fuller sound for fingerpicking

clover

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Hey folks,

I'm super new to the uke but I absolutely love it. I can't sing worth a lick so I've been focusing most of my time on fingerpicking. PDF minstrel has been a great help, obviously.

But many of the songs tabbed on there have you playing just one string at a time. I want a bit of a fuller sound when I'm plucking along.

Do y'all have any tips on formulating/modifying already-existing tabs to get a fuller sound?

Thank you!

P.S. I am sort of trying to teach myself to read music (as opposed to just tabs), but it's been slow going.
 
So.. If I think I understand you.. you're not trying to make a single string plucked sound fuller, but to build chord/harmony, and still hear the voice/melody note?
 
See if you can used a classical guitar method called the "rest stroke". When fingerpicking a note, play the string so that when you are finished with the stroke, the pad of your finger is resting on the next string. In other words, if you are playing the third string, at the end of the stroke, your finger pad should be resting on the fourth string. Alternate fingers in a walking pattern, with rest stroke, and you will get better speed and volume. When playing the fourth string, there is no place to rest, but use the same angle and you will get the proper effect. I am sure YouTube should have videos on this method.

–Lori
 
If you're not talking about the tone, but to make the sound fuller with melody/harmony, james hill's tutorial is pretty good.

 
And don't forget James Hill "Ukulele Way" its all about playing melody in front of chords.
 
I noticed that if you play the correct chords the melody notes will be in the chords, so form the chords and then pick out the notes from them, then you can strum the chord and pick the notes in alternating way, maybe. That's the way I think of it.
 
I noticed that if you play the correct chords the melody notes will be in the chords, so form the chords and then pick out the notes from them, then you can strum the chord and pick the notes in alternating way, maybe. That's the way I think of it.

oh wow. DUH. now i feel dumb...i should have thought of that. thank you so much!!! as a noob, simple, to the point advice like that is super helpful. :bowdown:
 
@ john sargent i've never heard of either of them....thank you! Oh wow. I just checked the James hill site. Plethora of good stuff on there. :D :D :D that Liz Cotton looks like a bada___
 
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See if you can used a classical guitar method called the "rest stroke". When fingerpicking a note, play the string so that when you are finished with the stroke, the pad of your finger is resting on the next string. In other words, if you are playing the third string, at the end of the stroke, your finger pad should be resting on the fourth string. Alternate fingers in a walking pattern, with rest stroke, and you will get better speed and volume. When playing the fourth string, there is no place to rest, but use the same angle and you will get the proper effect. I am sure YouTube should have videos on this method.

–Lori

@lori...awesome. i bet working on that will help my strumming hand (er picking hand) get faster too. Merci!
 
If you're not talking about the tone, but to make the sound fuller with melody/harmony, james hill's tutorial is pretty good.



thanks! i'm digging how he breaks down the chords for you. this will fo sho help when I'm trying to fill up a note.
 
@ john sargent i've never heard of either of them....thank you! Oh wow. I just checked the James hill site. Plethora of good stuff on there. :D :D :D that Liz Cotton looks like a bada___


Elizabeth Cotton wrote the classic folk song "Freight Train". Google her, she had an interesting road to folk music stardom.
 
Fingerpicking with the pads of your fingers sounds fuller than picking with your fingertips, however that requires your fingers to be somewhat parallel to the strings and neck. Particularly effective when playing up the neck.
 
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Fingerpicking with the pads of your fingers sounds fuller than picking with your fingertips, however that requires your fingers to be somewhat parallel to the strings and neck. Particularly effective when playing up the neck.

thanks, bear! I can definitely work on that.
 
Pick further away from the bridge. Hitting the strings close to it will make your uke sound like a banjo. I have a tenor, and I usually pick/strum right above the fretboard.

Add some finger vibrato.

Buy fuller-sounding strings (or maybe even a fuller-sounding uke).

Hope this helps! :D
 
I pick with my fingernails, gives a clearer sound in my opinion.
There are tablatures of all sorts out there for fingerpicking, Ken Middleton for one.
Playing through an accoustic amp will also give you more flexibility with tone.
Whatever you do, just enjoy it.
 
I noticed that if you play the correct chords the melody notes will be in the chords, so form the chords and then pick out the notes from them, then you can strum the chord and pick the notes in alternating way, maybe. That's the way I think of it.

Yeah, the hard part is that you often have to play the correct inversion of the correct chord to have the melody note in it. It can be a struggle when you need to work up the neck. I always have a hard time deciding which key to play a song in. I know I should only focus on what key within the ukes range that goes best with my vocal range, but on the other hand I don't like going too long up the fretboard.
 
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