Strum Fingers

Reichpapers

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As I am starting out, I don't want to start off with any bad habits. I've been strumming with just my index finger. Is this ok? I heard mention that some folks use their thumb on the down stroke and index on the up stroke...I find that much more difficult.
 
With the uke, pretty any way you like and produces the sound you like is good! For me....I strum with my index finger. I do strum with my thumb when I am looking for a quieter sound.
Have fun....experiment!!!!
 
I strum DOWN with my index fingernail and UP with my thumb nail on the half ('and') beats as in Down-and/up. Down-and/up,
or One-and-Two-and-Three-and -Four-and...(repeat on 4-beat rhythm).

Aunty Wainani teaches this as DOWN (with index fingernail) for 2 counts then UP (with thumbnail) on the half count, as in
one-two-and-three-four-and (then repeat).

Aunty Puakeala teaches cupping your strumming hand and brushing all the strings with all the fingernail tips generally excluding the thumbnail. You can
strum the strings both Up and Down in this manner.

Both of these Aunties teach the FREE ukulele lesson at the Royal Hawaiian Center (Food Court), Tues thru Fri, 10-11am.
Aunty Wainani teaches Tue and Thurs (she gives you the songs you've learned). Aunty Puakeala teaches on Wed and Fri
and she does NOT give you the song sheet, but she will sell them to you for a quarter :)

If you get a chance you really should try both teachers as they both have their own styles and stories!!! It's fun. When
I'm in HNL I endeavor to attend as many as possible, mostly to support the Aunties and to informally assist the tourists :)
I also give out copies of the Ukulele Boot Camp to those I happen to meet.

keep uke'in',
 
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When I first started, I found that strumming with just the sides of my index finger (no nail contact) worked best for me. Now I regularly get other fingers and/or fingernails involved.
 
Strumming with just your index is more than okay. It's great.

I played for four years or so with just my index finger, and had a blast the whole time. These past couple years, I've started to use my thumb quite a bit, and I even do an occasional roll with all four fingers. That's fun, too.

Do what comes naturally, take your time, have fun, and you'll eventually figure out all sorts of fun ways to make music with your uke.
 
I am a newbie that strums almost totally with my thumb. My problem is getting those darn pesky fingers in the mix.
 
I am a newbie that strums almost totally with my thumb. My problem is getting those darn pesky fingers in the mix.

Me too. When I use my finger the sound seems "tinny" to me anyway. Also I see that I've developed the habit using my thumb and I will have to force myself to use my index finger.
 
I think the general gist of the matter is "Do what feels natural to you and sounds good"

Is there "proper" technique? Maybe, but who's to say what is proper if you can't get it to work for you. If you like using your thumb, use your thumb. If you like using your index finger, use your index finger.

When you get to looking to reproduce/replicate a certain sound or technique you hear, then that is a bit of a different matter. You probably won't be able to replicate the sound of a multi-finger roll stroke with only your index finger or thumb (though if you find a way to do that you should start a thread on it and enlighten us all) so if you want to replicate that sound, then you will have to learn the "proper" technique to make that happen.

As an orchestra teacher, I know what the "proper" way to hold a violin and a bow are, but many great musicians, from great classical violinists all the way down to virtuosic fiddle players don't play with "proper" technique. They do what they need to do to produce the sound they want to get, end of story.

I guess I'm being hypocritical because I tell my students that they (violin and viola players) need to play with a shoulder rest, and invariably a kid will say "Itzhak Perlman doesn't play with a shoulder rest" to which I reply "when you can play like itzhak perlman, you can play without a shoulder rest." :p
 
Great advice Smiling Panda! Thanks for your insights.

I esp like the distinction between doing what sounds good to ME vs
trying to replicate SOMEONE ELSE'S sound.

As a singer/strummer I'm really trying to replicate someone else's rendition
of the songs I love to play (Dean Martin, Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, etc).
So I work on the rhythm and background sound and beat that I hear so my
rendition sounds like the 'original' to me. Of course, no one else may be able
to hear it, but it works for me :)

keep uke'in',
 
I strum pretty much exclusively with my index finger. I do find that the quality of the sound depends alot on the length of that fingernail. I have to be careful when cutting it not to take too much off otherwise the sound is strange to me.
 
After reading and responding to this post yesterday, I practiced strumming more with my index finger last night. This is something I plan to keep working on a well as finding all the chords (at least finding those I know!)
 
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