Fingerpicking & chord strum questions

[polstein]

The songs I like to listen to on youtube the most are the instrumentals showing off combinations of finger picking and strumming (sometimes plucking one string, sometimes multiples ones together, sometimes strumming a chord) - all blended together.

Is there a specific name for this style I don't know about (so I can google it).

Is it "finger picking" or "fingerpicking" ?!?

A couple of months ago, I looked up videos on how to strum and found many of them with different methods & different ways to learn to get nice clear strums. Now I'm looking up the same for finger picking, but the results I get are all beginner picking *patterns*.

I'm still struggling (still = 2-3 weeks of practice only) to get nice consistent same volume notes using all 4 fingers. I'm trying hovering my hand, balancing on my pinky... over the sound hole, over the fret board... using different parts of my fingers & fingertips.. I'm growing out my nails to see if that will help..

Anyone have specific video links that cover just "correct" ways to pluck notes?

Kind of hoping that if I keep playing I'll eventually hit something that works for me (kind of when it took me weeks to get a good Bb chord - I just bar everything with my index and have started holding my uke closer to the 45 degree angle on that one).

I tend to strum above the body on the neck (tenor uke), and pick on the bottom of the fret board. Picking over the next digs deep lines into my forearm & starts to hurt (and I'm using a strap too). Anyone have any experience with arm rests and if they make a difference?

Thanks for any help!

 

[DaveY]

I'm having trouble following some of your descriptions, but maybe the first thing to do is to comfortably stabilize the ukulele, which I think you kind of realize. If you are not sitting to play, then try that. Is the inside of your forearm (right where it is about to meet the inside of the elbow) against the body of the ukulele, at the lower bout? I don't pick or strum over the sound hole; the tension is higher than I like, and supposedly the best sound occurs when strumming/picking where the neck meets the body. Search online for "Kalei Gamiao "Paukauila" on Moore Bettah Ukulele" and note his body, arm, finger positions, especially at the start of the video, when he is fingerpicking/finger picking/finger-picking.

I doubt that your nails are the issue, but then I've never played using my nails, so what do I know about that.

I think that with experimentation and professional examples to view you'll find your way to the needed solution(s), just as you did with strumming.

 

[captain-janeway]

I've seen finger picking or fingerpicking. doesn't seem to matter. Figure out type of music you like when you figure out what kind of tab (patterns, whatever) you want to try. I like country/bluegrass so I'm playing a lot of Travis picking patterns. Hanon printouts are good to get used to using tab and is mostly classical.
A lot of people just pick with three fingers (no little finger). Thumb covers G and C strings. Middle and index fingers cover E and A respectively.
I just pick while I watch TV so it becomes mindless. I pick better than I strum
Oh, you may want to try a strap if you don't like the way your uke balances.

 

[polstein]

Is the inside of your forearm (right where it is about to meet the inside of the elbow) against the body of the ukulele, at the lower bout? I don't pick or strum over the sound hole; the tension is higher than I like, and supposedly the best sound occurs when strumming/picking where the neck meets the body.

It is - or as least where I hold it cost comfortably. And like you said, this has my hand naturally strumming around where the neck meets the body. I need to get some of these terms down Strumming with my index is a couple frets higher then when I curl my fingers into a claw for finger picking.

Search online for "Kalei Gamiao "Paukauila" on Moore Bettah Ukulele" and note his body, arm, finger positions, especially at the start of the video, when he is fingerpicking/finger picking/finger-picking.

Will do, thanks!

Edit: I just real the name of the uke he is playing - more better - lol

 

[ripock]

There is a lot going on in Polstein's question and I cannot pretend to address it all. I'm just going to say that I think it is important to just do the patterns. Yeah, I know, the patterns are mechanistic, robotic, and somewhat unmusical. But just do it. Patterns are like scales. You just practice and practice, and eventually you start to step outside of the pattern. Eventually you start to unlearn them, start to just use what you want, and then, with that insertion of humanity, the patterns become music.

 

[polstein]

There is a lot going on in Polstein's question and I cannot pretend to address it all. I'm just going to say that I think it is important to just do the patterns. Yeah, I know, the patterns are mechanistic, robotic, and somewhat unmusical. But just do it. Patterns are like scales. You just practice and practice, and eventually you start to step outside of the pattern. Eventually you start to unlearn them, start to just use what you want, and then, with that insertion of humanity, the patterns become music.

I would agree with this (I do wonder how long until it kind of "clicks") - but while I feel I have no problems with the patterns (or at least I am improving with them) - it's getting the clear consistent notes that is giving me problems.

In other words, if I just pick each strings - one at a time - open 4, open 3, open 2, open 1 - I can't seem to get a consistent even loudness across the strings. Even if I just pick the open A string over and over I'm struggling for consistency, which is something I thought would be smooth by now.

 

[dwizum]

Based especially on your last post, I think you need to take a step back, slow down, and learn one thing at a time. Focus on playing single strings with a single finger until you can do it consistently. Slow down enough that you can think deliberately about the movement as you do it. Then add one other string and one other finger and do it again until you can do it consistently without thought. Do this one finger at a time until you can do a basic, even (slow!) tempo 1-2-3-4, each note in time, each note at the same volume. Then speed it up, but not at the expense of clarity, timing, or volume. Then go back to where it sounds like you are at now - working on basic patterns. Tackle the patterns deliberately, slowly, and master them. THEN you can start wondering about what to do after you've learned basic patterns, and how to find advanced patterns.

Now is the time to nail the basics. Take this as advice from someone who's done this wrong when learning new instruments in the past - it's easier in the long run if you slow down and really nail the basics now, versus plowing ahead into more exciting advanced material with the baggage of bad habits.

Slowing down may sound like you're going to learn even slower, but if you focus on one thing at a time, you may find you actually learn faster.

When I was a child, my piano teacher referred to this as weeding the garden. No one really likes to do it. It's not the part you're focused on when you go to the garden center and get excited about picking out seeds. but it's part of the process of getting your desirable end result.

 

[polstein]

Based especially on your last post, I think you need to take a step back, slow down, and learn one thing at a time. Focus on playing single strings with a single finger until you can do it consistently. Slow down enough that you can think deliberately about the movement as you do it. Then add one other string and one other finger and do it again until you can do it consistently without thought.

Now is the time to nail the basics.

Once again, I agree - but this brings up my original question - I am not sure what is "correct" - or if this is like strumming what the "correct different ways" even are. I'm still looking for some good videos that shows clearly how to simply pluck individual string - exactly what part of the finger do I use, how do you position your arm, your hand...etc.. the last thing I want to do is just mess around to find something I like when now is the time for me to learn it "correctly"

 

[Steedy]

When strumming, you use your thumb or finger to move your hand across the strings to play multiple notes. With fingerpicking, your hand stays in a steady position over the strings, and your thumb and fingers play individual notes. It's really that simple! You can "pluck" one string at a time with your thumb or a finger, or play multiple strings together with thumb and fingers, using a "pinching" motion, or play two strings at the same time with two fingers ("double stops").

It doesn't have to be fancy picking patterns at first; just try slowly playing the open strings one at a time, forwards and backwards: G - C - E - A, then A - E - C - G, and repeat.

Then slowly play a C Major scale up and down, starting with the open 3rd string: C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C, then C - B - A - G - F - E - D - C, and repeat. (Hint: that's frets 0 & 2 on the 3rd string, 0 - 1 - 3 on the 2nd string, and 0 - 2 - 3 on the 1st string & reversed.)

Keep doing those until they start to feel comfortable, and gradually speed them up a little, then try picking out single note melodies for simple songs like 'Frere Jacques' (Are You Sleeping), 'Row Row Row Your Boat', 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' & 'Polly Wolly Doodle'. Boom, you're fingerpicking!

Next, you can practice simple picking patterns on the open strings like: G - A - C - E, or C - A - G - E, or any repeating patterns, as exercises to feel more comfortable picking individual notes. Another good thing to practice is forward rolls, i.e. picking Thumb, Index, Middle (T-I-M-T-I-M-T-I-M...) and backward rolls, Middle, Index, Thumb (M-I-T-M-I-T-M-I-T...). Play them slowly and smoothly, over and over, until comfortable then gradually speed them up a bit. Then, play those patterns and rolls while holding chords, and it'll start to sound pretty good!

Lately, I've been practicing two-finger picking with alternating Thumb and Index finger (T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I...), and alternating Index and Middle fingers (I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M...), on one string and on adjacent strings.

The keys are: Keep your your picking hand relaxed and your wrist fairly straight. Keep your fingertips close to the strings and use very small finger motions to pluck the strings. Use whichever finger (or thumb) feels most comfortable to pluck each string.

Some people assign each finger to a particular string, i.e. thumb on 4th string, index finger on 3rd string, middle finger on 2nd string, and ring finger on 1st string, etc. Some people also brace their hand in position by keeping their pinky finger anchored on the top of the instrument.

I personally don't do either of those last two. It's limiting for me to always pick the same string with the same finger, and keeping a finger or two braced against the top creates a lot of tension in my picking hand and causes pain in my wrist and hand. On any given song, I just do whatever is the most comfortable and sounds the best to me, and I mostly use my thumb, index, & middle fingers. I tend to strum over the 12th-14th frets, but I fingerpick over the sound hole, because it sounds better there.

Hope some of this might be helpful!

 

[clear]

I think you may be picking by digging your fingers under the string.

This may help you. See time 2:11



I think I was about 3 weeks into ukulele playing when I created that video. Now, at 3 months of player, I still approve it : )

 

[polstein]

Lately, I've been practicing two-finger picking with alternating Thumb and Index finger (T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I-T-I...), and alternating Index and Middle fingers (I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M...), on one string and on adjacent strings.

All excellent advice. I just hit the alternating index/middle on a lesson just the other night. Takes some getting used to, but sounds nice.

Some people also brace their hand in position by keeping their pinky finger anchored on the top of the instrument.

My thumb usually isn't a problem, but I noticed that when I am practicing the other 3 fingers, I tend to anchor with my thumb which gives me more control over my fingers - BUT - I'm not comphy using my pinky at all.. which leaves me with just hovering in mid-air, which might be one of my consistency problems.

I've been working with each string assigned to a finger, but tonight I was noticing that my ring finger is MUCH worse then the others. I played some with (whatever the name is) where you use the thumb for 2 top strings, middle and index fingers only - feels easier but I dunno if this will set me back long term then just learning all 4 fingers. [/QUOTE]

I think you may be picking by digging your fingers under the string.
This may help you. See time 2:11

Interesting vid - I like your idea for practice that I can do at work with any surface.

Also in your vid, you talked about nails - something I noticed now that I'm trying to grow mine out is that on my index finger, where I strum is wearing down in kind of a crescent moon shape. Might be time for me to go peek at supplements or adjust my strumming motion some!

 

[Steedy]

I've been working with each string assigned to a finger, but tonight I was noticing that my ring finger is MUCH worse then the others. I played some with (whatever the name is) where you use the thumb for 2 top strings, middle and index fingers only - feels easier but I dunno if this will set me back long term then just learning all 4 fingers.

I have an issue picking with my ring finger. It attacks the string at a different angle than the other fingers, so it feels a little unnatural and it sounds a bit different. I've haven't noticed any limitations from mostly using thumb, index and middle. The ring finger is still available if I want to "roll" a chord or pluck all four strings at once. I think fingerpicking is something that feels more natural the more you do it. Also, the more you do it, the more you figure out what works best for you. So keep at it, it really adds a lot more to your playing than just strumming songs!

 

[Jan D]

The songs I like to listen to on youtube the most are the instrumentals showing off combinations of finger picking and strumming (sometimes plucking one string, sometimes multiples ones together, sometimes strumming a chord) - all blended together.

Is there a specific name for this style I don't know about (so I can google it).

Is it "finger picking" or "fingerpicking" ?!?

Some of what you describe above is fingerpicking. When the song has more chords in it (either full or partial), especially when the last picked note in the “chord” is the melody note, then the style of playing is referred to as “chord melody.”

 

[polstein]

I have an issue picking with my ring finger. It attacks the string at a different angle than the other fingers, so it feels a little unnatural and it sounds a bit different. I've haven't noticed any limitations from mostly using thumb, index and middle. The ring finger is still available if I want to "roll" a chord or pluck all four strings at once.

I have noticed the different angle (which also means different part of the finger tip/nail), maybe that also accounts for some of my problems. But I was going with the theory that if others can do it, so can I.

Something interesting happened last night: I was practicing with just thumb+2 fingers. I can do patterns like (#'s here are string numbers) 4,2,3,1 // 4,2,3,2 easier with the thumb+2 fingers. I was doing that string pattern to a simple chord progression of C, G, Am, F just practicing without the ring finger. It's not perfect, but a much much easier for me. Old my my sons (13) was starting to fall asleep. He was sitting near me & just tapping along with his fingers to the beat - which is a first I've ever seen from any other kids. He said it sounded nice & relaxing.

I do find it interesting that after weeks of frustration with 4 fingers - that I was able to switch to 3 fingers (counting the thumb) and have it sound so much better right off the bat. I'm not giving up on the ring finer, but I will be concentrating more on 3 fingers. I tried messing around a little on other things & did notice a little instinct was kicking in where depending on the song, the index would sometimes come up to cover the 3rd string.

I'm going to presume if I keep practicing, the fingers will eventually start to take over without constantly thinking about it. Well, I can hope..

When the song has more chords in it (either full or partial), especially when the last picked note in the “chord” is the melody note, then the style of playing is referred to as “chord melody.”

Funny timing, I got a reply to an email last night also mentioning "chord melody" for the first time, which had me googling it well past bedtime. Going to be doing a lot of video watching & reading about it!

 

[BBegall]

I think what you are describing are chord melody arrangements that combine melody notes with strummed chords. Strummed songs usually require vocals to carry the melody, these do not.

 

[Kenn2018]

In addition to the great suggestions already offered:

Check out the instructional videos by Ukulele Mike Lynch on YouTube or Vimeo. He passed away two years ago, but his videos are very good.

If you want an excellent resource for proper hand positioning and use I recommend Brad Bordessa's books: "Right Hand Technique for Ukulele" and "Left Hand
Technique for Ukulele". He discusses Holding the uke, the pros and cons of using the pinky as an anchor, fingernail care and shape. As well as picking and strumming techniques.

How you hold the uke is important. Angled up at about a 45 degrees and slightly away from the body is a good starting place. I like to play with a strap. It frees up your hands and arm and you don’t have to worry about holding the uke. Makes fretting and picking and strumming much easier. Especially for tenor and Baritone playing.

For picking, there are different ways to do so. The most common are the Three Finger: Thumb, Index, Middle (PIM). And Four Finger: Thumb, Index, Middle, Ring (PIMA). The three finger you use the thumb for the 4th & 3rd strings (G & C strings).

For strums, you have to play various strum patterns over and over to groove them into your muscle memory. So you don't have to think about them. They come as you play. UkuleleHunt.com is a good resource. Al Wood, the creator, wrote the "Ukulele for Dummies" book.

Here on UU Forum, members have very useful information available. Uncle Rod's "Ukulele Boot Camp" and Choir Guy's “http://ukestuff.info" are just two.

Chord Melody combines Strumming and Fingerstyle. Marcy Marx is a good instructor, but there are many others.

Lots of resources for techniques. Online books, videos, interactive lessons, live lessons, etc.

All of this can be overwhelming. Remember to start out slowly. Working out what you want your fingers to do. Then pick up speed as your placement and movements are comfortable.

Check out the Uke Syllabus for Beginners at the top of the page. A lot of excellent basic music theory about why you do the things you do when playing the uke.

 

[polstein]

I think what you are describing are chord melody arrangements that combine melody notes with strummed chords. Strummed songs usually require vocals to carry the melody, these do not.

Yup - even when I'm strumming along with a song (just playing chords), the vocals are mostly in my head. I wouldn't even torture the birds with any sort of "singing". Maybe that's why I prefer the non-vocal chord melody versions.

 

[polstein]

Check out the instructional videos by Ukulele Mike Lynch on YouTube or Vimeo. He passed away two years ago, but his videos are very good. If you want an excellent resource for proper hand positioning and use I recommend Brad Bordessa's books: "Right Hand Technique for Ukulele"

Chord Melody combines Strumming and Fingerstyle. Marcy Marx is a good instructor, but there are many others.

Checking all out now!

I like to play with a strap. It frees up your hands and arm and you don’t have to worry about holding the uke. Makes fretting and picking and strumming much easier.

Quick add here, I had 2 buttons added to my Tenor, but I prefer the top part connected to the head, not just above the body. Had to play around to bit to attach it in a way to keep it away from my left hand, but not get caught up in a gar or put pressure on a tuning peg.

For picking, there are different ways to do so. The most common are the Three Finger: Thumb, Index, Middle (PIM). And Four Finger: Thumb, Index, Middle, Ring (PIMA). The three finger you use the thumb for the 4th & 3rd strings (G & C strings).

Are those the actual names (for googling purposes)? I felt funny saying 3 finger, because of the whole kid thing "thumb isn't a finger!!".. mebbe 3 digits vs 4 digit approach?

Check out the Uke Syllabus for Beginners at the top of the page. A lot of excellent basic music theory about why you do the things you do when playing the uke.

I went through that one - but was I was looking for was more along the lines of:
- learn how to hold uke
- how to strum (basic strum)
- basic chords
- learning new strums
- learning new chords (chordgnome is good for this - has a feature to let it pick the next chord you should learn)
- beginner fingerpicking
- chunking
- how to read tabs vs chords
- basic music understanding
- scales, riffs.... ?
- how to combine chords & notes (chord melody) <--- feels like I'm about here
- how to figure out what strum pattern works with a song that you only have chord changes for
- advanced strums, fans, triple, double up
- how to tap/make drum sounds
-- ?
-- ?? *****
-- ??
- how to sound like the guys doing 2 minute uke demos on yt that make you sound like you play with your feet in comparison
- how to take a song where you only have the chords or basic tabs & turn them into something that sounds like (insert person here)

The **** area is where I'm not sure how to progress. Right now, I'm finding new songs with chords I can do, and earmarking ones where I need to learn new chords. For the most part, I stick with about 5 strum patterns. I'm just starting with fingerpicking, with the whole chord melody thing as my target (ultimate target being able to go to a website, get the chords & tabs that are available & combine it into a good chord melody)

..but I'm really getting off course of what the topic kinda started at - which I guess really came down to: I can't seem to play a note with my ring finger as good as my index & middle.

 

[clear]

I guess really came down to: I can't seem to play a note with my ring finger as good as my index & middle.

If you can, post a video of it. I think you are grabbing the strings with your finger by going under it and plucking it, then you must release it manually; this would make it difficult to get consistent sounds even on the same finger..

You don't have to do that (in fact, you don't want to do that). My guitar teacher mentioned this WRT fingerpicking: you want to be gentle, like caressing the strings, the string will naturally want to move off your fingers. Maybe check my video, I tried to convey that.

Once you have the technique down, you just have to put in the practice time. Naturally, your fingers don't have the same strength, so it takes training to get them to pick with the same consistent force. But if your technique is wrong, it'll be much harder to train your fingers. By "technique", I mean tips/tricks (like in my video) that's tried and true for hundreds of years; you don't have to re=invent the wheel, just follow what's already worked.

Good luck!!!

 

[clear]

This is a bit of a digression.

I made the basic video because I didn't find any thing like it on the Internet. The video is intended to cover the most basics of playing, things that a beginner should know before setting out into the Internet wilderness. So, I purposely kept it short.

I was also hoping to get more experienced players to do segments do replace my initial (more like place holder) segments on each topic. But that didn't seem to takeoff : (

Now that I'm 3 months into playing, I can definitely play the ukulele better than when I made that video. But after review it, I find its contents to be still correct and better playing (at my current level) cannot improve it, so I've not updated it.

In the end WRT ukulele, nothing is absolutely right or wrong, so the video doesn't attempt to cast things in a right/wrong way point of view but give general advice that can be followed before a player finds his/her way of doing things.