Using plectrums/picks with Ukes? Need help.

Hey all,

I'm sure this has been talked about before, but I have tried for many hours using my fingers to strum my uke, and I'm not liking the feeling or the pain after doing it for more than a few minutes. I've always used a pick with my guitars, and I want to do the same with my ukulele. The problem I am trying to sort out is thin regular guitar picks or felt picks? I went into my Guitar Center and they didn't have any felt picks. I've read they let off shavings from the felt all over the instrument your playing, and I really don't want to get that on or in my ukulele. Is this what I should be buying reguardless? The main point is I want to strum with a pick but I don't want to ruin my ukulele finish with scratch marks. I have a laminated top, but I'm sure over time damage will occur. I don't have a cheap 40-60.00 uke. Mine was 100, so I'm sure you can see my concern. Any help would be great. Thanks!

-Ben

I haven't used any picks myself, so I can't really help with that, but I wanted to assure you that with time, it won't hurt to play anymore! It used to hurt my fingers a lot when I first started, but it passes.

I used a felt pick when I got a banjo uke for Christmas when I was 9. That was about 48 years ago so my memory is a bit fuzzy on the subject, and neatness was not a priority then, but I don't remember felt fuzz getting all over everything. I don't remember my room ever being messy or getting mud on the carpet either but I will check with my Mother on those issues.

You could also just use one of your guitar picks and slowly break in your fingers. Nylon strings get scratched up from picks but it is your uke and if Willie Nelson can use a pick on a classical guitar, you can use a pick on your ukulele.

Of course that means if Willie quits using a pick you will have to quit also.

Maybe there is somewhere on a website or someone who can tell me the proper way to use my fingers to strum then? I'm still new to this.

-Ben

Maybe you need to grow out your fingernails more. When strumming with my fingers, I think I am only using the fingernail part, so no pain there. Where does it hurt? Is it the flesh of the thumb or some part of the finger?

You will build callouses in a couple of weeks, so keep working on it. Use hand lotion every day so they don't crack or peel off. You want that protection.

Also, for uke strumming, the "sweet spot" for sound tends to be more on the neck than when you strum a guitar. If you strum around the area where the neck meets the body, you will be less likely to scratch the soundboard, and get a better tone.

–Lori

You could try some Wedgie Rubber picks which someone recommended on here a while ago. That link is to the trial pack which has three different hardnesses with two thickness's each so you can see which you prefer.

I too am a newbie, so take it with a grain of salt, but from what I understand playing a uke with a felt pick was an accepted standard years ago. I don't think I would worry too much about a little felt falling on it. There are also thick rubber picks called wedgies (Sam Ash online for one place) you can use. I think the biggest problem with picks, as others have pointed out is that you can't do some of the intricate fingerings with them, but there are other things you can't do with your fingers too.

Howlin Hobbit has a place on his web page that even shows you how to make your own felt picks. Doogey9 on YouTube has several nice vids where he plays with a pick (and proudly). One old trick to use in a pinch, or when you are playing blues on the sidewalk, is to play with the corner of an old match book, or any other stiff piece of thin `cardboard.

For most of my life I bit my fingernails, so I am trying to let them grow out now. I find most guitar picks too hard to sound good, not to mention what they do to the strings and the top. In the mean time, I mostly just use the fleshy part of my fingers and thunb. This is probably God's way of sparing others' ears while I learn to play.

You might want to look into applying some sort of pick guard. Here are some ideas:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6173

When I first started playing the uke I had to use a pick. I play guitar and couldnt get the hang of strumming with my fingers so I used the softest nylon pick I could find and it worked good. Since then I've grown my nails and now I never use a pick. Forget the pick and use your fingers. I tend to use my thumb and middle and ring fingers mostly for up and down strums. If you have to use a pick ,use a soft nylon pick. Do your strumming at the 12th fret.

Leather picks are also available. Maybe check with MGM or Ukulele World. They don't leave any residue, but they are really flexible.