picks or fingers?

sws321

sws321

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ive had no proper traning in using my fingers so i guess now is the time to strat lol ....i was wondering what do u guys use if picks what kind ...and if fingers, why?
 
Fingers with ukes, picks (AlaskaPiks) with guitar (steel string). Why? Sounds better in both cases. If I was doing any serious fingerpicking on the uke I'd probably at least try the AlaskaPiks, but I'm not so I haven't.
 
I come from a long line of fingerers. Wait does that sound right? :eek:
 
sws321 said:
any rubber picks or felt?
Click to expand...

I've used wedgie rubber picks and felt in the beginning they both suck. What you should do is grow the nails out on your strumming hand. some grow them real long but I just shape them to a pick shape and grow them a bit longer than the tips of my fingers so if you look strait on you see just the angled tips. that way you can use ur fingerpads or nails.

I only ever use a rubber wedgie maybe if I'm going to play Misirlou because I can't tremolo with my fingers fast enough yet, but I should stop using it and just man up because nylon is supposed to be played w/fingers only IMO.
 
When I first started I was coming from trying to learn flat picking on guitar. I found that using fingers felt very strange and I had a tendency to catch the strings.

I used a plain ole light guitar pick for a while till I got the hang of a few chords and strum patterns.

Then I gave up on the pick and started using my fingers. Now I can't figure out how to use a pick on a guitar anymore.
 
sws321 said:
i guess now is the time to strat
Click to expand...

An interesting Freudian slip you made there... Do you harbor a latent desire to be an electric guitar player? If so, use a pick. :p

Seriously though, I'm a finger man. That's part of the appeal of the uke to me. You pick it up and you play. No foolin' with a strap, no digging around for a pick (and then dropping it into the soundhole). It also sounds better that way, to me.

But it's not like there's a rulebook or anything. Play what you want, how you want, and call it what you want.

:shaka:


JJ
 
Strictly fingers on the uke. And heading in that direction on guitar, too. Even my strum on an electric guitar is starting to look more like Aldrine's uke strum. ;)
 
I don't pick much but I allways use my fingers. One thing I don't like abot picks is others( mostly Gutar players) are allways losing their picks and asking me if I have one. Oddly enough I usually do.
 
I use my elbows and knuckles. Sometime I choose to use my toes and knees. But usually, the knuckles and elbows suffice to play the instrument.

Although some songs require me to utilize my nose and tongue.

I rarely use my fingers, and I NEVER use picks.
 
sws321 said:
any rubber picks or felt?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I used felt picks back in the day, now I use the rubber wedgies.

Just to stir things up a bit I'd like to add: Strumming a ukulele with a pick is the traditional way to play the ukulele. This is according to Thomas Marchevsky, a professional guitarist/composer and college professor. He has an M.M. in guitar from the New England Conservatory in Boston.
 
So march yourself into your local music store and ask, "Can I get felt here?":D

Seriously, I like to strum with my fingers on the uke though I'm mostly a flatpicker on guitar.
 
I use my index finger but I have an acryllic nail on it. It works GREAT. The fingernail salons in New Orleans charge from three to five dollars to put one on and then as the nail grows out every three or four weeks they will fill it in for another three dollars. I have never seen any one in my circle of uke players use a pick. The best thing is you can't lose your finger.

Joe T
 
jtafaro said:
I use my index finger but I have an acryllic nail on it. It works GREAT. The fingernail salons in New Orleans charge from three to five dollars to put one on and then as the nail grows out every three or four weeks they will fill it in for another three dollars. I have never seen any one in my circle of uke players use a pick. The best thing is you can't lose your finger.

Joe T
Click to expand...

The problem with fingernails, it would seem, is that clickety clackety noise I imagine you'd get probably similar to the pick noise from a plastic pic. Plus many folks (like me) have to keep their nails trimmed short for work. I just don't care for the muted sounding strum you get from using the fleshy part of a finger or thumb for strumming.

I've tried every method, and I tell ya, there is nothing compares to the clear, loud strum you get from a rubber pick.
 
depends on your style

I use my fingers for the uke, and guitar. Finger/ thumb Picks for banjo. Banjo picks are great because of the steel strings, and the picks make a really bright sound. They can get a little sweaty though. I don't think banjo finger picks would work too well on a uke, but the thumb pick might work nicely.

Do what makes sense for you.
I have seen some players use their natural fingers + a thumb pick.

–Lori
 
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