Strumming Question - I Keep Missing!

I bought a Makala MK-S from a local music shop last week, and all they said they did was string it with the strings from Makala.

This is the first string instrument I've really managed to do anything at all on, and I'm having a blast with it (and my husband keeps kidnapping it).

However, I keep missing the 4th string. I can hit it, I just have to really focus on getting it or I'll miss it half the time, mainly when going down, then catch on it coming back up. The strings do look level when I look at them from the side.

Do I just need to practice more and try varying my finger position/angle to see if I can figure out something that will work better? Thanks!

initially, try cupping your strumming hand and try to hit the strings with your fingernails.
it's NOT uncommon to miss the last (#1 string, A) string sometimes. If you're missing it
all the time, you might want a fellow uke player to listen and watch your playing

No worries, as long as you're having fun. Possibly, with a better quality uke, the issue
will resolve itself

keep uke'in',

Practice! :- )

It's fun, huh?

sukie said:

Practice! :- )

It's fun, huh?

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Oh, yeah! The conversation when I brought it home went something like this:

Husband: WHY do you have a ukulele?
Me: Why not?
Him: I can give you 20 reasons, and they're all instruments at home that you never play.

This is the first of my instruments that HE has had the inclination to play, and I've played it every day since it came home with me.

Uncle Rod Higuchi said:

initially, try cupping your strumming hand and try to hit the strings with your fingernails.
it's NOT uncommon to miss the last (#1 string, A) string sometimes. If you're missing it
all the time, you might want a fellow uke player to listen and watch your playing

No worries, as long as you're having fun. Possibly, with a better quality uke, the issue
will resolve itself

keep uke'in',

Click to expand...

Thanks! It'll be a while before a better uke presents itself, so I'll just muddle through and figure it out.

(And I've downloaded Boot Camp and plan to start on that soon )

How are you strumming? There are many different techniques, and no right or wrong way to do it. Some use their index finger, nail down and flesh up, and others their thumb, flesh down and nail up. There are lots of other ways as well, I use my ring and long fingers on the downstrum (nail), and thumb on the up (nail). I've found that to be best for me. Experiment and see which technique you like best , and then just keep practicing, you'll get there!

Twibbly said:

Oh, yeah! The conversation when I brought it home went something like this:

Husband: WHY do you have a ukulele?
Me: Why not?
Him: I can give you 20 reasons, and they're all instruments at home that you never play.

This is the first of my instruments that HE has had the inclination to play, and I've played it every day since it came home with me.

Click to expand...

Sounds like someone needs a ukulele all for themselves!

The strings could be worth looking at, too. What stock strings do the Makalas come with? With entry level ukes, the Aquila Nylgut strings can really improve playability (and sound) tremendously.

Another possibility that might work would be to slightly tilt the body of the uke so that the 4th string is out further (away from the body when in playing position) and the 1st string is further in. (closer to the body when in playing position)

Mivo said:

The strings could be worth looking at, too. What stock strings do the Makalas come with? With entry level ukes, the Aquila Nylgut strings can really improve playability (and sound) tremendously.

Click to expand...

They just said they were the ones that came with it. They're white, if that helps.

How hard is it to change strings, and would I need equipment to do that?

cml said:

How are you strumming? There are many different techniques, and no right or wrong way to do it. Some use their index finger, nail down and flesh up, and others their thumb, flesh down and nail up. There are lots of other ways as well, I use my ring and long fingers on the downstrum (nail), and thumb on the up (nail). I've found that to be best for me. Experiment and see which technique you like best , and then just keep practicing, you'll get there!

Click to expand...

I've tried thumb and index finger. I'll keep messing with it.

Snargle said:

Sounds like someone needs a ukulele all for themselves!

Click to expand...

What will probably happen is this one will be his once I decide I need to upgrade. Hmmm...I have a birthday at the end of the month! (but I'll probably just get a book then)

Twibbly said:

They just said they were the ones that came with it. They're white, if that helps.

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I just googled a little, and it seems that they don't always come with the same strings. Maybe it depends on when they were manufactured? Some people and store descriptions say the Makala MK-S comes with Aquila Nylguts (that'd be good), others mention nylon strings (either in white or black). Nylguts are an opaque white, but so can be nylon strings. Do the strings have some bite or do they feel very floppy?

How hard is it to change strings, and would I need equipment to do that?

Click to expand...

For me, the first time was about ten times worse in my imagination than in reality. Other than a (clip-on) tuner, which you probably already have, you really only need scissors. There are string winders, either manual or electronic ones, that speed up the process, but I never used those. Here is a good video that shows how to change strings for all sorts of bridges and headstocks. It really looks harder than it is. Baz of GotAUkulele has two good videos on this subject as well: here and here. Baz explains it well, with a good dose of humor. If I, one of the most un-crafty people imaginable, can do it, so can you!

I think, though, the problem with your strumming is probably just lack of practice or "wrong" technique. I had all sorts of trouble with strumming too, and still sometimes do, though mostly related to how it sounded. One of the things that felt like a breakthrough was realizing that I was strumming too much with the side of the fingers/nails, instead of letting the nail (in mostly it's full length) slide across the strings. This didn't initially feel very intuitive to me, but it improved the sound a lot. I learned about it in this video where the difference in sound is demonstrated:



(This is Jake's brother.)

People use different strumming techniques, though. It also seems common to turn the hand into a "claw" and run several fingers across the strings, mostly sideways. This produces a more washboard-like sound, and I didn't like it on tenors, but on my soprano it sounded good. I still experiment a lot and have a good amount of respect for folks who have mastered the art of strumming. Important, I feel, is that you start slowly and deliberately. Strum in slow-motion while making sure you hit all strings. A musician once told me that speed is the product of precision, and I think he was quoting someone, too.

Mivo said:

A musician once told me that speed is the product of precision, and I think he was quoting someone, too.

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That musician was probably quoting the same person my piano and oboe teachers always quoted at me.

I will watch the video tomorrow when there's not kids to interrupt.

The strings do have some bite. If I order new strings on Amazon, would it be the high G or low G strings?

High-g for your soprano. Low-g vs high-g is mostly a matter of preference, but I think even most hardcore low-g fans would agree that it isn't so suited for a soprano (I did say most, not all ). I generally prefer re-entrant tuning for all sizes, because to me it is part of what differentiates the ukulele from some other instruments.

By the way, this video may also help:



It's part of a 26-part ukulele lesson series by Jim D'Ville. Entirely free, and well done. The videos are on his YouTube channel, or you can access them from Jim's web site at http://www.playukulelebyear.com/