Do-Re-Mi (from The Daily Ukulele) (arr. Liz and Jim Beloff): Ukulele

This arrangement brings one of musical theater's most joyful teaching songs into the ukulele repertoire, where its stepwise melody and bright spirit find a perfect home. The Beloffs understand how to preserve what makes this number charming while making it idiomatic to the instrument, creating something that works whether you're performing for an audience or just playing for joy.

Warm, inviting, and gently playful. The song unfolds like a musical conversation where each syllable belongs to a note you can see and hold, making the learning process itself feel joyful rather than dutiful.

Ukulele players of all ages will connect with this, from absolute beginners learning hand position to experienced players seeking repertoire that bridges their instrument and the great American songbook. It works equally well as a solo performance piece or as an introduction to Rodgers and Hammerstein for younger musicians.

• Keep the pulse steady and light; this number thrives on forward motion and the feeling of discovery rather than dramatic weight
• Pay attention to the vowel sounds as you sing or play the solfege syllables themselves, letting them shape your phrasing naturally
• Let the melody breathe at phrase endings without dragging; the song moves through the scale and wants to keep moving

Pair this with other ukulele arrangements from The Daily Ukulele series to build a complete concert set, or stand it alone as an opener that immediately puts an audience at ease. It also serves beautifully as a bridge between a ukulele ensemble set and a larger group performance.

• Reading stepwise melodic movement and interval relationships
• Connecting sung or spoken syllables to instrumental execution
• Sustaining legato phrasing on ukulele
• Maintaining steady tempo through scalar passages