Are 8 strings for finger picking?

sirwhale

sirwhale

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I'm obsessing but short on cash, there are not 8 string ukuleles in the shops here and I need clear excuses. How are 8 strings for fingerpicking? I strum 20% of the time and much prefer plucking away. How about barre chords? Are they just one trick ponies? or something I could base a lot of songs around? Is there anyone with experience with this?

Cheers

Christian
 
I'll take a stab at this . .

I have a Lanakai 8-string and I tend to strum it 90% of the time, but I do some finger picking on it. For me, a guitar player, it's much the same as playing a 12-string guitar. I tend to like that "jangly" sound of the 8-string sometimes, too.

There are also a lot of (relatively speaking) 5- 6- and 76- stringers out there, too. Just look at the web sites for many of the smaller Uke makers.

Others here have much more experience than me, so I'm interested to hear what they have to say, too.

Hang in there, Christian!

bobinde
 
I don't finger pick my 8 string. But then, the reality is that I don't finger pick at all.

I have read posts here on the forums about players that do, though. I'm sure it's done/doable, but I wouldn't think that's the 8 string's strong suit....
 
As a general rule, 8 strings are primarily for strummers. The 6 string is a compromise. Much of the chime of an 8 string, but easier to fingerpick. Then there's the 5 string...............
 
Far be it from me to talk someone out of a decision already made i.e. you wanna try that 8-string no matter what we say and you know you do... :D But, my experience was that no way are they suited to fingerpicking. At the time I had an 8-string, 2 or so years ago for only about a month when I actually played it, I fingerpicked about 20% of the time. That's much less than I do now, and even then, it was disappointing. The sound wasn't what I wanted, too muddy I thought. And bar chords were difficult. The 8 strings in general were hard to play and, for me, not worth the extra effort.

But that could all change if that's indeed the sound you want! For me, it just wasn't.
 
I knew a guy years ago who fingerpicked (almost exclusively) on a 12-string jumbo guitar. However, that ability took years of practice and I would say that picking on an 8 string uke is obviously possible, but it's certainly outside the norm and probably with good reason.

John
 
Like, that's exactly what I do! Has the effect I'm after.
 
I am surprised at the replies you have received which are neutral or negative. Your choice of strings might have an effect. All of my current multistringers have aquila white. I have a couple of collegiate style mandolins strung as ukes- two 2-3-3-2 tiples ( one of which was acquired for a trade of a koa Puleleha 8 stringer---f/p by both of us)

I have written a Joplin style rag that sounds better on a double string instrument than a conventional 4.
 
I think I have my head in ukulele utopia. I already have a 5 string and love it! I think I should stick it out and wait for that moment when I'll be able to try an 8 string, until then, patience is a virtue...
 
I finger pick on an 8 string tenor. Sure, it IS a little harder than picking a 4 string but the sound is SOO much bigger. Such is double stringed instruments.

More time to tune of course, and you want the action to be setup well.

Here's me picking an 8 string tenor. Hammers and pull offs too,



Anthony
 
Last edited:
TheCraftedCow said:
I am surprised at the replies you have received which are neutral or negative. Your choice of strings might have an effect. All of my current multistringers have aquila white. I have a couple of collegiate style mandolins strung as ukes- two 2-3-3-2 tiples ( one of which was acquired for a trade of a koa Puleleha 8 stringer---f/p by both of us)

I have written a Joplin style rag that sounds better on a double string instrument than a conventional 4.
Click to expand...

Do you have this on video? Can we see it please?
 
PhilUSAFRet said:
As a general rule, 8 strings are primarily for strummers. The 6 string is a compromise. Much of the chime of an 8 string, but easier to fingerpick. Then there's the 5 string...............
Click to expand...

Agree.I have a Taropatch,a 6 string and of course a tenor.The 8 is for strumming,6 for whateva,tenor is the one I use when picking a tune.The few 5 strings I have tried worked well as pickers,because most of my picking is on the bottom 3 strings anyway.IMHO.
 
There are also a lot of (relatively speaking) 5- 6- and 76- stringers out there, too. Just look at the web sites for many of the smaller Uke makers.
Click to expand...

It's mostly the 76 stringers that are the hard ones to fingerpick. ;)
 
bobinde said:
There are also a lot of (relatively speaking) 5- 6- and 76- stringers out there, too. Just look at the web sites for many of the smaller Uke makers.
Click to expand...

I think the 76 stringers are called floor harps and they're actually easier to pick than strum...

On a serious note though remember that when you're playing an 8-string there are a lot more unisons because of the string courses that are unison (same pitch). That makes tuning really, really critical. I think that, though I didn't realize it at the time, that was what put me off the one I had. Even when you get the open unison strings tuned perfectly, if your fingering is at all sloppy you can push one of the pair out of place more when fretting and then the pair is going to be out of tune and so on.

Unisons out of tune are more obvious than any other interval.

John
 
ronroco is has 5 double strings and it is used 90% for finger picking .
Charango , the same and 50% is finger picking ; therefore I do not see why a ukulele with 4 doubles will not work and they are both the same tuning .
Listen to ronroco from Argentina , you will love it .
 
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