I was watching some videos of bluegrass jams and I'd like to know how I can play along on my baritone ukulele.
The guitar was playing what they call "boom chuck" and he was picking the lowest string and then strumming the top 4 strings and then picking the 2nd lowest string and then strumming the top 4 strings. I think he's playing the root & 5ths on the two lowest strings.
So I tried doing that on my uke but it's not so easy with 4 strings. I'm playing baritone, so on the G major chord I can play 2nd lowest, strum the top 2, and then the lowest, and then strum the top two. That's ok. When I play the C chord it gets more difficult. I have to pick the 2nd highest string and then what do I strum? And then I pick the 3rd highest.
After that I thought well maybe the uke isn't capable of doing the boom-chuck (btw is that what it's called? I'm not sure I heard it right) since it doesn't really have the bass strings like a guitar. So I was watching the mandolin. and the mandolin player was just strumming on the back beats and I think he called it "chunking" but I'm not sure. He was strumming it but he'd mute the strings right away so they didn't ring long. I'm not sure if he was doing that with his right hand or left hand, I couldn't tell.
I'd like to play along with some bluegrass tunes if I can just figure out the best way to do that on a ukulele.
Thanks.
The guitar was playing what they call "boom chuck" and he was picking the lowest string and then strumming the top 4 strings and then picking the 2nd lowest string and then strumming the top 4 strings. I think he's playing the root & 5ths on the two lowest strings.
So I tried doing that on my uke but it's not so easy with 4 strings. I'm playing baritone, so on the G major chord I can play 2nd lowest, strum the top 2, and then the lowest, and then strum the top two. That's ok. When I play the C chord it gets more difficult. I have to pick the 2nd highest string and then what do I strum? And then I pick the 3rd highest.
After that I thought well maybe the uke isn't capable of doing the boom-chuck (btw is that what it's called? I'm not sure I heard it right) since it doesn't really have the bass strings like a guitar. So I was watching the mandolin. and the mandolin player was just strumming on the back beats and I think he called it "chunking" but I'm not sure. He was strumming it but he'd mute the strings right away so they didn't ring long. I'm not sure if he was doing that with his right hand or left hand, I couldn't tell.
I'd like to play along with some bluegrass tunes if I can just figure out the best way to do that on a ukulele.
Thanks.