Right hand position / picking technique

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dskids

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Hey all, new to the forum except for my introduction post on the other board. I am coming from guitar and am already very comfortable fingerpicking and strumming but I have a question on "best practice" for the ukulele.

I have noticed that many of the uke players on youtube use a particular right hand technique for fingerpicking. They will often place their fingertips on the lower shoulder of the instrument and use the thumb exclusively to pick out the lead lines. Is this considered the "proper" technique?

Players who use this hand placement often strum from the same position. This means the strings are struck somewhere between the shoulders of the instrument. So my other question is: is there a preferred place to hit the strings for optimal tone/volume? I have been strumming closer to the sound hole where the strings are a little stiffer.
 
This is what I was taught...

The sweet spot for strumming is where the neck joins to the body. Finger picking is usually better over the sound hole.
 
dskids said:
I have noticed that many of the uke players on youtube use a particular right hand technique for fingerpicking. They will often place their fingertips on the lower shoulder of the instrument and use the thumb exclusively to pick out the lead lines. Is this considered the "proper" technique?
Click to expand...

Hello and welcome! There is no one single "proper" technique. I first learned a similar technique to "PIMA" (classical guitar) but modified for uke, using the thumb for 3rd and 4th strings, index for the 2nd string, and middle for the 1st string. After years of playing this way though I'm trying to re-train myself to use the ring finger as well - I'm finding that this gives me the most speed and freedom of movement.

A lot of the Hawaiian and Japanese players use the technique you described, thumb only. If this works for you - no reason you shouldn't do it.

As for fingertips on the instrument - search the forums for "planting pinky" and you'll find again there is no "right or wrong." Some people do it, some don't - it's a habit I fell into out of necessity years ago when I refused to use a strap on my ukes. With a strap, there's no real need to do it, and again for me I find the less restrictive I am, the more efficiently I get around the fretboard.
 
dskids said:
I have noticed that many of the uke players on youtube use a particular right hand technique for fingerpicking. They will often place their fingertips on the lower shoulder of the instrument and use the thumb exclusively to pick out the lead lines. Is this considered the "proper" technique?
Click to expand...

Unless we're talking about classical music, there is no "proper" technique. Do whatever works best for you.

dskids said:
Players who use this hand placement often strum from the same position. This means the strings are struck somewhere between the shoulders of the instrument. So my other question is: is there a preferred place to hit the strings for optimal tone/volume? I have been strumming closer to the sound hole where the strings are a little stiffer.
Click to expand...

The tone of any stringed instrument changes significantly if you strum at the position of the first harmonic (12th fret). Many ukes (particularly sopranos) have the neck join at the 12th fret, so people started strumming close to that point for the tone. I've noticed a lot of people with tenor ukes that try to imitate this "strumming at the neck" technique without knowing why - as a result, they don't get close enough to the 12th fret in order to get that tone. Anyway, as you move back from there to the bridge, the tone changes from rich to bright. Fingerpicking doesn't work well toward the neck because the strings are too loose - we need to move back toward the bridge where the strings are tighter. In any case, the sweet spots are exactly the same as with guitar, just scaled down to match the string length.
 
Sorry to drift this thread, but when I first started playing the ukulele, not so long ago, there was this rule that one must keep the thumb of the fretting hand firmly positioned on the back of the neck, opposite the fingers fretting the chord. Good advise, and has some valid points, especially with some chords that require a lot of pressure to hold, like bar chords. So I tried from the beginning to do that. I didn't want to get sloppy. But it was hard, and really effected the spontaneity of my music. I was concentrating so much on it, that everything else was just an afterthought. So I went to my first ukulele festival and noticed that very few people actually did that. Thumbs were everywhere, especially with the headliners. Furthermore, those few who did religiously do so, while quite technical in their mechanics, seemed a little stilted in their playing. So I lightened up a little. I allowed myself to get a little sloppy, and my playing improved because of it. I'm not saying that hand positions are not important, but dedication to form sometimes comes at the cost of function, especially if your goal is something other than classical ukulele.
 
Last edited:
Rllink said:
Sorry to drift this thread, but when I first started playing the ukulele, not so long ago, there was this rule that one must keep the thumb of the fretting hand firmly positioned on the back of the neck, opposite the fingers fretting the chord.
Click to expand...

That rule comes from classical technique. The goal with traditional classical music is to play the piece exactly as written, without variation, regardless of who plays it. So, rules were made so that everyone would play in exactly the same manner. The player becomes a mechanical tape recorder. (I'm not knocking classical music or those who play it - just pointing out that the rules are geared toward reproduction, not personal expression). There are non-traditional classical players who break the rules with great satisfaction.

Once you move out of the classical realm, there are no rules. If someone says there is, they are merely making a suggestion.
 
janeray1940 said:
Hello and welcome! There is no one single "proper" technique. I first learned a similar technique to "PIMA" (classical guitar) but modified for uke, using the thumb for 3rd and 4th strings, index for the 2nd string, and middle for the 1st string...
Click to expand...

janeray, thanks for the feedback. Coming from guitar I am also pretty comfortable with PIMA and I have been using the exact technique you described. I am anything but a classical player and this is working well for me so I guess I'll stick with it.

OregonJim said:
The tone of any stringed instrument changes significantly if you strum at the position of the first harmonic (12th fret). Many ukes (particularly sopranos) have the neck join at the 12th fret, so people started strumming close to that point for the tone ... ... Anyway, as you move back from there to the bridge, the tone changes from rich to bright. Fingerpicking doesn't work well toward the neck because the strings are too loose - we need to move back toward the bridge where the strings are tighter. In any case, the sweet spots are exactly the same as with guitar, just scaled down to match the string length.
Click to expand...

OregonJim, thanks for the explanation. Everything you said here makes sense and I notice myself doing these things, particularly fingerpicking towards the sound hole for the more rigid string feel.

Rllink said:
Sorry to drift this thread, but when I first started playing the ukulele, not so long ago, there was this rule that one must keep the thumb of the fretting hand firmly positioned on the back of the neck, opposite the fingers fretting the chord....
Click to expand...

Rllink - not drifting the thread at all, your point is a good one. Form may come at the cost of function. For the record, I am one who wraps their thumb.. I can't even get away from it on the uke. On guitar (particularly for blues) it makes a lot of sense if you can wrap your thumb around to grab bass notes for alternating bass styles.

I guess my whole purpose in creating this thread is I wanted to understand if there are any particular forms or positions that are taught. Not because I intend to follow those forms, but because I want to know what the trade-offs are when playing in my own way.

Thanks all for your responses!
 
dskids said:
For the record, I am one who wraps their thumb.. I can't even get away from it on the uke. On guitar (particularly for blues) it makes a lot of sense if you can wrap your thumb around to grab bass notes for alternating bass styles.
Click to expand...

I have seen uke players make barre chords by wrapping their thumb over the top of the neck and barring all four strings with it!
 
When starting out, I think it's best to develope your technique using the most accepted practice as a starting point.

Picking primarily over the sound hole, using the side of the thumbnail and the tips of the fingernails. Using these "rules" position your hand to be as comfortable as possible. (Tip: You'll find very good close-up views of classical guitarist hand position and picking technique on YouTube.) It's best not to rest your fingertips on the soundboard. You will do this as you go forward but should only do it when it helps. Use thumb for strings 3 and 4, use index for string 2, and middle for string 1.

From this point, your technique can develope. You will learn when to break the rules as you need or see fit. In fact, the more your playing grows, the more you will break the rules.
 
Last edited:
Rllink said:
Sorry to drift this thread, but when I first started playing the ukulele, not so long ago, there was this rule that one must keep the thumb of the fretting hand firmly positioned on the back of the neck, opposite the fingers fretting the chord. Good advise, and has some valid points, especially with some chords that require a lot of pressure to hold, like bar chords. So I tried from the beginning to do that. I didn't want to get sloppy. But it was hard, and really effected the spontaneity of my music. I was concentrating so much on it, that everything else was just an afterthought. So I went to my first ukulele festival and noticed that very few people actually did that. Thumbs were everywhere, especially with the headliners. Furthermore, those few who did religiously do so, while quite technical in their mechanics, seemed a little stilted in their playing. So I lightened up a little. I allowed myself to get a little sloppy, and my playing improved because of it. I'm not saying that hand positions are not important, but dedication to form sometimes comes at the cost of function, especially if your goal is something other than classical ukulele.
Click to expand...

Thanks for raising this topic. I've seen online posts stating that uke players should (shall?) position the thumb on their fretting hand behind the neck so the audience can't see it. Like you, I tried to comply. But doing that just didn't feel right. So, I'm a PIMA (TIBR) thumb floater.
 
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