In the examples below the picture...

brackets [ ] mean to pick the strings together at the same time.

po means to finger the note, pluck the string, then immediately pull-off your finger from the string.

ho means to pluck the string open, then immediately hammer-on your finger onto the string as hard as you can.

So, get your uke, fret the yellow dots, and try some of the blues moves below.

Click here to listen to the examples below (LoFi MP3)

Example 1...

• [I M R] - T - [I M R] -- I use this all the time, really thump hard with your thumb...it's what gives my recordings that raunchy thunkyness.

Example 2...

• T - I - [M R] -- I This is the root pattern of most of my picking. Try alternating it with the first pattern for really cool blues finger picking!

Example 3...

• T - [I M R] - hoI - [M R] - hoI - T -- Now things are really starting to sound cool!

Example 4...

• [I M R] - T - [I M R] - hoT - [ I M R]  -- I'm giving up all my good stuff!

Example 5...

• hoI - T - I - [ po R M blue dots] - T - [ M I red dots, start low slide up twice] -- Now you've got my best stuff!