This article gives a clear, simplified arrangement of the ukulele Here Comes the Sun tab that teaches the signature intro riff, verse and chorus chord shapes, and a singalong-friendly fingerstyle option you can learn fast.
What this ukulele tab will teach you and who it’s for
The goal: learn the recognizable intro riff, clean verse/chorus chord shapes, and a simple fingerstyle arrangement suitable for solo singing and small gigs.
Skill level: designed for beginner-to-intermediate players with optional advanced embellishments; expect 2–6 weeks of practice to play the full arrangement cleanly if you practice 15–30 minutes daily.
Target search phrases included in the tab: ukulele tab, Here Comes the Sun ukulele, melody tab, strumming pattern, and simplified chords.
Signature intro riff: precise tablature, fingerings, and feel
This intro riff is arranged in the key of G for easier ukulele chords and clear melody. Tuning: G C E A (high-G). Use finger 1=index, 2=middle, 3=ring, 4=pinky for suggested left-hand fingering.
Intro riff tab (simplified, single-line feel):
G|———————0-2-0——————–
C|————0-2-3————-3-2-0———–
E|——0-2-3—————————3-2-0—-
A|-2-3—————————————–3-2-0
Suggested fingering: A-string 2 (index), 3 (middle); E-string 0-2-3 (open, index, middle); C-string 0-2-3; G-string 0-2 (open, index). Play with a light, bouncy right-hand pick pattern: thumb on G/C, index on E, middle on A for alternating bass feel.
Beginner alternative: drop higher jumps — play only A and E string bits to keep the motif recognizable: A|-2-3-2-0-2-0-| E|—-0-2-3—–| and leave G/C open as drone notes.
Embellishments to try after clean repetition: light slides into the 2nd fret on A and E strings, single hammer-ons on E string 0->2, and occasional pull-offs to maintain the original song’s lilt.
Verse arrangement: chord shapes, rhythm, and voice-leading
Simple chord set (key of G): G, C, D, Em, Am. These keep finger movement minimal and singable for most vocal ranges.
Chord fingerings (ukulele GCEA): G = 0 2 3 2, C = 0 0 0 3, D = 2 2 2 0, Em = 0 4 3 2, Am = 2 0 0 0. Use these shapes to minimize hand travel between changes.
Verse pattern: | G | G | C | D | repeated. Add Em as turnaround: | Em | D | C | G |. Count bars in 4/4: 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-& to keep syncopation light and forward.
Melody-on-chord tip: play a single melody note on the A or E string while strumming the chord body on beats 1 and 3 to create a full solo performance without extra instruments.
Timing cue: accent the “&” of beat 2 lightly to match the vocal syncopation; hold the last chord of the phrase for a 4-beat count to give the vocal room.
Pre-chorus and chorus: strum patterns, chord changes, and harmony tips
Chorus chord sequence (simple): | G | D | C | G | repeated, with Em used to color the turnaround: | Em | D | C | D |.
Basic strumming pattern (beginner): D D U U D U (D=down, U=up). Play at moderate dynamic for verses and push slightly louder on choruses to create lift.
Rhythmic upstroke option (intermediate): palm-muted downstrokes on beats 1 and 3, crisp upstrokes on the “&” beats to copy the bright chorus motion; notated as: (1) mute-D, (&) U, (2) open-D, (&) U, etc.
Chord-thickening options: substitute C with Cadd9 (0 0 0 3 then add E on E-string 2) and replace G with Gadd9 (0 2 0 2) for extra color during chorus peaks; use double-stops on E and A strings to add harmonic weight without full revoicing.
Align vocal hits by holding the chord for the syllable on the downbeat and releasing or damping on the next upstroke to produce natural phrasing.
Bridge and instrumental sections: translating guitar lines to ukulele tab
Bridge lead phrase (single-line tab, key of G):
G|—————–7-5-4-5-7-5-4-5—————–
C|———–4-5-7—————–7-5-4———–
E|—–3-5-7——————————-7-5-3—-
A|-5-7———————————————7-5-3
Use light arpeggio picking on these phrases and pick slowly at first to place each slide and hammer-on cleanly.
Adapting guitar voicings: move melody up an octave on ukulele if needed, and swap to low-G tuning to reach lower chord roots when you want a fuller sound in the bridge.
Fill tips: add short, rhythmic single-note runs on the A string between vocal lines to connect phrases without crowding the main melody.
Strumming vs fingerpicking: exact patterns, rhythmic notation, and when to switch
Side-by-side examples: basic pop strum = D D U U D U; syncopated folk = D – U D U – U (where dashes are rests or muted beats); fingerpicking pattern = thumb on G (bass) then index on C, middle on E, ring on A in 1-2-3-4 arpeggio.
Reading rhythmic tab: count 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-& and place downstrokes on numbers and upstrokes on &s; mute unwanted strings for ghost notes and keep syncopation tight by practicing slowly with a metronome.
When to switch: use fingerpicking for verse intimacy or when accompanying singing solo; switch to strumming for chorus lift or when playing with a band to maintain rhythmic drive.
Melody-only tab and lead line: single-note tablature for singing along
Melody-only (vocal line simplified in G):
G|—————–0-2-0—–0-2-0—————–
C|———–0-2-3——-3-2——-3-2-0———–
E|—–0-2-3—————————–3-2-0—-
A|-2-3——————————————-3-2-0
Phrasing tips: breathe between phrase groups shown above, slide into held notes on beat 3 when the vocal sustains, and use light vibrato on longer notes to mimic a sung tone.
Practice loop suggestions: loop the 4-bar melody chunk and play it with a backing track at 70% speed until consistent, then increase tempo in 5% increments.
Key, capo alternatives, and transposition for singers
Common singable keys: G (easy ukulele chords), C (simple open shapes), and A (closer to original but may require capo or more stretches).
Capo options: place a capo on the 2nd fret to move G shapes up to A sound while keeping easy fingerings; on ukulele, a capo transposes similarly to guitar—apply to the fret that places chord center in singer’s comfortable range.
How transposition affects voicings: raising the key preserves shapes but shifts register; if you move to A or B, consider switching to low-G tuning to keep low root notes in reach without complex fingerings.
Choose a key by testing one verse while singing and picking the lowest comfortable octave for the melody; prefer keys that keep the chorus from forcing high strained notes.
Common mistakes, tricky spots, and quick fixes
Typical stumbling blocks: rushed intro riff, messy finger transitions on D and Em shapes, and tempo drift during syncopated measures.
Fixes: isolate the riff and use slow metronome practice at 60 bpm, perform chord-change drills that only move two fingers at a time, and practice bar-by-bar looped repetitions for problem measures.
Simplify without losing character: drop ornament notes on the riff if tempo suffers and keep root-note strums on chorus to preserve energy while you build speed.
Practice roadmap: step-by-step sessions to master the tab in four weeks
Week 1: daily 15–20 minute sessions focused on intro riff isolation and chord-fretting drills (G, C, D, Em). Goal: consistent riff at 60–70% tempo.
Week 2: integrate verse strum pattern and practice chord changes across full verse; add basic chorus strum. Goal: two verse–chorus runs at steady tempo.
Week 3: work on bridge melody and fingerstyle options; practice dynamic shifts and accent placement. Goal: clean bridge and one full playthrough with dynamics.
Week 4: tempo scaling and performance runs with backing track or loop pedal; record two full takes and pick the best for shared performance. Goal: performance-ready 3–4 minute run-through.
Performance-ready arrangement: dynamics, looping, and layering for live play
Compact setlist arrangement: intro riff (4 bars), verse with light fingerpicking, chorus with full strum, repeat verse, concise bridge, final chorus with fuller voicing and percussive slaps to end.
Loop pedal advice: loop the intro riff or the basic chord vamp for verse backing, then add single-note fills on top; avoid looping too many harmonies or the mix will sound cluttered.
Dynamic control: pull back on strumming during second verse to create contrast, and add louder voicings or percussive taps for the final chorus to emphasize emotional peaks.
Downloadables, printable tab, and backing-track resources
Offer downloadable PDF tab that includes chord charts, printable melody-only tab, and a simple chord chart file named with the primary keyword for easy searchability (example: ukulele-here-comes-the-sun-tab-G.pdf).
Backing-track sources: use royalty-cleared instrumental tracks or create a simple loop at 100–110 bpm; set metronome practice ranges at 60%–90% of target tempo to build accuracy.
File organization tip: store files by version (easy, intermediate, performance) and include tempo and tuning in the filename (e.g., HCTS-tab-G-80bpm-highG.pdf) so learners find the correct version quickly.
Copyright, tablature etiquette, and safe sharing of your arrangement
Legal basics: personal practice and posting a cover video is allowed in most jurisdictions, but distributing verbatim copies of official sheet music may require licensing; share your own simplified arrangement instead of scanning published scores.
Credit the song properly: include songwriter names (George Harrison / The Beatles) and note that your arrangement is a cover or transcription when posting tabs or videos.
Hosting best practices: link to authorized lyric and licensing sources, include a short disclaimer that the tab is a user arrangement, and avoid posting images of original sheet music pages.
Quick FAQ: tempo, tuning, capo, and chord name clarifications
Q: What tempo should I use? A: Practice intro and verse at 60–70 bpm, build to 100–110 bpm for full song feel; use 80–90 bpm as a realistic singalong target for most voices.
Q: Low-G or high-G tuning—what works best? A: High-G keeps melody brighter and is typical for singalongs; low-G adds bass warmth for fuller solo arrangements—choose based on desired low-end and fingerpicking needs.
Q: Is a capo necessary? A: No—capo is optional to match singer range; place capo at 2nd fret to raise G shapes to A pitch while keeping simple fingerings.
Q: Why do chord names differ from guitar tabs? A: Ukulele voicings often use different inversions and fewer strings; match chord roots rather than copying guitar fingerings directly to keep shapes accessible.
Q: My riff sounds off—what to check? A: Verify tuning, slow the riff to finger-accurate speed, check left-hand fretting (avoid muting adjacent strings), and practice with a metronome in short loops until it locks.
Use the tabs and practice roadmap here to build a clean, singable ukulele version of Here Comes the Sun that fits small gigs, casual singalongs, and recording sessions without complex stretches or advanced gear.
