What technique should i learn: clawhammer, fingerpicking / fingerstyle, or just stick to my thumb?

[delang]

Im a beginner, and ive seen stuff about many ukulele techniques. From what i understand: clawhammer is from the banjo, and fingerpicking is where you assign a finger to each string. Should i stick to picking with my thumb? Or should i start using fingerpicking? Clawhammer seems a bit hard...

Im pretty sure strumming is moving your hand/thumb through a chord, and picking is playing notes individually. So im going to use those definitions.

I also saw that fingerstyle is a way of playing chords instead of strumming??? I saw a tutorial for fingerstyle and at the end the guy played somewhere over the rainbow by picking the chords instead of strumming them. Also, should think about picks with my ukulele?

 

[EDW]

It might depend on what type of music you like playing and whether those styles would fit

 

[delang]

It might depend on what type of music you like playing and whether those styles would fit

the type of music i like to play is listed on my signature. (sorry if that sounds kinds passive aggresive)

 

[rainbow21]

the type of music i like to play is listed on my signature. (sorry if that sounds kinds passive aggresive)

From your signature, sounds like you may be a solid intermediate player. That aside, your playing (and personal preference) should guide which techniques to use.

As an example, I use (and prefer strongly) my thumb mostly for my chord melody, which includes a lot of fingerpicking. Others will play the same song/passage using the thumb for the g string and fingers assigned to the other three. Still others prefer thumb for the G and C strings and the index and middle for the other two. Early on, I signed up for James Hill's "The Ukulele Way" and he uses the thumb only for most (all?) of the lessons. Same with some other well regarded instructors. And there are those who use thumb and fingers. Which do you like? Realize that as you progress, you can pick up the other technique quickly.

Breaking a chord into separate notes/strings is called arpegiating. Again you can do it with thumb only or thumb and fingers - your choice. I have not found that much use for a pick (until recent thumb issues) and would put that off for consideration later when a specific need or desire surfaces. Same for clawhammer.

 

[ripock]

I'd say learn to use your fingers. The thumb is good and perhaps sufficient. But it is awkward since it is on the outside of your palm. It requires a lot of hand movement to pick with the thumb. I have learned to use all fingers but 95% of the time I play picado style: thumb, index, and middle finger. However learning to use all fingers wasn't a waste of time. It taught dexterity and even though I have gravitated away from certain techniques the overall dexterity is still there and that is valuable for someone using their hands for music.

 

[don_b]

Check out Ukulele Way by James Hill. He recommends thumb first for a few different reasons, mainly because it is the easiest way to get a consistent sound. Hope this helps.

 

[kypfer]

Claw-hammer is a very different style in it's own right, well worth learning if you like the sort of music that works with it, a bit of a pointless exercise if you don't
Check out Aaron Keim https://www.quietamericanmusic.com/home for a whole bunch of stuff in this genre.
The basic "bum-titty" claw-hammer lick needs to be learnt slow and then build up to speed. It's very important to maintain a regular timing, else the drone simply doesn't work. It's one of those things that "just happens" one day, then you'll wonder where all the problems were
FWIW claw-hammer style can work on a guitar … it sounds very different 'cos you don't have the high drone, but it's a perfectly usable style once you get to grips with it.
Other than that, the various finger-picking and strumming styles each have their own place in the scheme of things, strumming (quietly) whilst singing and picking a melody or arpeggio between verses can be very effective, but again, the genre of music will often dictate what sounds best.
Enjoy

 

[ripock]

Claw-hammer is a very different style in it's own right, well worth learning if you like the sort of music that works with it, a bit of a pointless exercise if you don't
Check out Aaron Keim https://www.quietamericanmusic.com/home for a whole bunch of stuff in this genre.
The basic "bum-titty" claw-hammer lick needs to be learnt slow and then build up to speed. It's very important to maintain a regular timing, else the drone simply doesn't work. It's one of those things that "just happens" one day, then you'll wonder where all the problems were
FWIW claw-hammer style can work on a guitar … it sounds very different 'cos you don't have the high drone, but it's a perfectly usable style once you get to grips with it.
Other than that, the various finger-picking and strumming styles each have their own place in the scheme of things, strumming (quietly) whilst singing and picking a melody or arpeggio between verses can be very effective, but again, the genre of music will often dictate what sounds best.
Enjoy

I agree. I studied clawhammer for a while to adapt it to my music and it didn't work at all. However I watched a recent Donovan video, "I am the Shaman" and noticed a very clawhammer-inspired right hand technique at certain points.

 

[Nickie]

Stu Fuchs teaches a novel way to play chord melodies. Most intermediate players can follow this technique.
Stu's method

 

[delang]

From what I gather from reading your signature, it looks like you play bits and pieces of several different songs, but not any songs in their entirety. As a listener, that wouldn't be very fun at all. I would concentrate on learning whole songs and tunes how ever they are played, be they fingerstyle, strummed or whatever. There's no reason you can't learn these techniques at the same time. You don't have to master one before starting another. Good luck.

reminds me of the tiktok pianist meme (can play the intros and solos of some songs but cannot play an entire song)

 

[ukudancer]

reminds me of the tiktok pianist meme (can play the intros and solos of some songs but cannot play an entire song)

This was me as a guitar player in my teens. Needless to say, keeping tempo was not my strong suit back then.

 

[ElvishParsley]

Clawhammer is a very specific style that's quite tricky and not always suitable for the music. (I've never got the hang of it on any instrument!)

Strumming - I'm aware of 3 basic ways of strumming a uke.
1. Thumb both up and down
2. First finger both up and down
3. First finger down, thumb up. (That's the one I use most- I find it sounds both stronger and more consistent.)
Some players do use picks / plectrums, though it's not that common. Most ukulele picks seem to be made of soft materials, like rubber or felt.

Fingerpicking - You can find all kinds of interesting accompaniment patterns on a uke by plucking one or two strings at a time. Depending on the pattern, I either have one finger for each string, or have the thumb play both the G and the C strings. I'm not great at playing lead lines, but when I do, I alternate first finger and thumb as though I was playing the bass guitar.

 

[ploverwing]

I found Lara Markowitz's approach really useful: she provides a basic strum pattern, a simple fingerstyle pattern, and a more complex fingerstyle pattern. Sometimes she'll throw a more complex strum/fingerstyle in the mix. You can maybe find some songs you like that she presents, and see if that is of interest to you? It's a good way to try out some fingerstyle options. But as others have said, it's up to you and what you like to play, what suits those songs or that style of music that you prefer.

 

[VioletLotus]

I had been wondering the same myself. What I’ve realized recently is that if there’s something I’m practicing, I’m much more motivated if it’s a song I really want to play (and sing). In the past I’ve halfheartedly taken a few “lessons” on YouTube, and done drills with banjo rolls and clawhammer, but without a song in mind, it was all stick and no carrot. Then I found a song I really wanted to try it with, and upon searching I found a tutorial with another song that I’d like to learn (I highly recommend Cynthia Lin’s tutorials). It’s way more fun that way, as it gives a sense of more definitive accomplishment. So, I’d say look for some tutorials and find yourself a song to work towards. Then when you’ve gotten good at it, find another in a different style, and then you just keep on going…

 

[UkingViking]

I will say that you should learn the techniques you feel like playing, not what some people in a forum says is most important. Is is supposed to be fun.

Clawhammer is pretty difficult, and only really applies well to a certain genre/sound. Unless you want to play that, no need to struggle with it.
Arpeggios can be a nice change from strumming, but try some out if you think the will work for a song you are trying to learn.
And fingerstyle with melody, well if there is a piece you want to play instrumental, or an instrumental break in a song you want to play and sing, give it a go!
But focus om something you feel like playing.

 

[CeeJay]

Whatever suits you is best. It's your ukulele.