julesagogo
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- Jan 6, 2015
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Hello all,
Total noob here. I got a ukelele a couple weeks ago, my first stringed instrument. Based on lots of reading, I started strumming using my index finger, hitting the strings with my nail on the downstroke and with the pad of the finger on the up. And I thought it sounded pretty sweet. I learned a bunch of chords, loved playing, thought it sounded good (as did those who were forced to listen to me), so I decided to take lessons to help me move beyond what I felt I could teach myself.
When I showed the instructor my strumming technique, he told me that I should be using my thumb on the downstroke and index finger on the up because 1) it will have a more authentic sound instead of sounding more like I'm using a pick 2) the thumb technique is used by the most accomplished uke players. I'm practicing diligently but am finding this strumming technique really hard to master, and it's affecting my enjoyment of playing my lovely uke. And more followup reading tells me that a lot of uke players use the all-index strum.
What do you think? I'm inclined to stick what has been working for me. But is the index strum "wrong"? That is, will it be harder for me to master more advanced strumming or fingerpicking techniques if I continue what I was doing, or is there some other reason I need to change?
Total noob here. I got a ukelele a couple weeks ago, my first stringed instrument. Based on lots of reading, I started strumming using my index finger, hitting the strings with my nail on the downstroke and with the pad of the finger on the up. And I thought it sounded pretty sweet. I learned a bunch of chords, loved playing, thought it sounded good (as did those who were forced to listen to me), so I decided to take lessons to help me move beyond what I felt I could teach myself.
When I showed the instructor my strumming technique, he told me that I should be using my thumb on the downstroke and index finger on the up because 1) it will have a more authentic sound instead of sounding more like I'm using a pick 2) the thumb technique is used by the most accomplished uke players. I'm practicing diligently but am finding this strumming technique really hard to master, and it's affecting my enjoyment of playing my lovely uke. And more followup reading tells me that a lot of uke players use the all-index strum.
What do you think? I'm inclined to stick what has been working for me. But is the index strum "wrong"? That is, will it be harder for me to master more advanced strumming or fingerpicking techniques if I continue what I was doing, or is there some other reason I need to change?