How To Play the Ukulele
(How to play the ukulele)
left hand
I think that most beginners pay attention to their left hand.
The trick is not to touch the next string when you hold it down. It often works well if you try to hold it from directly above the strings.
When holding the cord, there are times when the palm is parallel to the neck (Photo 1) and when the finger comes out from the direction of the nut and holds the string (Photo 2 where the neck and palm are not parallel).
Find a finger shape that is easy to hold.
Photo 1
Photo 2
right hand
There are many different techniques for the right hand.
[Al Aire and Apoyand]
First, there are two ways to pluck one string with your thumb, index finger, middle finger, and ring finger.
1. Al Aire playing method
After plucking the strings, the fingers stay in the air. Great for arpeggios.
2. Apoyand playing method
After playing a string, your finger leans against the next string. When playing a melody because it makes a fat sound
It is used for.
[Hammer-on and pull-off]
1. Hammering on Playing a certain note and hitting a note higher than that of the same string (semitone above, whole tone above) with your left finger to make a note.
is. Make a sound without playing with your right hand. The feeling of a slur is expressed.
2, pull-off
Playing a note and playing a note lower than that of the same string (semitone down, full note down) with your left finger to make a note
is. Make a sound without playing with your right hand. The feeling of a slur is expressed.
[Stroke (stramming)]
Hold down the chord and play all the strings at the same time. This is the basic playing style of the ukulele, which sounds like jerky.
1, down stroke
Place the fingernail side of your index finger at an angle close to a right angle to the strings and play down from the 4th string to the 1st string.
increase.
2, up stroke
Apply the fingertip side of the index finger at an angle close to a right angle to the strings and scrape up from the 1st string to the 4th string.
increase.
In reality, both are often used in combination.
Left hand fingering
nail
When playing the first song, especially when trying to play the melody, it is the fingering of the left hand that gets lost in various ways. I think most people have used the fingering they used first when they played it the second time or later. The basic idea about fingering is as follows.
1. Use the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the left hand in this order so that the sound becomes higher.
For example, if you hold down the 1st fret of the 2nd string with your index finger, it is a rational idea to have the middle finger take charge of the 2nd fret and the ring finger take charge of the 3rd fret. Of course, that's often not the case, but think about it that way. If your middle finger is holding down the 2nd fret and then you have to hold down the 4th fret, it's hard to bring your index finger, right? That's it.
2. Make your little finger comfortable
Think about fingering so that you do not use the little finger, which is the weakest of your fingers, as much as possible. People with strong little fingers and long little fingers can be treated in the same way as other fingers. Rather, that is preferable. But most people have a weak or short little finger.
A long time ago, when I was watching the fingering of a junior at a classical guitar club, when the strings moved on the same fret, I used my little finger to make a barre chord. This is a bad fingering because you can't hold it down and you can't make a sound. I would like to have the index finger or middle finger take charge after moving to the high range to some extent in other parts. Don't let your little finger do too much crazy things.
3. Think further and minimize the movement of your left hand
For example, if you hold down the 2nd fret (A note) of the 4th string such as Am, and the next chord is F, it is better to hold down the 2nd fret of the 4th string with your middle finger. Since the index finger is free, you can immediately suppress the F sound on the 1st fret of the 2nd string. In this way, the fingering should be easy to hold even now and can be held smoothly next time. Guitarist Eric Clapton is a rock guitarist, but his nickname is "slowhand." It's so called because it doesn't make the left hand make a flashy move and it looks like it's stopped, despite the complicated phrases and fast-playing. Don't you think it's cool?
4. Make it possible to give a sense of phrase
Music has a group of parts like a word called a phrase. Think of fingering that will not interrupt it. For example, if you have the phrase "mi, fa, so, fa, mi" and want to play it on the 2nd string, usually "(2nd string) open string → 1st fret (index finger) → 3rd fret (ring finger)" → 1st fret (index finger) → open string ”. If you use it with the 1st fret as the middle finger and the 3rd fret as the index finger, the sound will be interrupted and you will not be able to hear it as a phrase. Such fingering should be avoided.
It may be easier to play with the right hand nail extended. Long claws are useful for playing strings without worrying about the tension of the strings. File the tip of your nails so that they are rounded. Otherwise the sound will be dirty.
The nails do not have to be stretched. The author does not stretch his nails, but he does polish his nails.
Cut your left hand nail short. That makes it easier to hold the strings from directly above.