Down in the Valley is a two-chord song in 3/4 time, so it's a great choice for experimenting with different waltz strums. And because the lyrics are so simple, you can probably memorize the first verse after playing it just a few times!
Learn to Play Down in the Valley
To get a handle on the song, the rhythm, and the chord changes, first check out this “Learn to Play” video. If you’re already familiar with the song, scroll down to watch the play-along video.
Once you have memorized the lyrics for the first verse, try strumming and singing without looking at the video or book. Can you start to feel where the chord changes occur?
Play-Along Video for Down in the Valley
Down in the Valley is one of the songs included in my how-to book, Let’s Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners. If you’d like to learn to play the ukulele, check out Let’s Play!
Let’s Play! is the essential ukulele handbook. Created for absolute beginners, this book was designed to make learning to play the ukulele simple and fun. It’s full of easy-to-follow diagrams and instructions and includes access to dozens of play-along videos.
What's Inside:
The basics: how to tune, hold, and play your uke
How to strum several fun folk songs: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star; Down in the Valley; Down by the Bay; and more!
Popular chords and strum patterns
Fundamentals of rhythm and time signatures
How to transpose songs into different keys
How to play melodies
Unlock your musical potential by learning how to play the world’s happiest instrument. Let's Play!
