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ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > beginner question - chords requiring a lot of pressure |
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| beginner question - chords requiring a lot of pressure | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Fri Jun 19th, 2009 02:18 pm |
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1st Post |
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medicalmission Approved
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I just bought a new uke, i have never played before to play chords that require pressure on several strings such as f major, it seems that the pressure required is outrageous. I have the strings on the uke that came from the factory. they seem to be just plain monofilament. it the problem the ukulele ( it is a Famous brand, made in japan, costs about 250$) is the bridge too high? is it the strings themselves ? should I buy different strings. are they too high on the pegs? or is it just a cheap uke? or is it just my technique? thanks
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| Posted: Fri Jun 19th, 2009 03:18 pm |
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2nd Post |
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Will Approved 
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medicalmission wrote: I just bought a new uke, i have never played before to play chords that require pressure on several strings such as f major, it seems that the pressure required is outrageous. I have the strings on the uke that came from the factory. they seem to be just plain monofilament. it the problem the ukulele ( it is a Famous brand, made in japan, costs about 250$) is the bridge too high? is it the strings themselves ? should I buy different strings. are they too high on the pegs? or is it just a cheap uke? or is it just my technique? It could be both. First, have your instrument properly set-up by a local musical instrument shop (by a luthier, who specializes in acoustic stringed instruments, rather than your local guitar superstore). Ideally, the string action (the distance required to move the strings down to the fret wires) should be optimized so that they are low enough to be relatively easy to play without undue pressure, but not so low that they touch other fret wires causing them to buzz. Second, developing good hand technique will minimize hand fatigue: 1. When you hold the uke neck in your fretting hand, the neck should lie across the bottom of your palm rather than the middle. This will leave your more finger length available to fret the chords. 2. When you fret the chords, try to keep you fingers pointing straight down on the strings, instead of lying flat across the strings; this will allow only your fingertips to touch the correct strings and it maximizes your leverage while minimizing effort. Keep the pad of your thumb at the back of the neck, otherwise, your fingers will have nothing to push against. 3. Fret the strings just behind the fret wire without being on top of the fret wire. If you fret too far from the fret wire, it will take more effort. 4. Relax your hand and arm as much as possible. Tense muscles lead to rapid fatigue. 5. A common mistake of beginners is to use too much pressure and force. Use only the minimum amount of fingertip pressure to get a clean fretted note without string buzz. 6. If hand fatigue sets in, or your fingertips are sore, stop playing, rest, and then practice again later. Keep your initial practice sessions short (20 to 30 minutes). Last edited on Fri Jun 19th, 2009 03:34 pm by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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| Posted: Fri Jun 19th, 2009 11:13 pm |
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3rd Post |
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leakydesk Approved 
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I agree with everything Will said. I would, however, put a little more emphasis on the set up. I would bet dollars to donughts (not the deal it used to be) that your action is way too high. The "action" is the distance between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string. It should be very small. Most people I know measure it with a feeler guage (for spark plugs) but I don't know what the gap "should" be. Maybe someone else does. You asked if the bridge was too high and my guess is it is, but the saddle--which is the white piece under the strings at the top of the neck just behind the first fret--is probably where the problem is. You can do it yourself if you are a little handy and if you mess up it's cheap to replace but you should be able to find someone that can set it up for you. I agree with Will about the guitar superstore but finding a luthier may be a little difficult so I would suggest finding a used instrument shop. A mom-and-pop. I'm sure they would be able to help you and may not even charge you. When I got my first "real" uke (Bushman Jenny) the action was way high and my local guy told me it would $20 to lower the action on it. Once he got in his hands he was all happy and fixed some other little things and ended up not charging me at all. The moral here is it shouldn't cost a whole lot. I'm talking way too much here but my worry is you have such a lousy experience these first few weeks and it turns you off the instrument.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 20th, 2009 10:30 am |
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4th Post |
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Ken Gee Approved
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I wouldn't disagree with anything Will and LD have said, but I'd like to add one point. No matter how big and strong your fingers might be you will need to get them used to fretting strings. I can remember how hard barre cords were at first. My fingers seemed weak and useless. And yet there were children with tiny fingers who could play them! So it's partly a matter of getting your muscles accustomed to a new form of exercise.
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