There are two common styles of fingerpicking on ukulele. This series of lessons explores the Alternating Thumb Style. A future series will explore the Thumb and three finger style. The classic p i m a classical guitar style that we'll adapt to ukulele.

Alternating Thumb Fingerpicking Style - This is a common thumb and two finger strumming style utilizing the thumb, index and middle fingers. Commonly called “Travis” picking in the guitar world. This series of lessons explores and adaptes this style to ukulele. Travis Picking is a fingerstyle made famous by Merle Travis. This style is commonly played on steel string acoustic guitars. Pattern picking is the use of "preset right-hand pattern[s]" while fingerpicking, with the left hand fingering standard chords.

The Thumb's Role

• Alternating Thumb Foundation - drills for mastering the alternating thumb part of this fingerpicking style.

Incorporating the Index Finger

Explore ALL the possible combinations of strings and the thumb and index finger combination.

• Lessons One, Two, Three, and Four introduce the index finger to the pattern mastered in the Alternating Thumb Foundation lesson.

Incorporating the Middle Finger

Adding the middle finger to lessons1,2,3, and 4, Explore ALL the possible combinations of the thumb, index and middle finger combination.

• Lessons Five, Six, and Seven builds on the techniques master in the primer and introduce the index finger.

The “Pinch”

• “The Pinch” - introducing a harmonic element to the patterns explored in the previous lessons.

Variations and Exploring Beyond the Basics

Using the principles and rhythmic syllables from Chuck Anderson's Modular Phonetic Rhythm System a wide variety of patterns are possible. From six rhythmic syllables will can get 72 possible patterns.

• Lesson Nine - “Beyond the Basics” - exploring rhythmic variations.
• Lesson Ten - “Beyond the Basics” - exploring even more rhythmic variations.
• Lesson Eleven - “Playing in 3/4 Time”
• Lesson Twelve - “Banjo Rolls on Ukulele”
• Lesson Thirteen - “Using embellishments: Hammer-ons, Pull-off, and Slides”