I strum!
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ripock
Well-known member
Anybody else?
Anybody? More like everybody. You're going to work on making your right hand less spazoid, then you'll notice the development of your left hand has been seriously arrested. Then you'll work on making chords and your strumming will fall off. That's just the process we go through. It gets better over time
Yeah, what he said.
If you look bad but sound fine, don't worry about it. Otherwise, set that metronome very,very ... very slow. Then slowly speed up the metronome until there's a problem. Slow it down just below where the problem is and practice practice practice.
Repeat the last sentence ad nauseam.
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peanuts56
Well-known member
I don't strum terribly well since starting to fingerpick 7-8 years ago. I finger pick pretty well after staking lessons for a few years. I had no real instruction when I got my first uke and strummed with my thumb in a downward motion. With my nails grown out to finger pick that doesn't work too efficiently. I tend to strum with my index and middle finger.
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I was going to learn how to strum, then I heard Jake play. Gave up the idea right away!
Gave up the idea right away!
anthonyg
Well-known member
Given how simple it seems, its a remarkably difficult skill to totally master. The guitar World is just the same.
I think that I've always been a decent strummer yet my strumming has picked up noticeably (to me anyway) in the last year or so.
Definitely use a metronome and/or tap your foot.
As an exercise, start off by swinging your hand/arm back and forth evenly at 8 beats per bar. That's a down + an up stroke, per beat for a standard 4/4 time measure.
Don't try to do anything fancy or complicated to start with. It may sound boring but just start off with an even pace so that your hand/arm starts swinging like a metronome.
When that feels a little better you can start adding some form and variation to your strumming.
Basically, your hand/arm keeps moving just the same but sometimes you miss hitting the strings on an upbeat or a downbeat in order to create a particular rhythm for a particular song.
You also learn to add some fretting hand dampening to create or accentuate a particular rhythm.
I think that I've always been a decent strummer yet my strumming has picked up noticeably (to me anyway) in the last year or so.
Definitely use a metronome and/or tap your foot.
As an exercise, start off by swinging your hand/arm back and forth evenly at 8 beats per bar. That's a down + an up stroke, per beat for a standard 4/4 time measure.
Don't try to do anything fancy or complicated to start with. It may sound boring but just start off with an even pace so that your hand/arm starts swinging like a metronome.
When that feels a little better you can start adding some form and variation to your strumming.
Basically, your hand/arm keeps moving just the same but sometimes you miss hitting the strings on an upbeat or a downbeat in order to create a particular rhythm for a particular song.
You also learn to add some fretting hand dampening to create or accentuate a particular rhythm.
Jerryc41
Well-known member
Anybody else?
I takes time. Be patient. I prefer strumming to picking - more sound and more rhythm.
I know you meant no harm, and neither do I. The term “spaz” as well as any derivatives of that term is highly offensive to those with CP, MS, or other spastic conditions. Along the lines of other derogatory labels that I’m sure you can think of for other minorities and ethnic groups.
It may also help to practice strumming along with a video tutorial. YouTube is full of them. I like the Ukulele Fool, but there are many others. My first ukulele book was called 21 Songs in 6 Days (spoiler, it took me much longer than 6 days to work through the book). The first few songs in the book are songs that can be done with 1 chord, like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat “, which really allows you to focus on strumming (there are online videos that go with the book) because you know the words and aren’t changing chords.
Not saying get that book, just pick something dead easy that you know the lyrics to by heart and doesn’t have a lot of chord changes, and you’ll be able to focus on strumming evenly.
Not saying get that book, just pick something dead easy that you know the lyrics to by heart and doesn’t have a lot of chord changes, and you’ll be able to focus on strumming evenly.
WestyShane
Well-known member
Anybody else?
Uh, yeah. I strum too.
I just can't figure out why some of these replies seem to be answering a question that doesn't appear to have been asked.
captain-janeway
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Good tips. I kind of gave up on strumming to any kind of pattern. I can take along to how I think it sounds, but I mostly finger pick now
ripock
Well-known member
Uh, yeah. I strum too.
I just can't figure out why some of these replies seem to be answering a question that doesn't appear to have been asked.
clairvoyance. That and the original post was longer originally but it has become truncated for some reason
anthonyg
Well-known member
Uh, yeah. I strum too.
I just can't figure out why some of these replies seem to be answering a question that doesn't appear to have been asked.
The original title and question was deemed offensive, so was edited/censored.
WestyShane
Well-known member
If something is going to be edited to the point of not making any sense maybe the Mods should have just deleted it. Kinda like pruning a tree until it's become nothing more than a stump.
All I can offer is that I've learned a TON from watching the UU whiteboard videos and the few youtube videos that Jake put out some years ago. I've recently seen that there is series of videos by - shoot, I'm spacing out on his name. The awesome Canadian uke player who I've even seen in concert 3 times. Well, those are good too.
JackLuis
Well-known member
My neighbor, who taught me to play when I bought my first Ukulele, is a guitar player that I infected with Ukuleles. He always plays with a regular consistent pattern. I on the other hand have learned to strum in a pattern fitting the lyric. mixing up and down strums, partial and full to get different sounds. I keep my right index nail trimmed to a long rounded shape and just use my index finger.
Is this "right"? IDK? But it's how I play and someday I'll learn to finger pick individual notes more.
Last year I had an operation that left my left hand useless and I gave away five of my Ukes to my nephews. Now I'm down to just five Ukes and five Nephews playing ukes. It took me about six months to redevelop my left hand to chord again. I still struggle with the soprano though.
Is this "right"? IDK? But it's how I play and someday I'll learn to finger pick individual notes more.
Last year I had an operation that left my left hand useless and I gave away five of my Ukes to my nephews. Now I'm down to just five Ukes and five Nephews playing ukes. It took me about six months to redevelop my left hand to chord again. I still struggle with the soprano though.
I strum, therefore I am.
John Colter
John Colter
