Did you know that the ukulele and guitar share a majority of chord shapes? The highest four strings of the guitar share the same chord shapes as the ukulele.
Written by John Allnutt / Published August 30, 2024
Last updated: August 30, 2024
This article is for those who want to know the difference between learning ukulele versus learning the guitar. I will compare the ukulele and guitar in the following areas; size, ease of learning, cost, versatility, fun, and portability in the hopes that it may help you to determine which instrument may be more suitable for you.
A Quick History of the Guitar and Ukulele
Guitar
A six stringed instrument with the open (lower) notes E-A-D-G-B-E.
The guitar has been around since the 16th century and only had four strings in its infancy – much like the modern ukulele. The guitar is a product of the lute and Arabic oud, evolving into its modern six string instrument that you see today.
Ukulele
A four stringed instrument with the open strings G-C-E-A.
The ukulele’s origins began in Portugal as a lute instrument and evolved out of the following instruments: machete, cavaquinho, timple, and rajão. The ukulele became very popular in Hawaii as Portuguese immigrants traveled to Hawaii for employment opportunities.
Guitar and Ukulele Size Comparison
The ukulele and guitar are each built with different sizes – from the small soprano ukulele to oversized dreadnought guitar and everything in-between. In general, ukuleles are much smaller than guitars including the dimensions of the body and the neck. This makes the ukulele much lighter and more portable but generally less loud than the guitar.
The modern acoustic guitar has metal strings which make it louder than most ukuleles but that also makes fretting the guitar a little more difficult for beginner players as it requires more hand strength. The added length of the guitar also allows for lower notes to be played than the ukulele.
Pros and Cons
Ukulele Pros
Ukulele Cons
Guitar Pros
Guitar Cons
Ease of Learning the Ukulele vs. the Guitar
Since the ukulele has less strings than the guitar, making chords on the uke is generally much easier. This is especially true when playing music in a group of different instruments – the ukulele player can leave out root notes and opt for easier chord shapes. Because there are more strings on the guitar, more complex chords can be made but at the expense of more practice and mastery of the guitar.
Did you know that the ukulele has a tuning system called re-entrant tuning? That is, the ukulele’s 4th string (where the lowest guitar string would be) is the second highest string when playing the open strings. It is the g in gCEA. This gives the ukulele a unique and iconic bright, jazzy, Hawaiian sound when strummed.
Strumming on the ukulele generally is simpler for the reasons listed above but also because the string spacing on a ukulele is usually larger than on a guitar. The absence of two extra strings on the ukulele eliminates many mistakes beginners would make on guitar.
Playing on the ukulele is a little kinder to beginners because the strings are made of nylon and have lower tension than steel strings on guitar. Thus causing less blisters on the fretting hand and more practice time without fatigue.
Pros and Cons
Ukulele Pros
Ukulele Cons
Guitar Pros
Guitar Cons
Cost and Accessibility
As a general rule of thumb – beginner ukuleles are about a third of the price of their guitar counterparts. A case could be made of why guitars are marketed much more than ukuleles – more money can be made by selling guitars. The current market suggests that there are 10x more guitar purchasers out there than ukulele purchasers at the moment.
If you are a ukulele player and you are getting serious about your craft, higher-end ukuleles are generally more affordable than higher-end guitars. If you are looking to pick up either a beginner ukulele or guitar, decent quality beginner instruments are very easy to acquire at your local music store or on Amazon.
Ukulele and guitar learning resources are both abundant online and in most towns and cities.
Pros and Cons
Ukulele Pros
Ukulele Cons
Guitar Pros
Guitar Cons
Musical Styles
Both the ukulele and guitar are capable of many different musical styles.
The ukulele has commonly been used in traditional Hawaiian music, folk, pop, and light rock but can be adapted to almost any style.
Since the guitar has a lower range it does have the ability to sound more appropriate for hard rock with power chords.
Pros and Cons
Ukulele Pros
Ukulele Cons
Guitar Pros
Guitar Cons
Guitar vs. Ukulele Portability and Convenience
Generally, ukuleles are much more portable than guitars. However, there are great options for both the ukulele and guitar – carbon fiber/plastic instruments are light and durable and great for playing outdoors.
Personal Preference and Comfort
When choosing either ukulele or guitar as an instrument it would be wise to try out both to see which instrument fits you best. You may decide that you will end up playing both but in different situations. Our local library has ukuleles that you can rent for a week at a time and that is how I discovered my love for the ukulele.
I have discovered that playing the guitar is more nuanced – you might strum all of the strings at once if playing an acoustic guitar but when playing electric guitar you may play solos on one to two strings only or just three to four string chords at a time.
The most important thing to do is to set goals for yourself and where you would like to end up. What are some of your favorite songs? Do the songs have guitar in them? Would the song sound good with a ukulele?
In Conclusion
Choosing to play the ukulele or the guitar is a difficult decision and is a matter of personal taste. From my personal experience as a music educator, I enjoy playing and teaching both instruments for different reasons. I always try to make decisions based on the music that I will be playing or teaching – would the music sound better to me with ukulele or guitar or would this concept be taught easiest on the ukulele or guitar?
Playing and sharing music is an amazing experience that is to be enjoyed over an entire lifetime.
Guitar vs. Ukulele FAQs
Is the ukulele easier to learn than the guitar?
Overall, yes.
Does learning the ukulele help with learning the guitar later?
Most definitely. Learning the ukulele helps to teach chord and scale shapes that can be applied to the guitar. The more relaxed string tension on a ukulele also helps to gradually build up strength for playing on the guitar.
Which instrument is better for young children to start with?
Definitely the ukulele. The neck fits into smaller hands much more easily than the guitar.
How long does it take to get proficient at the ukulele compared to the guitar?
That definitely depends on the individual but I would say it takes a third less time than the guitar would for proficiency.
Here’s hoping that this article had some great tips and comparisons about learning music on the ukulele versus learning music on the guitar. Happy strumming!
John Allnutt
Writer & Ukulele TeacherJohn has been teaching music since 2008 and resides in Richmond, Kentucky with his wife Laura and dog Sam. In his spare time he enjoys growing and cooking food, roasting coffee, playing board games, and spreading joy through playing and teaching music.
