Where do you pick?

pootsie

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I did not think I would want to try picking so early in my uke career, but I have been drawn in.

Do you pick over the sound hole or up on the neck where strumming happens most often?

Thanks y'all for being so gosh darn awesome!:cool:
 
For me, at the the front of the soundhole depending on the uke. I'm comfortable picking with just my thumb and forefinger, so I support the uke with my pinky at the waist. Maybe that's why I don't care for pineapple shapes, lol....................................BO.........................
 
Picking is great and not as difficult as people think. The 3rd song I learned, week 3 of playing ukulele was a finger picking version of Hallelujah and I've preferred picking ever since... To answer your question, I sometimes pick over the sound hole and sometimes pick where I strum. I think it has to do with whether I'm picking the whole song (over the sound hole) or if theres a quick picking bit between strums (picking where I was just strumming)... There's probably a rule about this but I don't know what it is. I just do whatever is comfortable for the song.
 
Never thought about it before but - I pick over the soundhole even though I strum over where the fretboard extends. Hmmm. Wonder how I learned that. Weird!

I've actually been picking and playing melodies since I started playing the uke - I don't think it's ever too early to start!
 
with sops and concerts and tenors, between the soundhole and the end of the fretboard will give you the loudest and most resonant voice. But there's no correct answer as different places along the string will give you lots of cool and very different sounds, so you can create quite a lot of dynamic if you want to. Just watch Bob Brozman as an example. With a baritone you get a stronger sound from over the soundhole, more like the technique you'd employ with a guitar.

Personally I do my best picking around the left nostril region, but it's personal preference... :p
 
And me, the right.
 
Picking is great and not as difficult as people think. The 3rd song I learned, week 3 of playing ukulele was a finger picking version of Hallelujah and I've preferred picking ever since...

As a beginner of a few months, I can totally agree with this. I still do my chord drills, but I love Mel Bay's book (http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Play-Fingerstyle-Solos-Ukulele/dp/0786673427 ) so far! I can actually play two of the songs without looking, and working on the third. I think they get difficult quickly, but I'm ok with spending a week or a month learning a song.
 
Top of the soundhole for me - sounds good and feels comfortable
 
I found an old 2 minute lesson from Gordon Mark on Youtube a while back that had a simple picking pattern. If you practice it over and over (and over and over and over), it finally gets to the point where you can pick without thinking and concentrate on the left hand. Here's a quick vid I just took to demonstrate (complete with mistakes...this is about the 50th take and I still can't nail it...I've edited out the swearing).

 
I've also realised I haven't answered Pootsie's original question:

Right over the soundhole, with my pinky firmly braced against the top. I don't use my nails at all (I've cut them right off now) so if I want a toppier sound I just pick closer to the bridge.
 
Over the top edge of the sound hole, that's soprano and concert - I don't have a tenor. That's just where picking seems to "work" for me... little finger bracing, like K said...
 
I found an old 2 minute lesson from Gordon Mark on Youtube a while back that had a simple picking pattern. If you practice it over and over (and over and over and over), it finally gets to the point where you can pick without thinking and concentrate on the left hand. Here's a quick vid I just took to demonstrate (complete with mistakes...this is about the 50th take and I still can't nail it...I've edited out the swearing).

That - is sounding really nice! It's surprising how quickly picking patterns do go into your muscle memory, if you just trust them to.....
 
I've also realised I haven't answered Pootsie's original question:

Right over the soundhole, with my pinky firmly braced against the top. I don't use my nails at all (I've cut them right off now) so if I want a toppier sound I just pick closer to the bridge.

Yep. Me, too.
 
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