Ukulele Lesson - Reggae Strumming

[nashcarter97]

For those who don't know to mute you just lightly have your fingers on the string and strum, if you push it makes the chord.

[LinezYourGodFather]

How did you mute the strings??????????

[kateto85]

luv it!

[chotiyav]

Thks for teaching!!

[TheUkulelePanda31]

@robertprpic01 ssddssdd, for a double strum i think. With a swing rhythm , so dotted crochet, then a quaver.

[klb2000000]

How much does a ukulele costs ? I usually play electric guitar but a ukulele looks so fun. And you can take it with you everywhere. Please answer me soon because I'm considering buying one.

[lasvacas2007]

great lesson... thanks!

[wcpom]

Why do you mute with your left hand fingers, rather than palm mute with the right?

[Enemiesarelovers]

God bless you, ukulele man.

[BtB10011]

It hurts my fingers when i try to strum

[megathugmaster3000]

My uke is so out of tune :( Im doing the strumming & the right frets but it sounds like shit. fml

[louskeezi]

@megathugmaster3000 A good way to tune it without a tuner is to first of all tune your 1st string(A) to whatever tone you want. Then play the second string(E) 5th fret and the first string open and they should match tones. Once that's good, play the 3rd string(C) 4th fret and the second string open...tune the C string to match the 2nd string open. Finally play the 4th string(G) 2nd fret and the A...tune the G accordingly until it matches when you press the 2nd fret and it should sound good.

[saturnv3]

@megathugmaster3000 Uhm. Tune it?

[Shewolfen]

@megathugmaster3000 if you are using an inexpensive uke and the open strings are tuned properly, you may have an intonation problem. a common problem seems to be that the nut is too far back from the first fret. you can check this with a chromatic tuner , if the open note is correct but the fretted note is off. an easy fix is to put a 'zero fret' on the instrumet in front of the nut. temporarily you can put something like a nail or tooth pick in front of the nut under the strings,

[megathugmaster3000]

does not sound as good with my tenor ukulele..

[olz06]

would be nice to see your face.

[han5emn00r]

Good job^^

[bestboitellem]

that sounds dope

[PiccadillyMan]

How do you mute the strings ?

[heymanhaha]

I love this strum!!! playing C is hard.. cuz i have to use my pinkie to mute all 4 strings every strum

[DodgeCompany]

thanks

[madtiger111]

Great lesson!

[mulbuddy]

I have a Kala tenor. got it in kauai for $150 at a music store

[0inkness]

what type / brand of uke is this?

where and how much did you get it? thanks :)

[cyberg00se]

Only it's not at all how real reggae players play reggae. It's a good way to fake it, but sorry, it's not real. It's such a hard style to get it real. Most of us who think we can, can't really do it either. It's no offense. If you ever sit down with real reggae musicians, you'll get that sinking feeling that you're not doing it right. Much like jazz, either you get it or you don't. It's nothing against your playing skills, it's just one of those things.

[OfficeAddict007]

Hey i am debating whether to purchase the Concert Uke or the Soprano one. This will be my first Ukulele so i was wondering what you would recommend?

[blkbltkid12]

I have this sprano ukulele. it has nylon strings. Can I switch my strings for the metal string you know the the like what a g-tar has?

[easyukulele]

@b0w13nspac3...Yeah, they can go up in the grands for custom ones!

[heymanhaha]

@b0w13nspac3 wow., I'm jealous. don't complain! :)

[AttackMuffinsAttack]

@b0w13nspac3 That's Awesome Dude! :) I have a question though, what guitars do you have?

[b0w13nspac3]

@AttackMuffinsAttack squire strat and ashton 3 quater acoustic

[danielson2k9]

@b0w13nspac3 480 for a ukulele? fuckin hell haha

[greenshoeYoyo]

@b0w13nspac3 i got a simple good one for just 20 so

[saturnv3]

@b0w13nspac3 than

[DrAter000]

Dude I just got a ukulele in the mail for 50 bucks, and it is pretty small... About twice as small as yours. I cannot play it well because I can't flow with these nylon strings, should I switch to metal strings? Thanks!

[easyukulele]

@DrAter000...You should leave it or buy a bigger ukulele. I prefer a tenor because of the sound and playability. You might wanna invest in a Kala ukulele. Bang for your buck!

[KanakaRootsOfficial]

@easyukulele Lanika is a way better investment!

[KanakaRootsOfficial]

@easyukulele Lanikai****

[mighilly2]

@DrAter000

same here i cant play much

[IAmBound]

@DrAter000 i got a lanikai soprano, and it's great. the small size just takes some getting use to.

[tictacyay]

what kind of ukulele?

[easyukulele]

@tictacyay...Heart and Soul Ukulele Company. It's a small one man company here on Oahu.

[MrHianga]

@tictacyay a wood one



[schoollander]

Does it go: down up ghoststroke up down up ghoststroke up

(4 beats)

[easyukulele]

@schoollander...Yup! For the double strum.

[MrHianga]

@schoollander x x x l1 l1 r2 l1 left right left right left right.and then ul get it mahalo

[lovemyimagination]

this is really great. thanks.

i just started learning to play the ukulele, and im having trouble on how to learn faster.

do you think you could give me some tips on what songs i should try to play first? because i want to be able to play something with some easy chords

much love

[easyukulele]

@lovemyimagination...Thanks!

[ReggaeeLove]

@lovemyimagination Oh, I see your comment already was a year ago. How does it go? If you still have problems, typ in : 4-Chords Songs Tutorial (ukulele) in youtube, if you learn them, you will immediantly learn a few songs with these 4 chords. Ciao!

[12barsoul]

very helpful...thx.

[easyukulele]

@12barsoul...Thanks!

[MrSodaBelly]

by muting u mean scratching right?

[easyukulele]

Scratching?? Muting by using your bottom of your palm on your strumming hand and pressing/releasing the chords on the fretboard with the other hand..

[dephconn24]

im assuming this is standard tuning?

[easyukulele]

You got it...GCEA!

[CAVITYFIGHTER214]

can you sir pls. advice me im planning to buy a ukelele and play reggae music with it what kind of ukelele should i buy the ukelele with a round sound or the one with a sharp sound thanks in advance. salamat po

[nukulele1]

it all depends on the wood, mahogany is very mellow sounding, koa is very bright, then you can have spruce or cedar tops which help with projection and make the instrument brighter and louder sounding, hope this helps

[easyukulele]

Thanks for sharing your info nukulele1! Hope this helps you out cavityfighter214! Happy Playing!

[itsgordonyadigg]

show offf

[easyukulele]

Sorry, my intention was not to show off, but to help people that is interested in the ukulele.

[itsgordonyadigg]

haha it was a joke! your really good

[kingjamessolja]

how do you mute the rest of the strings while you strumming for A....i can only mute the two strings for A when my fingers are on them...what about the bottom two strings..can you explain how you mute the strings that you not using...thanks.

[Rotory2r]

use them pinky mutes.

or jus use the rest of ur fingers not holding down the chord to mute the stings.

hope this helped.

[OliverBurnsMusic]

to you use your fingers or fingernails on the downward strumming?

[easyukulele]

Fingernails on both up and down.

[oskarfeldkatze]

Pyramid symbol on your T-shirt.

The brotherhood is everywhere.Never mind it up-side-down.

Good lesson mate.

[easyukulele]

The "Secret Society" even exists here in Hawaii. Hehe! Thanks for the comments!

[asalistics]

this is wicked

[easyukulele]

Thanks!

[mandostudent]

thanks for all your instructions but this reggae rhythm is tough for me. Could you really slooow it down. I mean real slow. tx

[sirmarksalot]

Yeah that'd help me too. Best tutorial on how to play reggae out there though!

[rj7831]

I did I took your advice and ordered the top of the line strings and now it has a great sound went with the low G just trying to get them to settle in to keep a tune it will take at least a week to get these really broke in then will not have to keep tuning it every 5 minutes and thanks for your advice I never had a ukulele before I play electrics and acoustic guitars and wanted to try something new now to learn the chords like starting all over again next I would like to get a Cigar box guitar.

[easyukulele]

Cool!

[headdbangaa]

does the same technique work on guitar, cus i wanna learn some sublime song and what to know the strumming technique

[easyukulele]

Yup!

[rj7831]

I just bought a concert LANIKAI ukulele it came with nylon strings that really dont sound that great can a set of steel strings be put on here , if not what would be the best strings to use and what tunings do you use they say to go with GCEA

[llx2o1]

steel strings on an uke? wouldn't that hurt your fingers? i used Aquila and it sounds great on mine.

[fictitiousspoon]

Putting steel strings on an Ukulele is generally a bad idea, unless your ukulele has a truss rod in it putting steel strings on it would probably break the neck. Even if it does have a truss rod it still probably wouldn't be a good idea. Just find some nicer nylon strings.

[easyukulele]

My favorite strings in my opinion would be Koolau Golds. AWESOME strings. Another brand would be Aquillas. The only thing that I don't like from Aquilla is that they don't last that long and is expensive. You have to keep on tuning and tuning over and over again even after they're stretched out. The aluminum wound "C" bass string is a lot thinner than the other brands too and needs to be constantly changed. Hope this helps!!

[Fluffets]

U got da kine jammin'-good technique!

[easyukulele]

Thanks!

[melbon1528]

its hard...i dont get it.you make it look easy

[butteryasskris]

it kinda hard dude

[easyukulele]

The whole thing or a certain part?

[wannaplayguitargood]

ahh! i cant do it!

[easyukulele]

Took me some time too. What part are you having difficulty with?

[wannaplayguitargood]

i figured out how to mute them, i just cant strum/mute quick enough for it to sound smooth...

and how would you mute an F, for example, because there are strings in between that your fingers arnt on?

[dakotadyno11]

lay your pinky over all the strings while holding the F chord..

[easyukulele]

U got it!!

[kwcody]

thanks from the florida keys bud

-one love

[easyukulele]

No Probs!!

Aloha!!

[melbon1528]

for the strumming pattern is it just up,down?

[mywhatsaccount]

wow i loev the sound but have no idea what you're doing with your fingers on the frets. i can kind of get it if my fingers are already on the strings, but if my fingers are not on the strings (such as soprano ukulele chord A where I have only 2 fingers on strings) then how do i mute the other strings? i bet in real life you could show me. i just don't see it here??

[easyukulele]

You're gonna mute it with your other fingers. While holding the "A" chord, with your pointer and middle finger, use your ring and pinky to mute between strumming. It also has to do alot with timing the strumming and muting.

Aloha!!

[mywhatsaccount]

ok i will try that. i hope i can get it because i'm lovin that sound..... mmmmm. you make it look so easy!!!

[godofwar852]

got it thanks hawaiian

[easyukulele]

Solid!!

[gibster808]

kkk i get da single but da double is hard still

[easyukulele]

Practice and it'll come. It's just trying to time the beats.

Aloha!!

[KANDAM808]

brah how u strum li dat....ive been tryin fo days already

[easyukulele]

What you having problems with??

[Tigerdyrr]

Try to say ill be back pls.

your voice cracks me up in the start that is terminator all over again 5 for thatxD god im high, peace to ya all man.

[easyukulele]

HAHAHA!! I'll be back!! Some classic stuff!!

Aloha!!

[timmiev08]

i dont get it at all

[easyukulele]

Everything!!?? Sorry!! If there's another way to explain it better, I'll try and help!!

Aloha!

[demon4411]

You make it look easy but damm its harder than it looks. Thanx tho mate :D

[easyukulele]

It took me some time to get it down, some time ago, but eventually got it!! Keep it up and it'll come!!

[demon4411]

Thanks mate!!

[BraddahKawika808]

ai strum with my pointer

[easyukulele]

Solid, that's another good way!!

[Zwoko]

Awesome!

killer reggea strum man!

Will practice it tomorrow :D

Uke on!

[easyukulele]

Thanks!!

[kapua224]

I can't get the rythem down.

I don't know when to put my fingers down or up when doing the single strum

Or when to strum

I'm having the problems wit this for F and A

[easyukulele]

Try to practice just the single and double strum first, while just holding the fret board with your chord holding hand. Hold all the strings with that hand so it'll mute all the strings at once and start with the reggae strum. This will help with the rhythm.

[easyukulele]

After you're comfortable with that, practice your timing between the strum and chord holding hand...pretty much the strum and muffling. It'll take time, but it'll come!!

[BraddahKawika808]

Brah i praticing and i kindda ok with singles

[easyukulele]

Solid!! Keep practicing, going come!!

K-brah!!

[BraddahKawika808]

Mean Reggea Strum buu

[easyukulele]

Mahalos brah!!

[Noold]

On your upstroke are you using your nail? I don't like long nails so I use the back of my thumbnail for upstrokes.

[easyukulele]

Yeah. Use what ever method that you're comfortable with.

Hope this helps!!

[noahstid]

Is this a concert Uke or a Tenor?

[easyukulele]

It's a tenor cutaway.

[abs1775]

how are ukuleles strung compared to guitars?

[easyukulele]

They're both stringed the same way. Either tied down or anchored with a peg to the bridge. Also on the headstock end, they are exactly the same. They are wounded around the tuning pegs.

Hope this helps!!

[abs1775]

i guess i wasnt clear in my original post, but i meant to ask what order are the strings in, because it looks like the strings dont go from biggest to smallest.

[easyukulele]

It's G, C, E, A. The G string is a high G and the C string is a aluminum wound bass string. When buying strings, they'll ask if you want a high G string set or a low G string set. In the low G set, the G string is a aluminum wound bass string too.

[abs1775]

Oh ok, i got it.

[nohea44]

Aloha from Kauai!

Vids been a great help. ANyone doing anything for the Baritone? Jus curious, not many baritone player out there I guess huh?

[easyukulele]

Good question! Really didn't search for any keyword related to "baritone ukulele".

Glad to hear the vids are helping you out!!

Aloha!!

[RasDvore]

Ey Wads dah Uke called with tha Dip in the top bottom side ,Like in dis video .. .??

[PunkPino]

the dip is called a cutaway

it's so you can better reach the higher frets of the ukulele or on a guitar if it's on a guitar

there's no actual name for an uke with a cutaway though

it's just a ukulele with a cutaway

[RasDvore]

Ey Wads dah Uke called with tha Dip in the bottom side .. .??

[fooie7]

hey sole, u really helpin me out! which type a uke u tink i should get?? i want it to be like $30 - 50 range......if dats possible. which type a brand u tink i should get too.. danks fo da help brada!

[nickrocksyoursox2]

my friend gave me a old kinda cruddy uke, what brand do you recommend when get better??

[easyukulele]

What's the price range you want to spend?

[xTheAdamBombx]

awesom vid man. What do you prefer soprano or tenor ukuleles?

[easyukulele]

Thanks!!

Tenor!!

[fherieb]

great video. thanks man

[easyukulele]

Glad to be of help!!

Aloha!!

[haterofthings1647]

really great man. i'm not sure wat kinda uke to get tho... could u help me out?

[easyukulele]

Thanks!!

What price range are you willing to spend?

Aloha,

Kainoa

[joshd108]

nice!! mahalo!

[easyukulele]

Thanks!

[b0d0z3r]

gj. can u post dis as a vid reply to my nothing to hide cover? peeps asking me how to strum um. ur vid tells em how. alojah braddah.

[easyukulele]

Shoots!!

Aloha!!

[Link933]

yesterday i was holding an ukulele and i was kinda "useless". can you tell me what tuning the strings are?

[easyukulele]

It's usually tuned to G, C, E and A.

[sublyme33]

good job braddah, but u should play like a whole reggae song using those tech's

[easyukulele]

Thanks!! Check out my Rockaway video.......I used this strumming technique thru out that song!!

Mahalos again!!

[dub6pimp]

like everybody said, thanks a whole lot man, very helpful, and what a good tutorial

[easyukulele]

Glad it's of help!!

Thanks for the kind feedback!!

Aloha,

Kainoa

[hoosierhiver]

making the world a better place with reggae uke!

[easyukulele]

SWEEETTT...I like that!!:)

[gab3says]

Thanks bro. You really helped me out!! =]

[easyukulele]

Super glad to be of help!!

Happy Playing!!

Kainoa

[lovedauku]

i've been practicing all of your lessons, what a huge improvement i've made so far.. thanks!!

[easyukulele]

I'm super glad to hear that these lessons are of help!! :D

With Aloha,

Kainoa

[AdamuSensei]

thanks for the demo, been wondering how this is done and for some reason could never figure it out. Thanks! Btw, what exactly is Iz doing in "somehwere over the rainbow"? It seems really hard, whatever it is.

[easyukulele]

Thanks!!

Iz actually picks the "C" string and strums the chords in "Somewhere Over The Rainbow".

For example, the song starts in "C". He'll pick the "C" string on an open "C" chord and do a reggae strum with out the muting/muffling (2x) than go to the next chord which is "Em" and pick the 4th fret on the "C" string and strum "Em" (2x) and so forth.

I believe the chords are C, Em, F, C, E7, Am, F, G7...That's only the begining of the song....

Happy Playing!

[supernatural808]

what's your take on the difference between muting w/the individual fingers as opposed to using your pinky to mute everything?

[easyukulele]

It all depends on the chords you're holding and how you hold certain chords.

I find it easier to mute the strings using my individual fingers on bar chords like "B", "C", "D" and "E".

Also, I find it easier to mute the strings with my pinky finger on open chords like "A",

"F" and "G".

But when you hold the chords higher on the fretboard, muting the strings with your individual fingers would be more ideal!!

I find it alot easier!

[jeethar]

I'm just starting to play the ukulele, any suggestions on a good beginner brand that's not too pricey?

[randypanda11]

rogue

[jxblair]

Great job.  Very clear instruction. Thanks.

[easyukulele]

Thanks for the comments!!

Aloha!!

[pookiecatblue]

Very cool! Thanks!

[easyukulele]

Thanks!!

[AntiochKen]

great stumming thank you

[easyukulele]

Thanks for the kind comments!!

Happy Playing!!