This compact, practice-ready guide gives chorded lyrics, clear strumming patterns, capo and transposition options, a printable chord chart plan, a fingerpicking intro, and a step-by-step practice map to get Bruno Mars’ “Count On Me” sounding sing-along ready on ukulele fast.
Why this guide gets you playing and singing fast
Get exactly what you need: chorded lyrics with chords placed for easy sight-reading, simple-to-advanced strumming patterns, fingerpicking tab for the intro, capo options to match your voice, and a short rehearsal plan you can follow daily.
This helps absolute beginners who need simple shapes and count-aloud strumming, intermediate players who want groove and dynamics, and small ensembles arranging a Bruno Mars-style ukulele cover.
Search-friendly targets covered here include phrases like Bruno Mars ukulele chords, easy ukulele chords, and sing-along ukulele song so you land the right version for play-along practice.
At-a-glance song facts and chord set you’ll need
Common cover key: C major. Simplest chord list for uke: C, Em, Am, F, G. These keep shapes easy and fit most singable ranges.
Tempo: about 76–84 BPM. Time signature: 4/4. Typical structure: Intro → Verse → Chorus → Verse → Chorus → Bridge → Chorus. Use that structure to loop practice sections.
Capo options: play as written (no capo) for original feel in C; capo 2 and play C shapes to sound in D if you need more high range; capo 1 or 3 are quick alternatives depending on your voice.
How the chorded-lyrics layout works for ukulele players
Chord lines sit directly above the lyric line so you can glance up and change on the beat. Read chord letters over the syllable where the change happens, hold shapes according to the counts below each chorus or verse line.
While singing, watch breath points and count beats out loud: mark chord holds as “1-2-3-4” for full measures or “1-&-2-&” for halves and syncopation. Repeat marks are simplified with repeat bars indicated in the printable sheet.
Sing-along-ready lyrics with chords positioned above the words
Below: each pair of paragraphs shows the chord line then the lyric line so you can match strums to words. Play the chord printed above the syllable shown.
C Em Am F
If you ever find yourself stuck in the dark
C Em Am F
I’ll be right there with you
C Em Am F
Join your hands, I’ll help you hold on
C Em Am G
You can count on me like one, two, three
C Em Am F
And I’ll be there
C Em Am G
And I know when I need it, I can count on you like four, three, two
Play the same chord/lyric format through the chorus and repeat patterns for verses; the printable one-pager below compresses repeats so you only read what changes.
Printable chord chart and quick-reference PDF details
Include these items in the download: clear chord diagrams (GCEA string order), capo suggestions, short-handed strumming pattern examples, and a one-page lyric+chords sheet with repeats removed for stage use.
Offer PDF sizes: A4 and US Letter; a mobile-friendly 800×1200 px single-page image for phones; export as PDF and PNG for quick stage access. Keep file under 1 MB for fast downloads.
Step-by-step strumming pattern for the original feel (easy to advanced)
Beginner pattern: steady quarter notes. Count aloud “1, 2, 3, 4” and strum down on each beat. That keeps singing steady while you lock chords.
Intermediate pattern (recommended): D D U U D U — count “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” and play Down, Down, Up, Up, Down, Up. That pattern hits the syncopated pop feel without over-complication.
Advanced groove: add ghosted muted hits on the “&” of 2 and snappy accents on the downbeat of 3. Practice slow, build to full tempo, then reintroduce accents.
Rhythm tips: feel, accents, and palm muting for dynamics
Create dynamics with light versus heavy strums: strum soft in verses and push harder in chorus. Use a light palm mute on the fleshy part of your hand for a short, percussive sound on the quieter sections.
Place accents on the downbeat of 1 and on beat 3 in the chorus to lift the vocal phrasing. If you need space for a vocal run, strip back to single down-strokes for two bars.
Chord diagrams, fingerings and smooth transitions for common tricky changes
Standard fingerings (G C E A strings): C = 0003, Em = 0432, Am = 2000, F = 2010, G = 0232. Read left-to-right as G C E A string frets.
Beginner alternatives: swap Em (0432) for Em7 (0202) if Em is slippery; swap G (0232) with G6 (0002) for an easier ring if you prefer fewer finger moves.
Drill for transitions: isolate the two hardest moves (Em → C and Am → F). Practice slow: lift only fingers that must move, keep anchor fingers in place, loop each change 30 times at 40–60 BPM.
Quick fixes for muted notes, buzzing, and ring-out control
If notes buzz, first check thumb position: place the thumb behind the neck roughly opposite the 2nd finger for control. Shorten nails on fretting hand and press cleanly with fingertips.
To stop unwanted ringing, use light damping with the palm of your strumming hand or let one finger of the fretting hand slightly touch the string that should be silent.
Capo and key-change guide: sing in your preferred range without strain
Use a capo to raise the song in semitone steps while keeping easy shapes. Example: capo 2 and play the same C shapes → sounding key becomes D, which helps higher voices without new shapes.
Choose capo when you want identical chord shapes and a brighter tone. Change shapes when you need a lower key that a capo can’t provide without awkward shapes.
Simple chart for transposing chords up/down by step
Common transpositions (play shapes listed, sounding key in parentheses): play C shapes → capo 0 (C), capo 1 → sounds C#/Db, capo 2 → sounds D, capo 3 → sounds D#/Eb.
Chord shape equivalents up two semitones: C→D, Em→F#m (or play Em shapes with capo 2), Am→Bm, F→G, G→A. Use the capo option first to keep simple shapes.
Fingerpicking version and melody tab for the intro riff
Fingerpicking pattern (beginner): P‑i‑m‑a on G‑C‑E‑A strings or thumb on G/C and index/middle on E/A in a steady 8th‑note arpeggio: 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-& counted evenly.
Simple intro arpeggio (loop over C → Em → Am → F):
A|—-0——-0——-0——-0—|
E|——0——-0——-0——-0-|
C|–0——-4——-0——-0—–|
G|——————————–|
Short melody riff (playable and singer-friendly):
A|–3-3-0-0-2-0–|
E|—————|
C|—————|
G|—————|
Blend strum and pick by dropping to fingerpicking for the intro and bridge; return to the D D U U D U pattern on the first downbeat of the next verse so the tempo stays locked.
Arrangement ideas for duo, trio, or full-band covers
Duet split: player A handles rhythm and vocals; player B plays the melody riff or harmony and adds light percussion (shaker, cajón brush) on chorus hits.
Trio or band: add upright or electric bass following root notes, cajón for the groove, and a second ukulele doubled at a higher voicing for chorus lift.
Backing harmony and vocal cues for crowd-friendly sing-alongs
Two-part harmonies work well on the chorus: lead on melody, second voice a third above on “I’ll be there,” then drop to unison for the final line to maximize crowd joining in.
Strip to solo uke for the bridge to create intimacy, then build with percussion and harmony for the last chorus for maximum effect.
Common mistakes, troubleshooting, and practice checklist
Top errors and fixes: rushing tempo — practice with a metronome and set a realistic target; weak transitions — isolate and loop tough changes; wrong capo use — test singing with capo before performing; over-strumming — use dynamics and rests.
Daily 10-minute checklist: 1) chord warm-up 2 minutes, 2) 5-minute slow-change drill on hardest transition, 3) 3-minute strumming groove at target tempo, 4) 5-minute sing-while-playing run-through of one verse and chorus.
Speed-building exercises and realistic milestones
Progress map: chords → smooth changes at 60 BPM → add strumming pattern at 60 BPM → increase by 4–6 BPM every 3–5 sessions until target tempo. Milestones: 1 week to learn shapes, 2–3 weeks to sing while playing steadily, 4–6 weeks to perform confidently.
Recording and uploading your cover — gear and quick setup
Budget mic picks: Audio-Technica ATR2100 or Shure MV5; phone option: clip-on lav + a quiet room. Record in WAV or high-bitrate MP3, 44.1 kHz, 16-bit for good balance between size and quality.
Mic placement: 6–12 inches from the uke neck aimed at the 12th fret for balanced tone; place a second mic or phone for vocals about 1–2 feet away. Keep levels so peaks sit around -6 dB.
Video tips: frame from chest up with uke visible, soft diffused front light, steady camera. Upload-friendly formats: MP4 video, AAC audio or WAV for higher quality, and include chords and credits in the description.
Copyright, cover licensing, and best practices for posting covers
For online covers, always credit songwriter and publisher in the description with a line like: “Songwriters: Bruno Mars / Published by [publisher name]. Used with permission.” Use platform cover licensing tools where available for streaming and downloads.
If you plan to monetize or distribute audio-only covers, consider a mechanical licensing service or aggregator to handle required licenses and royalties.
Quick-reference FAQ: capo choices, tricky chords, and song length
Q: Is there a capo? A: Optional. No capo keeps original C key; capo 2 raises to D while you keep easy C shapes.
Q: Are there barre chords? A: Not required. All main chords listed are open shapes; use alternatives if you need to avoid barre forms.
Q: How long is the song? A: Roughly 3 minutes; plan for a 2.5–3.5 minute performance depending on repeats and tempo choices.
Q: What if the capo slips? A: Place capo just behind the fret, not on it; tune after capo placement and use a quality capo with good clamping force.
Further resources and next steps to expand your ukulele repertoire
Practice follow-ups: learn other four-chord pop songs in C to reuse the same shapes and cement transitions. Recommended songs with similar chord sets appear in most beginner uke libraries.
Use chord libraries, slow-down apps, and community tabs to compare alternate voicings. Set a simple goal: add one new song each two weeks and you’ll build a reliable set list fast.
