Strumming issue with finger-anyone else ever have this one?

Well, I'd got to a point where I felt pretty good with my strums and chord changes…and then…

I noticed while playing songs or just practicing I was hearing a faint "tic" sound at the end of my strums. Asking my SO to listen, he didn't hear it, but I was sure I was. Turns out that my index finger nail is hitting the body at the end of the down strum. It's so annoying and trying to correct it is proving harder than I thought.

I hold my hand in the loose fist/"pointing to myself" technique that both Aldrine and my bible, Ukulele For Dummies, recommends, and it feels the most natural position for me. Trying not to do it, of course now I feel all bolluxed up and unnatural. I'm strumming right where the neck meets the body, or a hair below, as that's the sweet spot.

I've done searches here and googling(most of which lead back here!) and I can't find another single person with this finger-hitting-the-body-click thing. Is it my angle? I'm just using my wrist, not my whole arm…is it that? My nail's as short as I want it be, which is pretty darn short, with barely an edge but enough to clack on the body!

Anyone else, or any thoughts? I guess I just wonder if I'm the only one with this issue!

(As an aside, I never post but I so plenty of lurking here and I love this forum. )

Think of it as built in percussion

I don't think it happens to me as much due to mostly finger picking and doing an alternating thumb/index style strumming. I also play up at about the neck/body joint for that sweet sound.

I don't know that your situation is common but I wouldn't think that it's unusual either. Maybe you could strum the same as always but tip the top edge of the body (in playing position) away from you and move the bottom edge of the body toward you. You'd basically be tilting the body of the uke away from where your finger wants to land at the end of your strum. If that doesn't work and the clicking is a problem or bothering you then maybe you'll have to consciouslythink of strumming in the same plane as the strings until it becomes natural.

The SO doesn't hear, does anyone else? You are probably your own worst critic. Maybe it's really no real problem.

I would think it would hurt after a while. Is your strumming finger relaxed or rigid? Just wondered if it's possible to pull your finger back eversoslightly so you avoid the body or fretboard but it doesn't change the position of your arm substantially.

Just reread the original post. Is the click at the end of the down strum? Can you post a video of it?

It'll happen. Now that you hear it, you will most likely alter your style in subtle ways to avoid that sound. This is a good teacher, and you'll get thru it. You may end up avoiding the clicking sounds, but in my experience, the marks on the top will come no matter.

This may sound silly, but is your nail growing out? Maybe filing it back a little will stop the tick. I would be concerned about strum marks on the instrument's finish. The tilting things sounds good as well. I do it sometimes, mostly when I've been playing for a while and find I'm getting tired. It happens at the bottom of the strum down for me.

Many of us do this to a certain degree - there are a few fine scratches on both treble bouts of most of my ukes though I haven't worn the finish off as some people have. However, if you're hitting really hard may I suggest that you may be strumming with your forearm instead of your wrist? When your strum with your forearm your hand moves up and down and since the uke is usually tilted a little up at the bottom you'll hit the sound board pretty hard at the bottom of the strum. If you are strumming with your wrist the tip of your finger travels through an arc that is closest to the uke at the center of the fret board and actually pulls away slightly at the top and bottom of the stroke.

Finally, are you tilting the uke up towards your face, perhaps to look at your fingers on the frets? If so, it is very hard to avoid hitting the sound board because the uke is out of position! The uke should be close to vertical, depending on your anatomy (some of us have a..ahem...shelf in front that tilts the uke up especially if we're sitting). But, the key is the uke should be as vertical as possible and you should never hunch over it. Learn to find your fret positions by feel. With practice you should reach the point where you can play in a dark room - in fact I've heard that's really good practice though I've never done it myself.

John

Good thoughts and suggestions here. Mine is this: Think about how you're holding the uke and at what angle, but mostly just keep practicing and playing and i bet it'll go away on its own after a while.

Many thanks everyone! I'll keep applying your suggestions.

Stop it!

There's an old joke about a distraught mother and father who take their young son to a child psychiatrist.

The psychiatrist first sees the parents privately and asks them what the problem is. "Oh Doctor, we're so upset. Billy has a problem and is constantly tearing up paper. The newspaper, magazines, and mail. Anything made out of paper. It's been going on for months. We've tried time outs, no television, no dessert. We've set up incentives like going to the zoo or movies. We've hired different babysitters. We've given him art paper and drawing crayons. We've tried distraction. We've asked him why and he doesn't have a good answer, he just wants to. Nothing works and it's getting worse. Yesterday he tore up my husband's paycheck and he was furious! We're here in desperation, please help us!"

Next, the psychiatrist sees Billy alone, brings him out and tells the parents "Let's see how he does this week. I'll see you next Saturday".

The next Saturday the parents return with Billy, and again the psychiatrist first sees the parents alone. "So how did it go" he asked. "Oh Doctor, this is amazing! We can't believe this - he didn't tear up a single piece of paper all week! He's like a new boy, cooperative and fun and we're all doing great now. But Doctor, tell us please, just what did you say to him last week?"

"Oh that. I just told him to stop it.".

HA! If only it were that easy! But yeah!

Strumming is a skill, like any other aspect of playing. Many beginners try to strum beyond their current skill level. Slow down and master those strums without hitting the fretboard edge or uke. The speed will gradually come.

I'm not sure where you strum but I find I'm less likely to dig in and hit the body if I strum over the fingerboard.

Now that you are aware of it you can listen for it and practice avoiding it. I have the same issue and now that I hear it I can change my strumming to eliminate hitting the sound board. In time the corrected strum should become habitual.

Mechanically, the idea that tilting the 'uke to see the fretboard increases the incidence of striking the soundboard seems to me to be a good explanation. Again, practice will make an improved position a good habit.

Happy playing!