Fingerpicking on ukulele works the same way as on guitar, with the thumb playing the bass strings and the fingers playing the treble strings, but the ukulele has only four strings, tuned G, C, E, A, with the G string tuned high, so the thumb plays the G and C strings, and the fingers play the E and A strings.
How do you fingerpick on ukulele?
Fingerpicking on ukulele works the same way as on guitar, with the thumb playing the bass strings and the fingers playing the treble strings, but the ukulele has only four strings, tuned G, C, E, A, with the G string tuned high, a re-entrant tuning, so the thumb plays the G and C strings, and the fingers play the E and A strings. The thumb is the bass, and the fingers are the melody, and the two together make the fingerpicking sound, with the bass and the melody played by one hand, just as on guitar. The ukulele is smaller than the guitar, and the strings are closer together, so the fingers must be more precise, and the thumb must be lighter, because the nylon strings are softer than steel strings, and they need less pressure to pluck. The re-entrant tuning, with the G string tuned high, means the ukulele has no low bass string, and the thumb plays the G string, which is high, not low, so the bass is not as deep as on guitar, and the fingerpicking sounds brighter and lighter. The C major ukulele chord and the G major ukulele chord are the chords most players first fingerpick on ukulele, and the ukulele tuner keeps the ukulele in tune.
How ukulele fingerpicking works
Ukulele fingerpicking works by assigning the thumb to the G and C strings, the index finger to the E string, and the middle finger to the A string, so each finger has its own string, and the fingers do not get in each other's way. The thumb plays the bass, on the G and C strings, and the index and middle fingers play the melody, on the E and A strings, and the pattern is thumb, index, middle, in order, from the bass to the treble, and the pattern repeats, giving the arpeggio its flow. The pattern is the key: a common pattern is thumb, index, middle, thumb, index, middle, with the thumb on the C string, the index on the E string, and the middle on the A string, and the pattern repeats, giving the arpeggio a flowing, lilting feel. Another common pattern is thumb, index, middle, index, with the thumb on the G string, the index on the E, the middle on the A, and the index on the E again, and the pattern repeats, giving the arpeggio a different feel. The D major ukulele chord and the A major ukulele chord are the chords the patterns are built on.
Worked example — the P-I-M pattern on C major ukulele. Hold a C major chord on ukulele, and play the pattern thumb, index, middle, in order, with the thumb on the C string, which is C, the root, the index on the E string, which is E, the major 3rd, and the middle on the A string, which is A, the major 6th, and the notes are C, E, A, which are the root, the major 3rd, and the major 6th of C major, and each note rings into the next, so the chord is heard as a flowing line. Now play the pattern again, and again, keeping the thumb on the beat and the fingers on the offbeats, and the arpeggio flows, with the bass and the melody together. The I–V–vi–IV progression in C major is a good progression to practise the pattern with.
How to practise fingerpicking on ukulele
Practise fingerpicking on ukulele slowly, with a metronome, until each finger finds its string and the pattern flows, and then increase the speed, one step at a time.
- Practise the thumb, index, middle pattern on a C major chord, thumb on the C string, index on the E, middle on the A, and play each note cleanly, one at a time.
- Practise the thumb, index, middle, index pattern on a G major chord, thumb on the G string, index on the E, middle on the A, index on the E, and listen for the pattern to flow.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major with the thumb, index, middle pattern, changing chords on beat one of each bar.
- Practise with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the pattern is steady at the current tempo.
- Practise fingerpicking with your eyes closed, so the fingers learn the strings by touch, and not by sight, and the pattern becomes a habit.
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong finger on a string — Each finger has its own string, and using the wrong finger will make the pattern uneven, because the fingers will cross and tangle. Assign the thumb to the G and C strings, the index to the E, and the middle to the A, and keep the assignment.
- Plucking too hard — The ukulele strings are nylon, and they are softer than steel strings, and plucking too hard will make the string snap, and the note will be harsh and short, instead of clear and ringing. Pluck gently, with the flesh and the nail, and let the string ring.
- Forgetting the re-entrant tuning — The ukulele G string is tuned high, not low, so the thumb plays a high string, not a low bass string, and the fingerpicking sounds brighter and lighter than on guitar. Remember the re-entrant tuning, and the thumb will play the right strings.
Quick reference
This table shows the fingerpicking assignment on ukulele, with the finger, the strings it plays, and the notes it plays on a C major chord, so you can see the system at a glance. The thumb plays the G and C strings, the index plays the E, and the middle plays the A, and each finger has its own string.
| Finger | Strings | Notes on C major |
|---|---|---|
| Thumb | G and C strings | G and C |
| Index | E string | E |
| Middle | A string | A |
Use the table to learn the assignment: thumb on the G and C strings, index on the E, middle on the A, and practise the thumb, index, middle pattern until each finger finds its string without looking. When the assignment is a habit, you can fingerpick any chord on ukulele, in any pattern, without thinking about the fingers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I fingerpick on ukulele?
Assign the thumb to the G and C strings, the index finger to the E string, and the middle finger to the A string, and pluck the strings in order, one at a time, so the notes of the chord ring out one after another, and the chord is heard as a flowing line.
Which finger plays which string on ukulele?
The thumb plays the G and C strings, the index finger plays the E string, and the middle finger plays the A string, and each finger has its own string, so the fingers do not get in each other's way.
Is fingerpicking on ukulele harder than on guitar?
It is different, not harder. The ukulele has only four strings, so the patterns are simpler, but the strings are closer together, so the fingers must be more precise, and the re-entrant tuning means the bass is not as deep as on guitar.
Do I need nails to fingerpick on ukulele?
No, but nails help, because they give a clearer, brighter sound than flesh alone. A nail that is 1 to 2 millimetres past the fingertip is enough, and it should be shaped and filed, so it plucks the string cleanly.
Can I use guitar fingerpicking patterns on ukulele?
Some of them, but the ukulele has only four strings, so the patterns must be adapted, with the thumb playing the G and C strings, and the index and middle playing the E and A strings, and the pattern is thumb, index, middle, instead of thumb, index, middle, ring.