How to Play Ain’t She Sweet on the Ukulele

by | Feb 26, 2018 | Video lessons

Here’s a couple of reasons why you should learn how to play “Ain’t She Sweet” on the ukulele.

First of all, “Ain’t She Sweet” is a classic song that’s popular since the 1920s. Learning it adds a historic song on your list of ukulele songs.

In addition, many famous artists have performed it including the Fab Four themselves. The Beatles have performed it many times as a group including a ukulele rendition in 1995.

 

DOWNLOAD LEAD SHEET

To follow the lesson easily, download a lead sheet of the song here.

Ukulele chords for Ain't She Sweet. Learn how to play this song.

VIDEO TUTORIAL WITH A BANJOLELE

Jenny gives some lessons on how to play “Ain’t She Sweet” on the ukulele in the above video.

Rather than play a standard ukulele, she uses a banjolele that sounds real cool and goes really well with the song. A banjolele looks like a banjo but is tuned like a ukulele.

STRUMS, CHORDS AND TIPS

While the song may not be that easy to play on the ukulele, it has fairly easy chords except for Ab7 and F7. The other chords include C, G7, E7, A7, D7 and Dm. On the video, Jenny explains tips on how to remember the chords. She also shows how to shift easily from one chord to the other.

Another thing to master when learning a song is the strumming pattern. Jenny followed a strumming pattern with a “down, down-up-down, down-up” flow. In addition, she included a chunking technique in some parts of the song. This technique introduces a percussive effect by using the area on the side of the thumb which Jenny illustrates on the video.

HIT SONG FROM THE ROARING TWENTIES

“Ain’t She Sweet” is a timeless song that first became famous during the Roaring Twenties, a period around the 1920s characterized by progress and vitality in America and in Europe not only in the economy but also in the arts and culture.

The song was created by frequent collaborators Jack Yellen and Milton Ager. While Jack Yellen wrote the song’s simple yet trendy lyrics, Milton Ager composed its upbeat and lively music.

Since the song’s release in 1927, several artists have recorded it including Lou Gold, Gene Austin, Annette Hanshaw, Eddie Peabody, Frank Sinatra, Gene Vincent and The Beatles.

THE BEATLES’ RECORDINGS

The Beatles, as a group, recorded two renditions of the song. Although the group has been performing the song in live shows since 1957, the first official recording they did was in June 1961. This recording was subsequently released as a single three years later. It was also included in the group’s Anthology 1 album which covered the band’s 1958 to 1964 era.

The second recording of “Ain’t She Sweet” by the Beatles was in 1969. Although it’s basically the same song, Pete Best was on drums on the 1961 recording while Ringo Starr covered drums on the latter rendition. This 1969 recording was included in the final Anthology album, Anthology 3, which encompassed the final period of the Fab Four starting from 1968. Hence, the song appears in two out of three Anthology albums, the only song to do so.

A JOHN LENNON VERSION AND A UKULELE RENDITION

John Lennon also had a solo recording of this song which was included in CD 3 of John Lennon’s four-disc Anthology album.

Finally, here’s an interesting ukulele trivia – Paul McMcartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr played “Ain’t It Sweet” backed up by a ukulele in 1995.

 

If you want to play the latest hits, you need to learn essential skills first. 21 MORE Songs in 6 Days will teach you these skills.

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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.

6. Operate iPads for music.

Many ukulele groups read off iPads, and everyone buys the same app. forScore is one of the common ones, but don’t get anything until the group leader tells you which one they use. From there, the leader or the singer/songwriter shares the music by AirDrop, so everyone is reading off the same page. Corrections land with the whole group at once, and nobody is working from an outdated copy.

 

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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