The fat of the palm of my fretting hand, where my fingers meet the palm, are forced over the neck of the ukulele and make contact with the first string. Is there an issue with my technique or does anyone have some advice on this issue? I'm not overweight. I've been playing for 2 days. Thanks.
Hand fat making contact with bottom string. Advice?
- Thread starter haymike
- Start date
Cohumulone
Well-known member
Hey, haymike. Try working with different supporting positions from that hand. Many times, I can use the more bony part where the index and palm meet. Even if it happens to touch, I'm generally fretting beyond that point, so it becomes irrelevant.
Also, in my one week of playing, I've found that different pressures from supporting the uke with my right arm will circumvent many of those problems.
Also, in my one week of playing, I've found that different pressures from supporting the uke with my right arm will circumvent many of those problems.
johnnyn2o
Well-known member
I'm not very experienced but I've found that if you put your thumb behind the neck instead of cradling it, it's less likely to happen and your fingers will be able to reach farther up and down the fret board.
Also, as you practice, it will happens less and less as you naturally learn to avoid touching the 1st string with the palm of your hand.
More experienced players can comment on proper technique.
Also, as you practice, it will happens less and less as you naturally learn to avoid touching the 1st string with the palm of your hand.
More experienced players can comment on proper technique.
niwenomian
Well-known member
You need to get that part of the hand off the string and off the fretboard. That's the easy part. Just how to do that, though is a little harder.
Your fretting hand should be arched and not resting on the side of the fretboard. The thumb is placed on the back of the neck and the whole hand is curved so that it makes contact only with the thumb on the neck and the fretting finger(s) on the fretboard. I don't know if the idea of a "C" clamp is useful for you. Some play with the thumb hanging over the neck(toward the g string), but for me this doesn't leave enough room to put my hand in position to avoid the A string on the side or put my fretting fingers at a good angle.
Whichever hand position you use, you can check your progress by singling out that note to make sure it isn't muffled when playing chords. This is helpful to me when I am learning new chord shapes, especially any that involve barring.
Good luck!
Your fretting hand should be arched and not resting on the side of the fretboard. The thumb is placed on the back of the neck and the whole hand is curved so that it makes contact only with the thumb on the neck and the fretting finger(s) on the fretboard. I don't know if the idea of a "C" clamp is useful for you. Some play with the thumb hanging over the neck(toward the g string), but for me this doesn't leave enough room to put my hand in position to avoid the A string on the side or put my fretting fingers at a good angle.
Whichever hand position you use, you can check your progress by singling out that note to make sure it isn't muffled when playing chords. This is helpful to me when I am learning new chord shapes, especially any that involve barring.
Good luck!
Would have to see your hand, but check out some of these:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ukulele how to fret&sm=3
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ukulele how to fret&sm=3
blue_knight_usa
Well-known member
Key part is keeping your thumb on the back of the neck and keeping your wrist forward. Hopefully the links posted by PhilUSAFret will help you. Hand position makes a huge difference and also will give you more ability to do barre chords which are really cool for jazz tunes and other styles of music that use them.
Kayak Jim
Well-known member
A strap can help with this.
Much good advice above. What you are experiencing is usual for a beginner and nothing to worry about. Thumb on back of the neck will help you out.
The trick is to have your fretting fingers arch over the fingerboard, then strike down on the strings vertically and not at an angle. That will help too, though only practice will achieve that. you are trying to flex fingers into shapes they are not used to and you need to build muscle memory and strength.
It will happen!
The trick is to have your fretting fingers arch over the fingerboard, then strike down on the strings vertically and not at an angle. That will help too, though only practice will achieve that. you are trying to flex fingers into shapes they are not used to and you need to build muscle memory and strength.
It will happen!
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