Is it possible for you to strum a ukulele with your thumb? There are three different ukulele playing techniques that will produce different sounds that you can use.
Those three techniques are picking with your fingers, strum with a selection, and mute the strings with the palm of your hand.
Is it possible for you to strum a ukulele with your thumb?
Yes. You can. Place the tip of your index finger in contact with the wire, then use your thumb. You need to make sure that the nail of your thumb is facing up on the string. Next, fold your ukulele in a position where the neck coincides with the body.
While playing, use the nails on your fingers. For down strings, keep your knuckles facing away from you. Then roll your fingers towards your body and pluck in a downward motion with your fingernails touching the strings.
For up strings, use fleshy finger pads. Learning how to pluck with your thumb will prepare you for a more professional fingering technique.
6 steps to playing the ukulele pro with your nails
Step 1: Use your thumb
To start playing with your fingers proficiently, start with the thumb on your plucking hand.
To start you just tap the string lightly, apply some pressure, and then let your thumb slide off the string.
When you release your finger from the second you should get the same feel as if you put your foot on the edge of the curb.
Then, you let half of your foot begin to slide out gently. Slowly you put more weight on your feet. And then there’s the moment that your foot just slips off the curb.
That’s the feeling you need to get when you start with the thumb.
Step 2: Switch to your index finger
When you have practiced many times and have control over the thumb plucking. You can now add your index finger to complete the track.
The important thing about using your index finger is that you learn to pluck with an upstroke.
When you swipe up, you’ll take the flesh of your index finger and you’ll put it on the first string. It is the opposite of what you did with the thumb.
We’re going to apply some upward pressure and how to get it back up. This result will give us a completely different timbre, a completely different color.
Step 3: Alternate thumbs and fingers
Now combine your thumb and forefinger to create a stable pattern.
The combination of two fingers will have the same kind of downward and upward characteristics. G down with the thumb and up with the index.
Decrease by thumb, up by index. In the ukulele tablature, this pattern is denoted DUDUDUDU.
Step 4: Invert your pluck pattern
With this model, you will have a different sound. Use your fingernail on the bottom stroke and your thumbnail on the upstroke.
Instead of going down with our thumb and coming to our index, we will change to going down with our index.
In this step, you need to make sure that the tip of your index finger is in contact with the wire. Then use your thumb and make sure that the nail of your thumb is facing up on the string.
Step 5: Fold your ukulele where the neck coincides with the body
The position is very important when playing the piano. Because that’s another way you can add a lot of color to your gameplay. The sweet spot for plucking is closer to the neck than the soundhole.
The problem that you need to solve is the type of neck that helps guide your fingers on the strings as you are plucking. It almost acts like a little ramp for your fingers.
Step 6: Play with emotions
An artist’s successful plucking does not end with his thumbs and fingers. But success depends on emotions. You need to understand that piece of music.
The author’s mood when writing it and expressing it to the audience. Put yourself in to understand, feel, and express each work.
Final Words
Playing with your fingers is about getting the feel of your fingernails touching on the beat, with the flesh returning to the offbeat.
This way of playing helps you feel more fully the emotions of the music as well as your play. Practice becoming a pro!
