You write with your left hand and wonder which way round to hold the ukulele? Good news: on the ukulele both hands need skill. One frets the chords, the other strums the rhythm. So there is no single correct way – there are three ways, and all of them work.
Option 1: play the standard way
Many left-handers simply learn the ukulele like everybody else: neck to the left, left hand on the chords. That has advantages: you can borrow any ukulele, you see your teacher’s and classmates’ chords exactly as in the school books, and your skilful left hand does the fretting – often the harder job.
Option 2: flip it and restring it
Here you hold the ukulele mirrored: neck to the right, right hand fretting, left hand strumming. So that the strings are back in their usual order – G at the top near your chin, A at the bottom – they are strung the other way round. Everything is then an exact mirror image of a right-handed ukulele.
- The nut at the top of the neck has a slot for each string, cut to its thickness. After restringing, thicker strings sit in slots meant for thinner ones. Often it still works; otherwise a repair shop adjusts the slots or fits a new nut.
- The bridge on the body is straight on most ukuleles and works either way. If the saddle is slanted or stepped, it should be turned round or replaced so notes higher up the neck stay in tune.
- The little side dots on the edge of the neck then face downwards. An adult can stick new ones on the top edge.
Because most ukuleles are built almost symmetrically, restringing is easier than on many other instruments. Ready-made left-handed ukuleles exist too.
Option 3: upside down, without restringing
Some people simply turn an ordinary ukulele over and play it that way. The A string is then at the top and the G string at the bottom. It works, but every chord feels different from any school book, and your fingers have to find their own fingerings. When starting out in a class, it is usually the hardest option.
The left-handed view in the app
If you play a restrung ukulele (option 2), switch on the Left-handed setting – under “My Stars” or right below the chord chart on any chord page. All chord charts and the blues neck are then mirrored, just as you see your instrument. Letters and numbers stay easy to read. If you play right-handed, or upside down without restringing, leave it off: the normal charts then show where your fingers go.
All chords