Bob Marley is the guest artist today on the 3 Chord Club. We’ll learn three of Bob’s well-known songs on uke by ear. Reggae music affords the opportunity to practice strumming on the off-beat (the 2 and the 4). That’s what gives the music its trance-like, danceable rhythm.

At the 3 Chord Club we choose three songs from a specific artist, label or genre of music that we’ll learn by ear. All the songs will contain three chords or less! Since you know the song has only one to three chords, try to figure out the changes, or chord progression by ear. Here’s a hint, most of the time the chords will be the I-IV & V or V7 chords. In the Key of C, that’s C-F-G or G7. Remember, the sound examples may be in various keys. As an added bonus try, to figure out what key the original is played in. Remember, in a lot of folk music, the V Major is used in place of the V7 chord.

Stir It Up
(Hint: I-IV-V-I)

Three Little Birds
(Hint: Chorus I-IV-I etc.)

Get Up, Stand Up
(Hint: one chord-i minor)

Songs presented are for educational purposes only and used under the fair use doctrine of United States copyright law.