The excellent Phil Doleman just posted a great review of various picks and techniques for using them on the ukulele. Well worth a watch even if you are anti pick/plectrum.
https://youtu.be/sdJm_H5iQ6E
https://youtu.be/sdJm_H5iQ6E
All you ever wanted to know about using picks/plectrums
- Thread starter Calbrit
- Start date
As you said with various amp and effect pedal combinations one can dial in the sound they are looking for. Already owning Godin Mulituke it has been hard to justify the cost of the Risa for something steel string just to play around with vidmate, the Flight offerings may be a choice that could work.
Last edited:
Aaron Keim has a good tutorial on picks as well. I've noticed several of my favorite professional ukulele players use picks at least some of the time (Taimane, David Kamakahi, Herb Ohta Jr, Ledward Kaapana) so they are certainly useful for some kinds of songs.
Rllink
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2014
- Messages
- 4,477
- Points
- 48
I'll have to watch those later when I get a little time. I started playing guitar a year and a half ago after years of playing ukulele and strumming with my fingers. I have become accustomed to using a pick on guitar. Recently I bought a baritone and it is very tempting to use a pick with it. Over the years I've run into a few ukulele pickers. I very well may end up being one as well.
That was a great little video. Today there are more options for felt and leather pics that are not too thick and not too soft. The ones I like the most are Bolo felt picks with a heart shaped hole in the center. For some reason that hole prevents you from dropping it even though you hold it loosely. I l like them because I can strum while alternately picking melodies with both up and down strokes. Compare that to folks who strum and play melodies only with down strokes with thumbs. The latter has to move twice as fast to get notes that might be more easily picked with an up stroke.
I use a felt or leather pick 95% of the time. Makes sound of individual notes clear and dynamic, yet adds nice rhythm control for strums. Especially like picks with triangular hole in the grip part. You never drop them, no matter how loosely you grip.