refers to the tempo of a song. It is expressed as a number that literally records the beats to count for every minute. It is closely coupled to the
time signature of a song.
The bridge supports the strings and transmits the vibration of those strings to the
body of the ukulele in order to transfer the sound to the surrounding air.
A chord is any harmonic set of two or more notes played at the same time or in very close succession.
Down-stroke See also: Up-Stroke
The part of a
strumming pattern where your strumming hand is moving down the strings or away from you.
A fret is metal strip that extends across the width of the fretboard. The first fret is the one nearest the
nut.
The fretboard (also known as a fingerboard) is set on top of the
neck and holds the
frets.
The headstock houses the tuning pegs that hold the strings in place.
Intonation is a representation of the pitch accuracy of any one string. If the pitch is not perfect at every single fret, then the intonation may be described as flat or sharp at that fret. You may hear people refer to the intonation as being "out" if the pitch at one or more frets is not perfect.
The nut is a small piece of hard material that support the strings closest to the
headstock.
Off-beat See also: On-beat
Although this generally refers to beats 2 and 4 when counting '1 2 3 4' within a
bar of a song using a 4/4
time signature, it can also refer to the up-strokes and therefore the ampersands when counting '1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &'
On-beat See also: Off-beat
Although this generally refers to beats 1 and 3 when counting '1 2 3 4' within a
bar of a song using a 4/4
time signature, it can also refer to the down-strokes and therefore the numbers when counting '1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &'
Parts of a ukulele
Here are the various parts of a ukulele.
The saddle is part of the
bridge and although on some stringed instruments it allows for adjustment of
intonation, it is generally fixed on a ukulele.
A sweeping action across several strings when playing a
chord.
Strumming Pattern
A recognisable sequence of
strummed
down-strokes and
up-strokes that may be repeated.
The tempo of a song relates to the speed at which it is played and is measured in beats per minutes (
BPM)
The time signature describes how many beats are contained in each
bar. Common time signatures are 4/4 (4 beats to the bar) and 3/4 (3 beats to the bar). The first number refers to the number of beats in the bar and the second number refers to the note value that represents one beat. In sheet music you will quite often see time signatures written with the first number above the second.
A tuning peg is used to hold a string in the
headstock and is used to tune the string to a specific note. Traditionally friction pegs are used although many people find geared tuners easier to use and more stable.
The part of a
strumming pattern where your strumming hand is moving up the strings or towards you.