Bluke
Well-known member
Do you strum (or pick) the ukulele over the fingerboard or over the soundhole? I see a lot of different approaches and know there are sometimes reasons for making the choice of either. The sound is different, for one.
Where do you strum?
- Thread starter Bluke
- Start date
JKoval
Well-known member
Out of habit I probably strum over the fingerboard and pick over the sound hole.
-Jeff
-Jeff
I also strum over the fretboard. I pick right at the edge where the fretboard meets the soundhole. No reason for it.. I think it's just what happens automatically when I'm trying to get that sound that I'm looking for.
Same here -- makes sense too, because generally the sound is a little crisper over the sound hole, and a little more mellow of the fingerboard.
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DeG
Well-known member
Ditto. I think the main reason is that the fret board prevents you from getting too much finger on the strings when you're strumming. You wanna use only the fingertips.
seeso
Super Duper Moderator (Retired)
Howlin Hobbit put it best in an earlier thread explaining the differences in sound depending on where you strum.
Ukulele JJ
Super Moderator
I strum over the fingerboard, at about the 12th fret or so.
The reason has less to do with physics/acoustics than it does with these two things:
JJ
The reason has less to do with physics/acoustics than it does with these two things:
- That's traditionally where the thing is strummed.
- When I hold the uke, that's simply where my hand naturally falls. If I were to strum a uke over the soundhole, I don't think I could hold it up without a strap. (And I ain't usin' no strap.)
JJ
Captain Google
Ukulele Captain
My hand just likes the bottom of the fretboard (somewhere between frets 14 and 17), so I let it strum there. I tend to pick somewhere between that and the sound hole.
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grappler
Well-known member
mainly above and in between the 12th & 14th fret!
rclifford13
Well-known member
I strum exactly where the neck meets the body, which is above the 14th fret for most of my ukes.
Ahnko Honu
Well-known member
I have long arms so my hands naturally fall over the fretboard, and also I agree with HH concerning strumming near the middle of the strings. :cheers:
TheWannabe90
Well-known member
At first I strummed over the sound-hole, like I do on my guitar.
But now I do realize the sound is indeed much better in the middle of the string. I only strum close the the bridge sometimes for that "metallic" sound, don't know if that is even a real word
But now I do realize the sound is indeed much better in the middle of the string. I only strum close the the bridge sometimes for that "metallic" sound, don't know if that is even a real word
ichadwick
Well-known member
I was going to "in the dining room..." but I suppose you mean where on the ukulele do I strum.
Like most people here, closer to the 12th-15th-17th fret zone. That has a lot to do with physiology and instrument size: with the uke cradled in my arms, my hand reaches that area naturally. With my guitar, it's closer to the soundhole.
When I fingerpick, I often anchor a couple of fingers in the soundboard, generally just below the extension of the fretboard, on my tenor that's in the 15-17-19th fret zone, a little closer to the soundhole than where I strum.
Like most people here, closer to the 12th-15th-17th fret zone. That has a lot to do with physiology and instrument size: with the uke cradled in my arms, my hand reaches that area naturally. With my guitar, it's closer to the soundhole.
When I fingerpick, I often anchor a couple of fingers in the soundboard, generally just below the extension of the fretboard, on my tenor that's in the 15-17-19th fret zone, a little closer to the soundhole than where I strum.
haole
Well-known member
Near the upper frets, if I'm just strumming chords. If I'm playing up high, usually over the soundhole.
Most often in the living room, in my Lazy-Boy....
OP
OP
Bluke
Well-known member
Great replies! I always thought that those who strum over the fingerboard do so because they are either 1). supporting the uke with fingers on the underside next to the upper bout and then using mainly the thumb to strum which lands over the fingerboard as a result of that grip, or 2). supporting the uke between the right forearm and chest, and the length of the forearm places the strum over the fingerboard, too. These are what I see in almost all videos.
Like Dominator, I've played guitar all my life and we both use a strap to support the uke, so we are free to strum or pick it anywhere we like, since we are free from any grip that determines a hand position. I think the best sound is strumming over the soundhole, but like I said, I'm a guitarist. I can freely move from strumming over the fingerboard to near the bridge to get a variety of sounds throughout a song. And, there's no stress or fatigue from having to support the uke with your right forearm or left hand.
Like Dominator, I've played guitar all my life and we both use a strap to support the uke, so we are free to strum or pick it anywhere we like, since we are free from any grip that determines a hand position. I think the best sound is strumming over the soundhole, but like I said, I'm a guitarist. I can freely move from strumming over the fingerboard to near the bridge to get a variety of sounds throughout a song. And, there's no stress or fatigue from having to support the uke with your right forearm or left hand.
UKISOCIETY
Well-known member
Most often in the living room, in my Lazy-Boy....
I was going to say that!
