Mostly Strumming or Fingerpicking

johnnysmash

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I am wondering if I am the only one who mostly plays finger picking style and hardly ever strums. I play mostly chord melodies on ukulele and strum some, however, on guitar I hardly ever strum.
 
No, you're not unique, quite a few on here pick tunes, as against strumming. :D

I mainly play melody lines, but will sometimes strum a bit, (& even croak out a word or two), when on the Seasons of the Ukulele challenge. :cool:

EDIT: Sorry, just noticed this in the guitar section, I'm ukes only, as far as strings go. :)
 
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I do almost exclusively fingerpicking. I just like the sound better. I will strum with a group obviously, but I just don't play in groups often.
 
I'm a fingerpicking and chord melody guy, also. I do some strumming and something vaguely resembling singing a couple of times a month with my local club, but I'm mostly a solo instrumental player. I wouldn't mind finding another local player or two and put together an all-instrumental ensemble, but everyone I find is happy with strumming first position chords and singing "Pearly Shells". :(
 
i'm a singer strummer on ukulele only.
i can do a bit of fingerpicking and chord melodies, but I prefer to sing
the lyrics of the songs I love (mostly 30's, 40's, 50's tunes).
I like listening to good fingerpickers especially if they are playing
old-time melodies I can recognize. I can appreciate the skillful
sytlings of those who do their own compositions, but I greatly
prefer listening to tunes I know and love. :)

keep uke'in',

PS search "a rendition of something like Crazy G" and look for a link
to the pdf of said 'rendition'. I have a demo on YouTube "Uncle Rod
Crazy G" :) This should be under shameless self-promotion... sorry :(
 
Strumming is for ukes. Guitars are for fingerpicking.
 
I'm a purely an instrumentalist, playing self contained solos mixing melody and chords (strums and arpeggios) and single line soloing over changes. I don't sing at all, so not much need for pure strumming save for backing tracks on multitrack recordings or when I back up a soloist friend. One of the fun things about playing chord-melody solos is you get to add in strums as fills and accents so I do use a lot of strumming, just not in the pure form.
 
On steel string guitar I do both but more strumming and singing. Rhythm guitar is a "thing" a real thing and that is strumming. I love to learn, play and sing all the old rock and folk classics from the Beatles, Eagle, Stones, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Johnny Cash, John Denver etc, etc. Have I convinced you yet that strumming a steel string is for real and real fun:music:
 
I'm from a guitar and 5 string banjo background; mostly guitar. Since the ulnar nerve died in my right elbow, I mostly flat pick now with a pick. Like strings and capos, there are custom picks out there that run 30 bucks or more. After a lot of searching, at the moment, I really like the Charmed life picks.I think it's the brown CLF75. I play lead guitar in a bluegrass band and a couple uke groups. I still fingerpick a bit but really like the fast double pickin' Doc Watson style. Sounds pretty cool on a uke too. After a while, it's not uncommon to do all three styles in one song; adds depth to it.
 
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LOL - I am using the pick more now then before. Makes for louder sound and I like the way it sounds. In 1997, the first time I tried to play guitar, electric, I used a pick all the time.After a year or two I got bored and started playing piano. When I came back to guitar my body said no.fingers, and wrist hurt so I got into acoustics and classical on to ukuleles and now smaller guitars. But as PT improves my hand and arm I seem to be sliding back to electric guitar again. My wife is not happy with my AS. Especially since I am looking to maybe buy one. I still do not care for strumming much. I like the sound of the melody better.
 
I am wondering if I am the only one who mostly plays finger picking style and hardly ever strums. I play mostly chord melodies on ukulele and strum some, however, on guitar I hardly ever strum.

I guess I am similar. I transitioned to finger style on guitar over a decade ago and haven't looked back. When I picked up a ukulele for the first time ever I started finger picking. However, many songs on ukulele do require strumming and I find it a lot easier to strum on the ukulele than the guitar, but when the guitar requires a strum I do it, just not as good as I do on the ukulele.

Hope this helps.
 
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