Slippery Strings

Hi all new to the forum and very very new to the Ukulele so as you can imagine i'm in need of some advice so here goes, for almost two weeks now i have had trouble forming the G chord on my C tuned Ukulele, the problem i'm having is my 2nd finger keeps slipping off the A string and therefore not playing the string correctly, i have come to the conclusion that the strings are too slippery, i've noticed that the problem gets worse when my hands get hot and a little sweaty, so is it me looking for excuses or could this be a genuine problem, also is 2 weeks along time to be learning this chord as i'm starting to get a little worried with regards to my skill level and playing the Ukulele, Cheers Paul.

My suggestion would be just to relax. The G chord shape on a uke is the open D shape on a guitar, and one of the first we learn, but I do remember it took a while. If you're sweating and tensing up, just relax and try different wrist positions until it feels comfy. Remember, it's fun, not work

I know half bar chords might be too hard for a beginner, but once you have the strength built up in your hand, it might be a good option for you. In case you don't know what a bar chord is, you place your index finger over more than one string (in this case on behind the second fret over the first 3 strings). Then add a finger on the second string, 3rd fret. This fingering is just another option to bear in mind. It might not be the best choice in some sequences.

Good luck!
Lori

Wish I Could Play said:

Hi all new to the forum and very very new to the Ukulele so as you can imagine i'm in need of some advice so here goes, for almost two weeks now i have had trouble forming the G chord on my C tuned Ukulele, the problem i'm having is my 2nd finger keeps slipping off the A string and therefore not playing the string correctly, i have come to the conclusion that the strings are too slippery, i've noticed that the problem gets worse when my hands get hot and a little sweaty, so is it me looking for excuses or could this be a genuine problem, also is 2 weeks along time to be learning this chord as i'm starting to get a little worried with regards to my skill level and playing the Ukulele, Cheers Paul.

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Not sure if this will help....but is how I learned chords...

When forming your chord shape memorize the sequence of your fingers making the shape....instead of trying to hammer that g shape down....hammer one finger down at a time in the same sequence each time...sooner than later you'll be throwin all kindsa weird chords around.....

as far as getting worried.....dont sweat the small stuff bro & trust me it's all small stuff.....jus pick that thing up everyday & eventually you will have fun with it......I suck at every instrument i own (which is many...lol) but i have a grand ole time with em all......shoot man.... im not interested in being a superstar....I jus wanna lay down my own groove rather than feed off others:shaka:

Ok guys thanks for all the comments, i will most certainly be sticking with it, out of curiosity who makes good strings that aint black.

Also, try not pressing the strings down so hard, you could be trying to over do it. The uke is pretty forgiving in my opinion (compared to an acoustic guitar).

I think Worth makes strings that arent black... but why does the color bother you?

somehow i cant grasp the notion of your finger actually slipping off of the string. since the tip of your finger is soft, and gives under the tension of a tuned string.

since your string is nylon, i also would venture to say that you are putting too much pressure on the chord. you should be fairly relaxed and the amount of pressure put on the string to fret it should be just enough to where it frets it cleanly... without buzz, but not to the point where you are creating red grooves in the tips of your fingers.

with over pressuring, it is also a common occurence for the A string to be pushed off of the fretboard. there should be perpendicular pressure toward the fretboard. if it is slightly downward, this may occur, and be mistaken for a slippery string or finger, when it is actually more like user error.

back to how hard it is to wrap my head around the thought of a string being too slippery, if that were the case, it should actually be a good thing. smooth, slippery strings make transitioning between certain chords much easier. and the lack of friction may even prolong the life of the strings.

one more thing...

so what are you gonna do down the line when you apply all this good advice to your ukulele playing? are you gonna change your screen name to "now i can play" ? :shaka: