Chord changes.

[AQUATOPAZ]

I'm not sure if I was clear... I didn't meant to say that I was trying to figure out how to avoid open string harshness or droning... whatchamacallit... I don't have any problem with that because the chord changes are happening quickly enough so that the strings are muted between the chords.

I've had a few days to concentrate on my technique and I think the way forward is to learn to control the hammer on chord effect as I kind of like it in certain parts of some songs.

I've been working on changing the timing of my strum to be fully on the chord in slower chord changes, and found that can actually be a cool effect.

Another technique that is arising out of it is something that I noticed happening unintentionally - I'm sounding the strings as I'm coming off a chord - so it's like a whole chord pull off.

Movable chord shapes are useful and I am slowly learning to use them...but even then there will be some slight pause - during which all the strings are muted anyway.

In any event it's sure fun working on it

The "pull off" sound when lifting off happens more with damp fingers than with drier ones. I notice that when I've just washed my hands and dried them, this happens until they are really dry. Moisture grips the strings.

[apdsqueaky]

Another technique that is arising out of it is something that I noticed happening unintentionally - I'm sounding the strings as I'm coming off a chord - so it's like a whole chord pull off.

I thought I was the only one who accidentally did this

The "pull off" sound when lifting off happens more with damp fingers than with drier ones. I notice that when I've just washed my hands and dried them, this happens until they are really dry. Moisture grips the strings.

Good to know!

[Swamp Yankee]

The "pull off" sound when lifting off happens more with damp fingers than with drier ones. I notice that when I've just washed my hands and dried them, this happens until they are really dry. Moisture grips the strings.

Despite my user name, I don't have damp fingers

I have callouses on my fingertips and I kind of brush the strings sideways with all fretting fingers as I lift off. This makes a subtle sound that I'm trying to learn to control and accentuate when I want it. I first noticed it as an accidental occurrence that happened sometimes when I played fast but I'm working it into my technique slowly.

[Jarmo_S]

I usually in a fast strum tend to intuitively if there is an up strum like "4 and" change the chord with "and", so the next beat chord is right. This is quite common thing to do I've also heard.

[yahalele]

I did not know this kind of left hand mute. This video might help you. Although this is on Japanese, you can easily understand how and what he is playing. This mute works with open strings.

[Ukecaster]

Hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, right and left hand damping...all cool techniques. Now if could only learn a decent chuck and triplets, I'd be a happy camper! I'm really amazed at how easy some make the chuck look, effortless and invisible, but not for me.

[Swamp Yankee]

Hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, right and left hand damping...all cool techniques. Now if could only learn a decent chuck and triplets, I'd be a happy camper! I'm really amazed at how easy some make the chuck look, effortless and invisible, but not for me.

I think I found chucking and triplets easier to master because I had some background playing Clawhammer banjo. Chucking is similar to “clucking” in Clawhammer, but with banjo I’d do it over a sweet spot on the fretboard near the 17th fret (IIRC) that would bring harmonic “chimes” into the mix.
Triplets on uke were a bit more difficult but having some experience in “drop thumbing” on banjo seemed to help as well.

[ripock]

I come from a classically-trained woodwind background. I would only "chuck" a flute in frustration because of difficult scales/arpeggios. With the ukulele I never found chucking difficult; I just strum as usual but after the strum I lay the base of my palm on the strings instead of keeping the entire hand away from the strings as you would in a typical strum.

[AtSunrise]

One exercise is to get a ukulele that’s amplified, switch on the metronome (important) and play one of your favourite songs for about 20 minutes.
BUT you don’t use your picking hand at all.

You just make chord sounds as you place the fingers down on the fretboard. That way you can concentrate on the fret hand.
If all goes well after 20 minutes, meaning your timing is good, smooth. Then it’s time to strum too, working on coordination.

Go back to the exercise as often as you like.
Remember it’s an exercise that’s very important to master and one that few people work on specifically.
(It’s a pathway to increased speed too)

[Mattharrier]

On a related note, I find that certain chords - barre chords for the most part - take me a long time to get to, and are very awkward to form; I always feel that the neck of the instrument wants to drop, and I have to sort of juggle it while I change my hand position, which of course interrupts the, er, dulcet tones I'm producing. Is there a trick to this, or is it just a case of practicing and getting quicker at moving my hand position? I try to keep my thumb on the back of the neck as much as possible.