Forum Replies Created
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Here’s everyone on page 9:
nthibode – I’m so glad you enjoyed the course and well done for picking the harder song – there are some really tricky little sections in this piece which you have handled really well 😊. Your right-hand form looks really good – nice and relaxed and that has helped you achieve a nice smooth and fluid sound. That rhythmic backbeat is coming through nicely on beats 2 and 4 too. Now that you can play it well at this speed you could work on trying to up the speed just a touch as this will just help that backbeat come through even more and create that dance tune feel. Great work though!
laurakarr12 – wow, three days! That sounds more stressful than fun to me 😉. I think given your limited practice time you are progressing really well with this. By playing it at a nice steady speed you have been able to achieve a smooth and consistent rhythm through most of your performance so well done for not rushing it. I would love to have been able to see your technique but from the sound recording alone it definitely sounds like you’re progressing very well.
ccwuke – great work! Your rhythm is good and the whole thing flows really well. I like your right-hand technique too; it looks nice and relaxed. Your hand position is good and your thumb and index finger are correctly doing all of the work. If I was being super picky, I’d suggest trying to extend that index finger flick just a touch more but that’s a tiny thing. This really is excellent over all.
goody2shoes – excellent job! I know the frustration of not having the time to practice as much as you would like. From your performance of the etude I have no doubt you would have smashed St Anne’s Reel, if you’d had the time. Your triple picking technique looks really good. Your hand is nice and relaxed and your excellent technique has allowed you to create that all-important fluid sound. Your speed and accuracy are really impressive too. You still have three days to learn the reel 😉
whollyprofit – well done for persevering with this, I think its sounding really good. I totally get the frustration. I first learnt this technique so I could play Out in the North. I was already pretty competent at standard finger picking techniques so I didn’t think I would have too much trouble. However, when I tried to copy what Tobias was doing, I just didn’t have the muscle memory. It was almost like picking up a uke for the first time! I went through a few ‘what’s the point, I’ll just play my way’ moments but I’m pleased I stuck at it. It’s one of those things that eventually just clicks. I like your right-hand form. It looks nice and relaxed and your movements are very controlled. The whole thing sounds very smooth and fluid. Keep at it 😊
Here’s everyone on page 8:
akukes73 – looks like you’re progressing well with this. It is a really tricky technique but as you have mentioned it will really improve your right-hand dexterity and help with other aspects of your playing too. I can see you have mastered the triple pick sequence so you’re well on your way. From the camera angle of your video it’s difficult to clearly see your technique but it looks like you might need to try and extend the index finger across the strings a bit more (this is surprisingly hard though and probably the most difficult part of the whole technique), which will help you reduce your wrist movement. You could also try to get the single picked notes to ring out just a bit more to help to whole thing sound a little more fluid. Keep working at it though, you’re doing really well 😊
rufio0 – nicely done! I’m loving your right-hand form. Your thumb and forefinger are correctly doing all the work and the movements are wonderfully controlled. I especially like how smooth that index finger flick is 😊. The whole thing sounds really good and I love the sound of that soprano you are playing. I can see how resting the ring finger and pinky on the body of the ukulele has helped you control this technique but if you wanted to try applying this technique to even more challenging pieces such as Out in the North you may find a floating hand position helps. Great work though!
ukulelee – well done, you are progressing really well with this. Playing at a slower speed like this is the best way to learn and to embed good muscle memory so well done for that. You have nailed the triple pick sequence so you’re well on your way. I like your right-hand position but to really unlock the magic of this technique you could concentrate on your index finger a bit more. It stays quite bent throughout and this means you need to employ more wrist/elbow motion to achieve the down strum. If you can concentrate on extending that index finger out across the strings (this is probably the hardest part of the whole technique though as for most of us those muscles aren’t used to being used in that way) you will find that the wrist/elbow simply aren’t needed.
antotonin – Awesome job! This is a REALLY tricky piece to play and I think you smashed it 😊 (glad you enjoyed playing it too – it is really fun isn’t it). Your right-hand position and overall technique are both excellent. I’m really hearing that rhythmic backbeat coming through strongly on beats 2 and 4. Although it probably wasn’t intentional, I really like the way your nails hit the body of the uke after those down strums too. It almost adds a drum effect – super cool!
janett75 – really well done Janet and I’m so glad you’re enjoying this new style. I went through exactly the same thing when I first starting learning this technique. It just felt so foreign that I nearly gave up a few times so well done for persevering. I can see how disciplined you have been with your practice because your right-hand technique is looking really good! That index finger flick is just perfect and all your movements are so lovely and controlled – great work. On to Out in the North next 😉
concan – wow! I am really impressed by this performance, especially considering how long you have been playing. Your right-hand form is just perfect. Your hand looks so relaxed and comfortable with this technique and that has allowed you to play with such fluidity that the final result is absolutely spot on. You have a wonderfully light and consistent attack and the rhythm and flow of your performance are both truly excellent. Great work 😊
coffeemug – this sounds really good, and I’m glad you enjoyed the lesson 😊. You mentioned you intended to flick more and strum less but I wouldn’t say you have achieved the opposite at all. That index finger flick is definitely there and your overall technique looks very good. You do have a bit of wrist movement going on but it’s not a problem. I can see that you were just wanting to give a bit more emphasis to that index down strum to create a bit more a rhythmic feel and that’s absolutely fine. Keep doing what you’re doing!
Here’s everyone on page 7:
bdenham14 – congratulations on your first entry! You’ve done a great job with this. Your thumb and index finger movements are really controlled and you’ve nailed that index finger flick – so much so that you could probably reduce your wrist movement even more, especially on the B melody section. You’re definitely a natural triple picker 😊
lissid – well done, this is really excellent. I can see you have really concentrated on your triple picking form. The wrist is lovely and still, with a slight twisting motion and that index finger flick is doing all the work – just perfect 😊. Are you aware in the A melody section you do a double ‘up pick/pinch’ instead of the index down strum in a couple of places? This looks even harder than just doing an index down strum 😉
newber – this sounds really good. I like the speed you’re playing it at and your triple picking is nice and clean. These two things combine to produce a really nice, smooth and fluid sound. In terms of the technique you could work on trying to reduce the up/down movements from the elbow and wrist. I also noticed your index finger stays quite bent throughout. If you flick the index finger out across the strings you will need to rely less on the elbow and wrist. Whilst its not too much of a problem for this piece if you wanted to apply this technique to harder pieces such as Out in the North a more stationary wrist position will be a big help.
lyndallk – I really enjoyed this 😊. Well done for taking it a bit slower. By doing that you’ve been able to keep a nice consistent rhythm and I’m really hearing that rhythmic back beat coming through on beats 2 and 4. There are some real finger twister sections in this piece too and you’ve handled them well. I arranged the piece and it still took me while to get to grips with some of it! I hope you had fun learning this new technique. Keep up the great work!
gmflin8 – nicely done, I think you’re progressing nicely with this technique. It’s so foreign to how we usually play that it really does take some getting used to – I certainly found that too! I like how controlled your wrist is in the A melody section. Your index finger flicks out nicely, allowing you to keep the wrist nice and still. In the B melody section try not to be tempted to revert to traditional strumming for the chords on beat 1. You should still be able to achieve the desired sound with the index flick. Also, in the B melody section the chords are repeated for two measures, not one as you played them here – it just flows a bit better this way. Keep up the good work though, I like what you’re doing.
pippin105 – you’re doing really well with this, especially for a beginner! Don’t worry about speed. It’s much better to take it slow and play it consistently and accurately than try to play too fast at the expense of quality. You have a really strong basis here for slowly building up speed. To be honest, trying to go too fast is the biggest mistake most people make when learning an instrument so well done for not doing that. Your triple picking is looking good. You’ve got the sequence down and you’re hitting the notes nice and cleanly. To improve on your technique even further I’d suggest a slightly lighter attack with your picking and try bending your wrist so your hand is more parallel to the strings. This will feel strange at first but it really is the key to the whole technique.
rucha11 – this sounds good 😊. Good speed and nice consistent rhythm. You could try to get the single picked notes to ring out a little more. They have a bit of a staccato sound in some places. This will just help it sound a bit more fluid. I’d love to have seen your technique but from the sound recording it definitely sounds like you’re progressing well with this.
lhamilton – this is a really tricky piece so well done for challenging yourself! I arranged it and I still struggle to play it well if I haven’t been practicing it! I think you’re progressing brilliantly with this piece. You are using the triple technique well and I can really hear those index down strums on beats 2 and 4, creating that all important back beat. There are a couple of sections that could sound a bit cleaner, such as the end of the A melody section for example (this is a real finger twister though!) but I really think it’s just a matter of practice and you’ll get there. From what I’m seeing you’re doing everything right – great work 😊
tsetsova – well, based on the context I’m blown away by your performance! To have only been playing since August you should be very proud of what you have achieved. I can clearly see you have paid close attention to the lesson and concentrated on your right-hand technique. Your parallel wrist position and triple picking technique are both truly excellent. Perhaps being a beginner was an advantage to you as you haven’t had to ‘un-learn’ your already embedded right hand technique like a lot of other people trying this technique. Either way, you have absolutely smashed it! Your right-hand dexterity and attack are consistent with that of a much more experienced player! Well done 😊
sdorunga – so, pretty much everything I’ve just written about tsetsova’s performance (feedback above) applies to your performance too. It’s hard to believe you’ve only been playing for two months. You have a wonderfully light attack and impressive finger dexterity that usually only comes with experience. The only small thing I would suggest is perhaps slowing it down slightly to help the co-ordination between your right and left hand. Great work though – well done 😊
Here’s everyone on page 6:
bklynsoul – excellent work! This sounds really good. It has a really good consistent rhythm throughout and that rhythmic strum on beats 1 and 4 comes through really clearly. Your right-hand technique looks really good too and your accuracy is excellent. If I was being super picky I’d suggest just a little less movement from you wrist and a bit more from your index finger but I really am nit-picking – you’ve done a great job.
wongbrown – really nice, smooth performance. Your speed is good and the whole thing flows really well. Your triple picking technique is lovely and clean but I would love to see your right hand slightly more parallel to the strings and less of a strumming motion from your wrist but otherwise you’re doing brilliantly.
rockmyuke – it’s always interesting to watch yourself play. It’s a great learning tool as it really lets you analyse your technique. As you have already noticed there is probably a bit too much ‘strum’ and not enough ‘flick’. This technique is rather counter-intuitive, especially when we’re all so used to traditional strumming techniques. It might help if you try and position your right hand over the sound hole so your fingers make contact with the strings nearer the 14th/15th fret. This will probably feel quite foreign at first but it will help you keep your hand in a more ‘parallel to the strings’ position which should in turn help you flick more and strum less 😊
oldan_ – I think you’ve done an excellent job here, and I also think you’re too hard on yourself! Your right-hand technique looks excellent and the overall sound you have produced is smooth and clean with great flow. It’s surprising how hard it is to change from one triplet sequence to another isn’t it, especially when one sequence is already so embedded. You should find that you are able to interchange between the different sequences easily enough though, once this new sequence is embedded too. I like your right-hand position over the 12th fret and you have a really consistent attack. You may have found this really hard but isn’t it so much more rewarding when you master it 😊
katazumiri – I’m really impressed by this performance. I can see how much work you have put into your right-hand form. That index finger flick is spot on and your overall triple picking technique is excellent. This has allowed you to achieve a really smooth fluid sound. Your speed is good but you could even try practicing it a little faster, just to further increase your right-hand dexterity. Great work 😊
Here’s everyone on page 5:
stianukulele – YES! This is awesome. Great technique and great performance. I can see how comfortable you are using this technique and I think this piece was made to be played on a banjolele – it sounds incredible. Great work all round.
allesyone – really good performance, and congratulations on your first submission! Hopefully this is start of many more to come. I think you’ve done really well with this technique. Considering the speed you are able to play this at it sounds very clean and has a really good sense of rhythm. You are extending the index finger well to produce that ‘flick strum’ sound and your triple picking looks relaxed and comfortable. If I was being really picky I’d like to see your right hand a bit more parallel to the strings but the sound you are producing is excellent so just keep doing what you’re doing 😊
amylilley – you’re making good progress with this piece and this technique. You have got the triple picking sequence down so you’re well on your way. In terms of rhythm you could try playing it all a bit slower. It’s always tempting to play the bits we’re good at faster but then when we come to a section we’re not so proficient at yet we are forced to slow down again and this breaks the rhythm. Try slowing it all down to play it through with a more consistent rhythm then slowly build up speed. Also, you could go back and have another look at the triple picking video and concentrate on your right-hand form. For the index down ‘strum’ you want to extend the finger across the strings whilst keeping the wrist fairly still, rather than a traditional index finger down strum. This is a tough technique though so take it slow, keep at it and good things will come 😊
gstriph – good work, this is coming along nicely. You have got the triple picking sequence down and by playing it at a speed you are comfortable with you have a nice steady rhythm through this piece too. I think your overall right-hand form is looking good. I like the twisting motion of the wrist and the extension of the index finger. It generally all looks very controlled and comfortable. Your wrist gets a bit ‘strummy’ in the B melody section so try and consciously keep it as still as possible and let your index finger do more of the work. This is a tough technique though and I think you’re doing really well (and that new mic sounds really good too 😉)
cauer2 – nicely done! I think it sounds great played at this faster speed. That rhythm really comes through more and it sounds super fun. Despite the increased speed you have still maintained your accuracy to produce a really clean sound. This is also helped by your excellent right (left 😉) hand technique. Your index flick and triple picking looks really smooth and comfortable. Great work.
nikolaaa – congratulations on your first submission! I think you’re doing a great job with this piece. The overall sound is clean, smooth and fluid. I did notice you sped up quite a bit as the piece progressed (this is easily done, especially when recording!). You could try playing with a metronome to help keep a more consistent rhythm. I like how close your thumb and index finger are – it all looks nice and controlled but your wrist is doing too much work. Try and consciously keep the wrist still and achieve the ‘index strum’ by extending the index finger across the strings more.
kittycatlin – this is sounding really good and has a great sense of rhythm and flow all the way through. I like the speed you are playing it at too. Your triple picking is looking good but I’d like to see the wrist staying more still. It’s really hard to think of a strum without moving the wrist but if you can try to consciously keep the wrist still and achieve the index strum solely by extending the index finger across the strings then you will have unlocked the true magic of this technique 😊. You could also try playing with a floating right hand, rather than anchoring the heel of your hand on the body of the ukulele. You may find that this frees your hand a little and allows more of the twisting motion that will help you achieve the index down flick.
brettboy – super cool performances, as always Brett! Your performances have a great sense of rhythm and are really enjoyable to watch. I’m hearing that rhythmic back beat coming through really well in the A melody section, which is helped by the impressive speed you are playing at. Because you diverge from the triple picking technique that back beat is lost a little in the B melody section because you’re not hitting those index down strums on beats 2 and 4. It all still sounds really cool though and those cheeky little rasgueado strums thrown in here and there sound incredible. I LOVE the addition of the baritone version too 😊
debb1985 – great job! I can see how you have tried to reduce the strumming motion of your wrist compared to your first video so well done for that. To refine this technique even further try taking just two measures (8&9 would be good ones) and consciously keep the wrist completely still. A slight twisting of the wrist is fine but try to completely avoid any up and down motion and let all the movement come from the thumb and forefinger. This will feel strange at first but once you can do it with these two measures you will be able to apply it to the entire piece 😊
parparr – nicely done! I like the confidence with which you played this 😊. I would suggest perhaps trying to slow it down just a touch to help give it a bit more of that smooth, rhythmic flow (I noticed you added a couple of extra bars in places too). In terms of technique the alternate thumb/forefinger picking is looking really good. You could try not anchoring your pinky on the body and try to extend the forefinger across the strings a bit more to achieve the ‘strum’ part. This will help you avoid the temptation to move the wrist but great work overall.
Here’s everyone on page 4.
mennloo – Well done for taking this at a pace you are comfortable with. Your timing and rhythm are spot on as a result. You have nailed the ‘index down, thumb down, index up’ sequence but your thumb and forefinger look a little stiff and most of the movement is coming from your wrist. If you can concentrate on keeping the wrist still and extending your forefinger more across the strings you will be able to achieve a more fluid sound. Keep up the great work though!
cncamacho – Good job, especially the B melody section – this sounds very smooth and fluid. The A melody section sounds a little less smooth but you have done well not to try and play this too fast. I would love to have been able to see your technique but from just the sound sample I think you’re definitely heading in the right direction with this.
robinl – I really like the rhythm and tempo you have achieved with this performance. Your accuracy is impressive given the speed you are able to play this at. With only posting a sound recording it’s difficult to comment on your technique. Some of the notes, especially in the A melody section, have a bit of a staccato sound to them so you could try a slightly lighter attack with your picking to try and just brush the strings with your fingers. This will help the notes sustain a bit more a produce a more fluid sound. Excellent work though 😊
ukesilver – Looks like you’ve already given yourself feedback on this one😉. In terms of technique you are right about the wrist strum. It’s really difficult to keep the wrist still and force all of the movement solely from the thumb and forefinger. It feels really foreign at first but this is where the magic of the technique really comes from. Having said that I think you have managed to achieve a really smooth & fluid sound, despite using more of a strum approach so well done overall on your performance – it really does sound excellent!
marianne – Wow, amazing performance and really impressive technique! You have nailed the index finger flick and you look really comfortable using this technique. I can see how relaxed your right hand is and this has allowed you to achieve a really smooth, fluid sound. Your right-hand attack is just perfect too – awesome job 😊
jedart – Well done for challenging yourself with a technique you don’t feel comfortable with. It’s good to keep pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone! I’m pleased you took this one slow as it’s helped you play it nice and cleanly. You have got the ‘index down, thumb down, index up’ sequence sorted so this is half the battle. Your next step is to try and keep your wrist still and allow more of the movement to come from the thumb and forefinger. I’d recommend having a look at the triple picking lesson (in the triplet strum magic course) and practice this technique just on the open E string for now. Force yourself to keep the wrist still and just extend the index finger across the string, followed by the thumb, then reverse the index finger motion to achieve the final ‘up’ pick. Once you can do this comfortably try applying the technique just to the first measure of the etude and build up from there.
lisadmh – It is a really tricky technique but I think you’ve done a great job. It sounds pretty clean to me and has really good rhythm and flow. I absolutely LOVE your little additions too – they sound awesome! Your technique is good and it looks really comfortable for you. To perfect it even more I’d suggest trying to reduce your up/down wrist movement and try extending your index finger more across the strings. This will be easier if you bring your hand up to a slightly more ‘parallel to the strings’ position. Keep up the great work though 😊
debb1985 – I noticed you have re-posted your performance so I won’t comment on this video and tell you what you already know 😉. I’ll leave you feedback on your second performance.
Hi Johanna, I’m glad you’re enjoying the course and I have to say you really have nailed the melodic etude!! The key thing is that it feels natural and I can see from your playing that it totally does. It has that all-important fluid, rhythmic flow and as long as you can achieve that it really doesn’t matter how you get there. The parallel hand position is just to help ensure that the single string picks are nice and clean and don’t catch the strings either side. Sure, your hand isn’t quite as parallel as mine but you are hitting those single strings really cleanly so it doesn’t matter that you are ‘less parallel’.
The same goes for the curled fingers. As these fingers are pretty much redundant with this technique it doesn’t really matter what you do with them – just whatever feels comfortable (for some strange reason fully extended ballerina fingers feel comfortable to me!). Everyone will have slightly different physiology so as long as you’re achieving the desired result (which you totally are) then just go with what feels right. It certainly won’t affect things as you progress with the course and won’t be a disadvantage in any way.
The slightly larger range of movement with your strumming isn’t a problem either. Your hand movements are still very well controlled and the thumb and forefinger are correctly doing most of the work. The hardest part of this piece is controlling the index down strum to just catch two strings at a time and you have totally mastered that!
So, in summary I’m loving what you’re doing! It looks and sounds great so just keep doing what you’re doing. I’d love to see your rendition of Out in the North when you get to that stage 😉
Keep up the great work,
StevenP.s. that Flight Victoria sounds great too – lovely uke 🙂
Thanks so much guys! I’m completely humbled by your comments.
@rickeymike I think I might have to make ‘upper class man extraordinaire’ my new title 🙂Thanks for your support Nathalie. I’m super excited about where my ukulele journey is going but I will very much miss entering the monthly challenges with you guys 🙁
I’ll still enjoy watching all your awesome performances though!
@kanae926 Thanks so much for your lovely comment, and for checking out my YouTube!! Glad you spotted the T-shirt 🙂 There are lots of other Movie T-shirts on display throughout the course. Working out the movie could be like a side challenge to learning the triple strum!!
@gmflin8 Glad you liked the shaka – it’s a bit cheesy I know but I like it 🙂
@juliel I’m thrilled you’ve jumped straight into the course! I hope it’s going well but if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to ask 🙂Great performance @rebeca. You totally nailed it!
First person to post a video this month too!!! 👍🤙😀@miztaken What do you make of your Moonbird? I have considered treating myself to one as they seem amazing! There’s nowhere locally I can try one though and they are quite expensive (though still good value compared to the K brands I think) for an impulse intrnet purchase!! What size to you have?
I’m a big fan of Living Water strings. The tone they produce is excellent and I find they have the most consistent intonation on whatever uke I put them on too.
In terms of tension tough I have found that the same set of strings can feel as though they have different tension on different ukes. I don’t know why – assuming it’s just to do with the build of the instrument.
You could try a set of Anuenue clear water strings. These are designed to be lower tension so they may give you that feel you’re after. I tried a set and they were noticeably ‘floppier’ 🙂