Ukulele · Chapter 14 of 24

The Hawaiian Vamp

Three chords, a bar or two each, and you sound like a Hawaiian band. The vamp is the ukulele’s favorite way to say “here we go” and “that’s the end.”

In Hawaiian music a short chord turn, the vamp, is played as an introduction, between verses and as an ending. In the key of C it is D7, G7, C; in the key of G it is A7, D7, G. Players sometimes call it the Hawaiian turnaround.

Why it works

Each chord in the vamp is a seventh chord that leans toward the next, a step around the circle of fifths: D7 leads to G, G7 leads to C. In the key of C, D7 is built on the 2nd note of the scale and G7 on the 5th, so musicians write it II7–V7–I. Two pulls in a row make the arrival home feel extra sure.

In the key of G

Move everything up a fifth and you get A7, D7, G. A7 is one of the easiest chords on the ukulele: one finger, on the 1st fret of the C string.

A tune that ends with it

Trade Wind Vamp is a short practice tune of our own. Its last four bars are the vamp. Strum it with the island strum, or pick the tune while the player strums.

Listen for it. When you hear recordings of Hawaiian songs, listen at the very end: very often the band plays the vamp once or twice and lands on the home chord. Many songs use it between verses too.
Practice. Play the vamp in C four times with the island strum, then the vamp in G four times. Then learn Trade Wind Vamp: strum it first, then pick the tune.

Remember

  • The vamp: D7–G7–C in C, A7–D7–G in G (II7–V7–I).
  • It opens, links and ends many Hawaiian songs.
  • A7 = 0100, D7 = 2223, G7 = 0212.

Songs that use this

@teddyrookbook GitHub