How to Play Fingerpicking Patterns on Your Ukulele

For most of us, we begin playing our ukuleles by strumming them. And when we strum, we typically play all of the strings at once. When we fingerpick, we pluck strings individually. My introduction to fingerpicking came via a copy of Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo. In his book, Scruggs outlines his renowned style of playing—it’s called three-finger picking because it utilizes the thumb, index, and middle fingers to play the strings. Classically trained string players are often taught the PIMA method, which adds the ring finger into the mix, but my picking feels much clumsier when I try to incorporate it. Perhaps I would feel differently if I had learned the PIMA method first, but I’ll never know. As is true for many areas of making music, there no singular way of doing things. Try these picking patterns using whatever combination of fingers feels most natural to you. So how can we fingerpick? Well, so long as you can keep a steady beat, you can play your strings however you’d like. But if you’re just starting out, it’s helpful to begin fingerpicking by playing a pattern.

Download My Free Fingerpicking Guide

 

How to Read Fingerpicking Pattern Diagrams

Fingerpicking patterns are frequently depicted in a standardized notation called tablature (tab or tabs for short)—basically a simplified version of sheet music. Tablature shows the sequence of notes to play. Here’s a sample pattern:

 
 

Rest your pinky on the body of your ukulele, just below the strings—doing so will help you keep your bearings as the other fingers move from string to string. Pick in a downward motion with your thumb; curve your index and middle fingers to play the strings upward.

To pick the pattern depicted above on an uke in standard (GCEA) tuning, pick the G string with your thumb; the C string with your thumb, the E string with your index finger, and the A string with your middle finger. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Try to play as evenly as possible, giving an equal amount of time to each note.

LET’S PLAY!

The easiest way to practice any new pattern is to play it on its own until you can do so comfortably for an extended period, then work your way up to playing while incorporating chord changes, and then adding singing into the mix. Do your best to pick smoothly and evenly, and consider taking my piano teacher’s advice to “play at the speed of no mistakes,” no matter how slow that is! Your ability to play at a fast tempo will come with practice.

Ready to give fingerpicking a try? These videos can help:

Looking for more? My Fingerpicking Patterns Chart has eight versatile fingerpicking patterns that work for ukes in standard and baritone tuning!

How to Strum Your Ukulele - Download My Free Guide for Brand New Players

Just getting started on the ukulele? I’ve created a free one-page PDF to help you get strumming right away!

"This Train is Bound for Glory," a Video Tutorial with Free Download for Beginning Ukulele

There is a grand tradition of folk singers and musicians repurposing a melody to create a new song, and This Train is Bound for Glory is just one example. This Train shares a melody with The Crawdad Song, though the songs feel very different. The Crawdad Song has an easy-breezy quality to it, but This Train has much more of a raucous, rock-and-roll energy. Even though we’re using the same combination of chords and the same melody, we have two very different songs!

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Sing and Strum "Joy to the World" in Two Different Keys, A Christmas Ukulele Tutorial

One of the things that appeals to me about Christmas music is that it is, essentially, a type of folk music. Each year we hear many of the same songs, and we often have our own favorite versions of those songs. And of course, new versions of those classic carols and pop songs get recorded every year. Today I'm sharing a song that was written three hundred years ago—it’s sung by artists and choirs around the world, and it’s one you may already know by heart.

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The Marching Song of the First Arkansas Colored Regiment — A Song for Juneteenth 2020

The song I’m sharing in honor of Juneteenth is an update to Julia Ward Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic. The Marching Song of the First Arkansas Colored Regiment was written by Lindley Miller, the captain of the regiment, in 1864. The song uses the same melody as Battle Hymn but comes from the perspective of the soldiers. And my goodness, it is powerful! As David Walls succinctly put it, “All in all, this song is one of the best outlines we have concerning the hopes and expectations of the black soldiers of that era.”

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A Song to Commemorate Juneteenth - Free PDF Download with Ukulele Chord Chart and Lyrics

Update 6/15/20 to add a little historical conte†: After the Civil War, many African-Americans were imprisoned and forced to work building railroads or in mines. Take This Hammer is a prison work song men would sing as they worked on the railroad line. This song has common chord progressions and very simple lyrics but don't let that fool you— it’s a powerful song that feels incredibly relevant for our time. Strumming and singing Take This Hammer is a dynamic way to connect to the past while we go marching on, and I hope you find a little time to make music this week. Let's play in honor of all who have marched toward freedom's light.

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In honor of Juneteenth (June 19th, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States), I thought I’d share one of my very favorite American folk songs. Take This Hammer is a song to sing when you’re feeling fed up, down and out, or ready to break free from something that’s weighing you down. Lead Belly’s recording is probably the version that’s imitated the most but, like many folk songs, Take This Hammer has been covered by hundreds of artists, so it’s always interesting to listen to multiple versions and hear how differently artists can interpret a song.

In the audio clip above, I’m playing Take This Hammer on a tenor ukulele with a low-G string in the key of A with A, A7, D, and E7 chords, paired with a strum you can learn from a YouTube video by TenThumbs Productions. How will you play it?

 


How to Play Stand By Me in Two Different Keys

In honor of #ukesnotnukes, I’m sharing a free download of the chords and lyrics for Stand By Me in two different keys. I’ve seen a lot of Youtube tutorials for this song in the key of C, but I just can’t hit those high notes! Singing this song in the key of G is much more comfortable for me, especially on days like today when I’m recovering from a cold and shouldn’t really be singing at all!

If you’re a brand new player, first try playing this song in the key of C, simply because the chords are easier. If you’re already comfortable playing the C, F, G, and Am chords, give this song a try in the key of G! Then compare the two. Which key feels better for your voice? Being able to play a song in different keys is a really valuable skill for anyone who likes to sing. So much of being able to sound good as a singer is knowing what keys are comfortable for your vocal range.

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Looking for an easy-to-read guide to the ukulele? Check out my book, Let’s Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners!