God Bless America Ukulele Tutorial for Beginners

by | Jul 1, 2019 | Video lessons

With this week’s feature of “God Bless America” ukulele tutorial, let us learn another patriotic song. “God Bless America” is another favorite 4th of July song. The great composer Irving Berlin wrote the song more than a century ago.  

In case you missed last week’s ukulele tutorial for “The Star-Spangled Banner,” check it out here. Or browse through our blog main page  for more ukulele lessons for beginners.

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GOD BLESS AMERICA UKULELE TUTORIAL – CHORDS AND STRUMS

“God Bless America” ukulele tutorial is easy for beginner ukulele players as you’ll need just four chords. And these are:  F, C, Bb and C7.

photo and chord stamp for B flat chord on the ukulele

How to Make the Bb Chord Shape

The chord shapes for F, C and C7 are fairly easy ones. However, making the Bb chord is a bit tricky. First, you’ll need to bar the lower two strings on the first fret using your index finger. Then press your middle finger on the third string (or C string) on the second fret. Thirdly, place your ring finger on the uppermost string (or G string) on the third fret. Because the index finger is somewhat bent awkwardly while barring the bottom two strings, this chord shape can be quite challenging to make. But with lots of practice, you’ll be on your way to conquering the Bb chord.

As for the strumming, Jenny uses a simple four downs per measure pattern.

 

GOD BLESS AMERICA – SONG HISTORY

Irving Berlin, one of America’s greatest songwriters, wrote “God Bless America” in 1918. He intended the song to be the finale of a musical show he produced while serving in the military at Camp Upton. However, he realized the song did not actually fit the final scene and so replaced it with a different one.

Twenty years later, Berlin rewrote the song before the onset of World War II. In a letter that Berlin wrote in 1954, he emphasized “rewrote” as there were significant changes with the original composition and the 1938 version. Berlin planned the 1918 original to be a war song as denoted by the lyrics ‘make her victorious on land and foam’. However, in 1938, Berlin wanted the song to convey peace. Hence, he modified some of the lyrics. For instance, the previously mentioned line became ‘from the mountains to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam’.

GOD BLESS AMERICA – ‘A SONG THAT WILL NEVER DIE’

In 1938, Ted Collins approached Berlin for a song that can be sung by his talent, Kate Smith, for Armistice Day. Berlin remembered his “God Bless America” song from 1918 and rewrote it to be a song of peace. According to Berlin, if not for Collins, the song might have remained ‘a war song, unpublished and unsung’.

As Collins did request Berlin for a patriotic song, “God Bless America” went on to be introduced to the public by Kate Smith on November 10, 1938. Smith sang the song on The Kate Smith Hour, a program on CBS Radio. Additionally, she began the song with a preface giving praise to Berlin and the composition which she hailed as ‘a song that will never die’. Indeed, a hundred years after it was first conceptualized, “God Bless America” remains to be a popular song. It is performed during American patriotic holidays, sports events, political rallies and other gatherings.

Do you want to sound convincing on folk songs? You know basic chords and strumming patterns. And you’re interested in folk music. You’d like to take it to the next level.

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  1. Teach a Rest Position

Create a standard position players use whenever they are listening:

  • Place the ukulele flat against the body.
  • Rest the strumming hand gently on the strings.
  • Keep both hands still.
  • Look toward the leader.

Call it “rest position” and demonstrate it at the group’s first meeting. Use the same phrase consistently: “Ukuleles in rest position, please.”

This physically mutes the strings and gives everyone a clear visual signal that playing has stopped.

  1. Use One Attention Signal

Choose a signal that can be seen or heard across the room. Possibilities include:

  • Raising one hand
  • Playing a short, distinctive chord
  • Saying, “Rest position”

Explain the signal before rehearsal begins: “When you see my hand raised, finish the chord you are playing, mute your strings, and look up.”

Avoid competing with the group by repeatedly talking over the instruments. Give the signal, pause, and wait until everyone is ready.

  1. Set a Clear “No Noodling” Expectation

Many players noodle because they are excited, nervous, practicing a difficult chord, or unaware that it is distracting. Address the behavior without embarrassing anyone.

Try saying:

“Between songs, please mute your strings so everyone can hear the instructions. We’ll always give you a moment to check chords before we begin.”

Then build short, intentional practice windows into the session:

  • “Take 20 seconds to find the opening chord.”
  • “Quietly check the change from C to G7.”
  • “Let’s try that strum together once.”

Players are more likely to stop playing at random when they know when practice is welcome.

  1. Amplify the Leader, Not the Entire Room

In larger groups, a small microphone, portable speaker, or amplified ukulele can save the leader’s voice and make directions easier to follow. Amplification should provide clarity—not to overpower the players.

Test the equipment before the session, position the speaker where everyone can hear it, and keep spoken instructions short. A microphone cannot replace an attention routine, but it makes a good routine much more effective.

  1. Create Predictable Transitions

Noodling often fills uncertainty. Tell players exactly what is happening next:

    1. “Finish the final chord.”
    2. “Rest position.”
    3. “Turn to page 14.”
    4. “Find a C chord.”
    5. “Watch for my count-in.”

Use a visible or audible count-in before every song. Once players learn that nothing begins until the leader counts them in, spontaneous starts become less common.

A Simple Group Agreement

At the beginning of a session, say:

“To help everyone hear and learn, we use rest position whenever someone is speaking. When I raise my hand, please mute your strings and look up. You’ll have time to check chords before each song, and we’ll always start together on the count-in.”

The goal is not silence for its own sake. It is to create a group in which instructions are brief, rehearsals move smoothly, and everyone gets more time to make music together.

Here’s a list of etiquette expectations from ukulele group members to make the group learning more effective and fruitful for everyone. 

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