{"id":20078,"date":"2023-10-17T16:12:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T16:12:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/twistedwoodguitars.com\/?p=20078"},"modified":"2023-10-17T21:09:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T21:09:30","slug":"20078","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twistedwoodguitars.com\/?p=20078","title":{"rendered":"Six Essential Ukulele Fingerstyle Techniques\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Six Essential Ukulele Fingerstyle Techniques\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The delicate plucking of strings, the melodic dance of fingertips, and the rhythmic magic that emerges from fingerpicking on the ukulele is an art that has captured the hearts of musicians and enthusiasts alike. This blog post will delve into the world of fingerstyle ukulele, exploring the six essential techniques that cover most fingerpicking challenges you will meet. Understanding and mastering these techniques is crucial for those new to fingerpicking and for seasoned players looking to expand their repertoire.<\/p>\n

The ukulele originated from the Hawaiian Islands, where Portuguese immigrants brought the machete de braga (braguinha), a small guitar-like instrument, to Hawaii in the 19th century. Over time, this instrument evolved into the ukulele we know today. Hawaiian musicians like Ernest Kaai, one of the first to combine melody and chords (chord melody) and Joseph Kekuku, inventor of the steel guitar, were pioneers in developing and popularizing fingerstyle techniques.<\/p>\n

The ukulele continues to evolve as modern players borrow techniques from other string instruments, especially guitar. It\u2019s amazing how much you can do with this tiny instrument with four nylon strings!<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s dive into the six fingerpicking techniques essential to mastering fingerstyle ukulele. These techniques should cover the majority of fingerpicking ukulele music you will encounter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Grab Your Uke\u2026<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Now, let\u2019s dive into the six fingerpicking techniques essential to mastering fingerstyle ukulele. These techniques should cover the majority of fingerpicking ukulele music you will encounter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Technique One: Alternating Thumb<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Your thumb alternates between the third and fourth strings, while your index finger stays on the second string, and your middle finger stays on the first string:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Technique one is great for repeating patterns like those used in \u201cTravis\u201d picking, where the thumb alternates and adds syncopated melody notes. Named after the influential guitarist Merle Travis, it produces a distinctive, rhythmic sound often used in folk, country, and blues music.<\/p>\n

Here are some examples of technique one -Travis Picking<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Technique Two \u2013 Fixed Position<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Your hand stays in a static \u201cfixed\u201d position with the thumb on the fourth string, and the fingers each take a different string (index = 3, middle = 2, ring = 1):<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Technique two works well with arpeggiated chords and faster repeating patterns. Remember, techniques switch often and using several techniques in one song is common. Here are six exercises using technique two:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Technique Three \u2013 Alternating Fingers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Your fingers alternate on one string. For example, your index and middle finger play on the first string. The ring finger is also used but less frequently, considering there are only four strings. This is an important technique to master, but it\u2019s incredible how many students try to play a faster group of notes with one finger.<\/p>\n

There are two strokes to learn: free stroke and rest stroke. The free stroke is when the fingers glide over the top of the strings, and the rest stroke stops on the string. For more details on this important technique, check out\u00a0this article<\/a>\u00a0on classical guitar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Alright, those are the first three essential ukulele techniques to master. The next technique we will learn is one that all ukulele players do: play chords.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Technique Four \u2013 Chords<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the first things ukulele players learn is how to play chords. Typically, the index finger strum or alternatively using a pick is where most players start. However, with fingerstyle playing, we pluck the strings with the fingers to play the chords.<\/p>\n

Technically, keep the hand at a 45o<\/sup>\u00a0angle and pluck the strings towards the palm like you are squeezing a ball. One of the difficult aspects of playing chords is getting an even volume on all the strings. It takes a lot of practice to develop the control needed to change the volume or attack on individual strings, that is, play one string louder than another (which is very common in chordal melody playing).<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s have a look at how this looks:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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There are a few ways to pluck a chord with your fingers:\u00a01)<\/strong>\u00a0solid,\u00a0all strings played simultaneously with fingers and thumb, and\u00a02)<\/strong>\u00a0Rolled or broken chords, play quickly in the direction of the arrow one note at a time. Practice the following exercise with both solid and rolled chords:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Need more Ukulele Fingerstyle Lessons? Check out\u00a0Ukulele Fingerpicking Lesson 1<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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And now on to contemporary approaches to ukulele playing. Now we learn to use the entire ukulele body as an instrument with extended techniques.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Technique Five \u2013 Extended Techniques<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Extended techniques refer to all the other \u201cnon-traditional\u201d ways to play the ukulele. Using the ukulele as a percussive instrument is an example. This particular technique has become more popular since YouTube came along. There is a good variety of tapping and slapping techniques to explore that add rhythm to expand the ukulele as a solo and accompanying instrument.<\/p>\n

Many of these extended techniques have been passed on from the guitar, particularly the flamenco guitar. For example, the\u00a0golpe<\/em>\u00a0is where you strike the guitar with your fingers, or the\u00a0tambour<\/em>\u00a0(tam.) is where you hit the guitar or strings with your thumb.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Modern Ukulele Styles<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Modern players like Michael Hedges and Stanely Jordan have taken this tapping technique to virtuoso levels and greatly expanded the scope of the guitar and, hence, the ukulele.<\/p>\n

In contemporary ukulele playing, similar percussive techniques may be referred to as \u201cpercussive strumming,\u201d \u201cbody percussion,\u201d \u201cstring snapping,\u201d and \u201cfingerstyle percussion.\u201d The terminology and notation used may vary depending on the specific technique, the style of music being played, and the region or culture from which the technique originated.<\/p>\n

The notation of extended techniques has not been standardized, though I have developed a system in \u201cMastering Fingerstyle Ukulele \u2013 Kalymi Music (brentrobitaille.com)<\/a>\u201d that can be used as a reference. The chart below divides the ukulele into hitting zones, and the hand diagram shows how to tap the ukulele.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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For example, taping the ukulele in zone 2 with the thumb would be notated as\u00a02T<\/em>\u00a0and tapping the ukulele with the knuckle in zone 1 would be notated as\u00a01K<\/em>. Watch the video below for examples of ukulele percussion with the added foot stomp:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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