Fingerpicking on the Ukulele 

In today’s lesson, we will work on ukulele fingerpicking. After you have learned to strum some chords, you may ask, is that all there is? What else can I do with this gem of an instrument?

You could learn more chords up and down the neck and try new strumming patterns, but there is much more you can do with your uke. To go to the next level, you will want to try fingerpicking, also referred to as fingerstyle ukulele.  Check out my book “Mastering Fingerstyle Ukulele” for the complete ukulele fingerpicking method.

Beginners guide to fingerpicking ukulele

Fingerpicking on the ukulele and guitar are very similar except for having only 4 instead of 6 strings. The other factor to remember is if you have a standard tuning ukulele with high G, C, E and A or a low G 4th string. Having a low or high G doesn’t change the fingerstyle approach. We will use the same technique either way.

We should recognize that most ukulele music is written with the right hand doing the fingerpicking. Of course, lefties are out there but notated ukulele music is written and generally referred to with the right hand doing the picking. Therefore, if you are a lefty, then reverse the diagrams and patterns.

Right-Hand Fingering

Before we begin our practice, let’s go over a few basics. First off, learn how to identify your fingers with this diagram:

Keep your wrist elevated an inch or two above the body of the ukulele:

This right hand typically stays on a 45-degree angle to the 1st string. This allows the fingers to move freely without hitting the thumb.

So, these few pointers give you a general technique for fingerpicking on the ukulele. There will always be exceptions, but this will give you a fundamental approach to fingerstyle playing. 

Let’s have a closer look at the two main techniques.

Ukulele Technique One – Alternating Thumb

In the first technique, we will use an alternating thumb on the 3rd and 4th strings. Use your index finger on the 2nd and middle finger on the 1st string. This approach is more suitable for strumming chords. Keep your fingers in the 45-degree position with the thumb  on the 4th string:

Then alternate with your thumb moving to the third string:

Exercise 1 – Thumb Finger Strum

Keep your thumb on the 3rd string and strum the C chord with the nail side of your 1st finger. You can try this approach with any chord you like, so run through some different chords until you are comfortable. 

Exercise 2 – Thumb Down Up Finger Strum

The next exercise is pretty much the same, except you go down and up with your index finger on the eighth notes.

Exercises 3 and 4 – Alternating Thumb

Now we will alternate the thumb on the 3rd and 4th string. This is a widespread technique heard on guitar and called alternate bass. I call it alternating thumb, as the 4th string is higher in standard ukulele tuning. Still, the method works quite well on both instruments. 

Exercise 3 uses all quarter notes, while exercise 4 goes between the quarter and eighth note down/up strums. Again, go through different chords and chord progressions. 

Exercise 5 – Thumb Double Pluck

In exercise 5, you will now use your index and middle finger together. Another essential technique to master ukulele fingerstyle. Here, you will alternate between the thumb and double plucking the 1st and 2nd strings. Practice the thumb double pluck on one chord at a time, then try to play the whole chord progression below:

Remember to review the basic right-hand fingerpicking techniques above while you go through all the exercises. 

If you want to try fingerpicking now, check out this video of Falling Slowly from the movie Once. Play part three in this ukulele ensemble piece. You can purchase the sheet music with the full score and parts at Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct.

Travis Picking on the Ukulele

You likely have heard of this technique from guitar players, but it works great on the uke too! Merle Travis developed a guitar style of using an alternating bass and plucking the melody notes in a syncopated eight-note rhythm. If you haven’t heard of this, you will recognize it immediately as it is used in many styles of guitar playing. 

We will try four different examples of Travis picking in this lesson. There are many variations, but let’s focus on these for now.

Travis Picking Exercise #1

A steady alternating thumb pattern is at the heart of all these Travis fingerpicking exercises. You will see the thumb plays on the main beats of the 4/4 rhythm. That is the thumb lands on beats 1, 2, 3 and 4. Pay attention to the quarter note on the first beat on fingerpicking patterns 1 and 3. Play the eighth notes with a steady rhythm and follow the right-hand fingering carefully. 

Also, take notice of the “pinch” in pattern 4. A pinch is when you play notes with the thumb and fingers at the same time. 

Banjo Rolls on the Ukulele

The next two patterns will also sound familiar for accompaniment. Banjo players have been using these patterns for years for a good reason. These patterns provide a steady rhythm with an asymmetrical accent. You will see the 4/4 bar has been divided into three groups: 123, 123, 12. This accenting provides forward movement and good rhythmic interaction with another instrument, such as a guitar.  

Make sure to follow the fingering, start slow and gradually increase the speed. 

Fingerpicking Patterns in 3/4 and 6/8 Time

The following six patterns will combine double plucking and alternating thumb. Though 3/4 and 6/8 are similar, notice the accent in 3/4 time is on the first beat, while in 6/8, the accent is on the first and third beat.

Practice the proper accents with a metronome or tap the pulse with your foot. 

Need more fingerstyle practice?  Try to play along with Only Time by Enya.  You can purchase the sheet music with the full score and parts at Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct.

Alright, we have covered the main fingerpicking patterns used on the ukulele, but we aren’t entirely done yet. Let’s have a quick look at using more of a classical guitar approach to fingerstyle.

Technique Two – Fixed Thumb

Some patterns you learned in the alternating thumb can also be played with a fixed thumb approach. Your index is on the third, your middle is on the second, and your ring finger (a) stays on the first string. That means that your thumb stays on the fourth string. I say stays but of course, even in this fixed technique, the fingers occasionally more to different strings. Still, you can use this technique as a starting point for fingerpicking on ukulele.

Pattern One and Two – Fixed Thumb

Remember to place your fingers on a 45-degree angle, keep the wrist elevated an in or two, and pull the fingers in towards the palm of your hand.   As mentioned earlier, this technique is taken directly from the standard classical guitar approach.

Place your fingers on the 45-degree angle placing the thumb on the 4th string and a finger on each consecutive string.

In pattern one, run down the exercise from strings four to one with a quarter note, then faster with an eighth note pattern.

Pattern two is similar but reverses the finger order.  Start with the thumb and work through the rest of the notes:

Ukulele Patterns Three and Four

The subsequent two patterns use a good combination of fingers and a good warm-up to get all the fingers moving. Follow the fingering closely and keep an even eighth-note rhythm. Both patterns work well for accompanying and solo ukulele fingerstyle pieces.  

Alright, let’s move on to our final two patterns.

Ukulele Patterns Five and Six

The last two patterns use the pinch, where you simultaneously play notes with the thumb and fingers. Always try to play the pinched notes at the same time and avoid having a clip-clop of notes with a different attack. Keep the eighth notes even and experiment with different accents for variety.

And there you have it! You should have a good grasp of ukulele fingerstyle playing now. Search for ukulele fingerpicking music and, most importantly, apply the patterns to songs from your repertoire. Work on the exercises and persevere until the patterns are firmly in your fingers. Good Luck! 

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