anyone pick on just one string?

V

vcowman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 3, 2008
Messages
62
Reaction score
1
hey folks,

since you get a whole octave on the c string, why not just pick on that one string for your notes when you are doing a melody? that is, is there an advantage to play on the c e and a strings for the scale on a key of c when you can do it on the c string? Thanks!
 
To me it seems as if the advantage would go to the C-E-A strings rather than just playing on the C string, because you can access all the notes within a few frets.

for instance twinkle twinkle little star:


Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
(C-String)
Tabbed by: hotnanas
A|--------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------
C|--0--0--7--7--9--9--7--5--5--4--4--2--2--0--
G|--------------------------------------------

A|--------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------
C|--7--7--5--5--4--4--2--7--7--5--5--4--4--2--
G|--------------------------------------------

A|--------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------
C|--0--0--7--7--9--9--7--5--5--4--4--2--2--0--
G|--------------------------------------------


would be easier to play like this:


Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
(C, E, and A Strings)
Tabbed by: hotnanas
A|--------------0--0--------------------------
E|--------3--3--------3--1--1--0--0-----------
C|--0--0-----------------------------2--2--0--
G|--------------------------------------------

A|--------------------------------------------
E|--3--3--1--1--0--0-----3--3--1--1--0--0-----
C|--------------------2--------------------2--
G|--------------------------------------------

A|--------------0--0--------------------------
E|--------3--3--------3--1--1--0--0-----------
C|--0--0-----------------------------2--2--0--
G|--------------------------------------------


i hope this is a suitable answer.
 
Last edited:
ah ha. gotcha. as a classical Indian sitar player i am used to going across on a 5 foot fretboard! i guess the slide can add a bit more interesting sound to the notes. does not seem to be a wrong or right way.

quick follow up question, does anyone find the squeak of wound stings annoying?
 
are the number on
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
(C, E, and A Strings)

referring to the fret position?
 

A|------------...
E|--------3--3...
C|--0--0------...
G|------------...



yes, so the first four notes are open c-string and then third fret e-string


A|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
E|-------|-------|---*---|-------|---*---|
C|-------|-------|---*---|-------|---*---|
G|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|

0|...1...|...2...|...3...|...4...|...5...|
and so on
(i hope this helps...like this is supposed to be the first 5 frets of the uke)
 
Last edited:
this is an interesting question. i have only recently started learning how to play scales. and i taught myself going through the strings within one hand position (4-5 frets).

when my guitar students get to that level, i may start them off on only one string. most likely the G string on the guitar. then as they progress, move on to the B string. and that will give them the ideas on how to accommodate for the higher notes without having to move up the neck just yet. it will be great for me too, since i started on the 1st string and up till now im still having difficulty utilizing the 3rd string.

and if/when they decide they want to try out the ukulele, its going to be sooo much easier. hahaha.

i need to go practice now.

thanks for the ideas guys. and good luck on those other strings. would love to see how your sitar solo style incorporates into the uke.
 
here's another thing that i made that you might find useful.
Uke.jpg
 
np.

we gonna see some sitar action soon? my dad had me listening to ravi shankar since I were a little kid.
 
Generally speaking it is good advice to move your hand as little as possible. If you want to jump an octave, say from D to D, it's much easier to do so by first playing the second fret on your C string and then jumping to the 5th fret on your A string than it is to try and move your hand up 12 frets. By using more strings you can probably do it faster and more accurately.
 
Schwartz said:
Generally speaking it is good advice to move your hand as little as possible. If you want to jump an octave, say from D to D, it's much easier to do so by first playing the second fret on your C string and then jumping to the 5th fret on your A string than it is to try and move your hand up 12 frets. By using more strings you can probably do it faster and more accurately.
Click to expand...

that's exactly what I was trying to say in far fewer words!:D
 
It just depends on the sound you want. One string will give you a smother more linear sound. Guitar players do this all the time. Yngwie the master at linear picking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLa6iW7dRf4
You can play as fast as you want either way. Using all strings is sometimes more efficient but not always.
 
Last edited:
The main reason that people don't just play the c string is because you'll notice that if you play an A on the C string, and then an open A they sound different. Because the C string is thicker, it has a different sound to the other strings, and so if you play high on it it has quite a dull sound. Also, if you're gonna play fast, it's going to be very hard to just slide up and down one string all the time.
 
edmundwhitehead said:
The main reason that people don't just play the c string is because you'll notice that if you play an A on the C string, and then an open A they sound different. Because the C string is thicker, it has a different sound to the other strings, and so if you play high on it it has quite a dull sound. Also, if you're gonna play fast, it's going to be very hard to just slide up and down one string all the time.
Click to expand...

Did you check the Yngwie vid? Or Al DiMeola or Allan Holdsworth they all play a lot on one string. You can play as fast as you want on one string and because the uke has a smaller scale than a guitar you can stretch your fingers farther than most guitar players.:music:
 
Sweet, I just learnt how to play twinkle twinkle. hehe
 
TokyoUketarist said:
Did you check the Yngwie vid? Or Al DiMeola or Allan Holdsworth they all play a lot on one string. You can play as fast as you want on one string and because the uke has a smaller scale than a guitar you can stretch your fingers farther than most guitar players.:music:
Click to expand...

i saw him using several strings, but he is quick withing 5-7 frets of each other...that was a sweet vid, thanks.

JackT said:
Sweet, I just learnt how to play twinkle twinkle. hehe
Click to expand...

congrats! noobs helping noobs!
 
JackT said:
Sweet, I just learnt how to play twinkle twinkle. hehe
Click to expand...

OK. Lessee if I can explain this clearly.

Now that you've learned to find a melody, move it so it's on all (or at least, most) of the strings, within as few frets as possible.

Next, see if you can hold all (again, or at least, most) of the chord fingering for each bit while still grabbing those melody notes.

Mix a bit of strumming with the single note playing.

When you can do that, you're well on your way to chord melody stuff.

That's the "secret" to a greater portion of my "fancy" tunes.

(Did that make sense to any of you?)
 
Howlin Hobbit said:
OK. Lessee if I can explain this clearly.

Now that you've learned to find a melody, move it so it's on all (or at least, most) of the strings, within as few frets as possible.

Next, see if you can hold all (again, or at least, most) of the chord fingering for each bit while still grabbing those melody notes.

Mix a bit of strumming with the single note playing.

When you can do that, you're well on your way to chord melody stuff.

That's the "secret" to a greater portion of my "fancy" tunes.

(Did that make sense to any of you?)
Click to expand...

Yeah pretty much made sense, gonna try it later after I give my fingers a rest, been practicing moving from chord to chord on the slightly harder fingerings like Dm7, Bb etc.
 
JackT said:
Yeah pretty much made sense, gonna try it later after I give my fingers a rest, been practicing moving from chord to chord on the slightly harder fingerings like Dm7, Bb etc.
Click to expand...

Please let me know how it works out for you.

Also, Dm7 (or just straight Dm) is one of those chords that benefit from being able to grab two strings with one finger. I finger it like this: G and C string, second fret, middle finger; E string, first fret, index finger; A string, third fret, ring finger. That not only makes for a quicker grab at the chord, it also leaves your little finger free to roam around a bit for those melody notes.

Of course, with straight Dm you have your little and ring finger available for extra duty. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

UkerDanno
Does anyone have a "pick guard"?
2
Replies
24
Views
1K
Kenn2018
Kenn2018
C
Anyone prefer using a pick instead of fingers?
2
Replies
36
Views
3K
WifeOnFourStrings
WifeOnFourStrings
trippntx
Anyone use a pick?
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
UKEonomics
UKEonomics
G
Anyone use a pick?
2
Replies
24
Views
2K
Shastastan
S
amute
Jake Shimabukuro's pick-up? anyone?
Replies
7
Views
4K
thejumpingflea
thejumpingflea
Top Bottom