Top, inside, outside, inside. Top, inside, outside, inside.
There is nothing new under the sun. This is a common fingerstyle pattern for ukulele, as well as three finger banjo or guitar (but that’s another blog or two). It is also known as Travis picking. I am just offering a different angle at showing you how to play it.
In the video I am not counting out the time or beats proper. I use words as a shortcut to playing music in a cool, badass way.
Pay particular attention as to which right hand fingers are to pluck which string. RIGHT HAND fingering explained..
T = Thumb, I = Index Finger, M = Middle Finger, A = Ring Finger
So.. what are the beats we’re playing?
Follow along with the video. I use a lot of repetition. YOU will use a LOT of repetition. Dozens or even hundreds of reps are not uncommon in learning a new technique or pattern or section or song. Don’t be intimidated by those numbers, though. When you practice this way results come within minutes. The more uninterrupted the reps, the faster the results, and the more badass you become. I promise.
Practice this as slowly as it takes and speed it up only when you are comfortable.
If you have questions just comment to this post. I will do my best to help you along.
Now, kick some ass…
[BTW, as promised.. here is the TAB for that Ring of Fire riff demonstrated in the video.
ukulelesecrets 
March 27th, 2011 at 7:11 pm
After fifteen minutes of practice I had to go look into the mirror to make sure… yep, more badass already.
Thanks!
March 27th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
That’s one sweet little roll! I would love to see the tab for “Ring of Fire” that you mentioned in the video. Thanks a bajillion!
Clare
March 28th, 2011 at 2:53 am
and here ya go
March 27th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
This is very nice and helpful, but you seem to have different fingers used in the blog than in the video. Thanks!
March 27th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Holy crap! You are so right. I will fix that right away. Thank you!
March 27th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
Connor – I felt a tremor in the force
Clare – Thanks, I will write up a tab just for you
March 27th, 2011 at 11:08 pm
Why not just use “one finger per string”, always using T on 4, I on 3, M on 2 and A on 1? And unless you already fixed it, what is written is what I see you playing.
March 28th, 2011 at 2:05 am
Thank you! You may certainly use “one finger per string”. In fact, that is so engrained in my own head that I accidentally posted fingering just for that. I recommend it for most fingerstyle, especially campnela, as you might see in pretty much most of my videos on youtube.
However, my approach to this particular pattern is more from a guitar or banjo player’s perspective using the thumb to play an alternating bassline . The mechanics of it make more sense to me and I can play it slowly or as fast as I want. This is an offering of that approach.
March 28th, 2011 at 2:45 am
Thanks for your response. Do you think it would make a difference in the way it sounds. Played guitar 40 years ago and not very well and don’t play banjo (banjo uke only). So is the thumb the only digit that can play an alternating baseline, the mechanics that makes more sense to you?
March 28th, 2011 at 2:58 am
It could make a difference, Bonita. For me, it makes it easier to use sensitive dynamics. With my thumb playing on the 1 and 2 downbeats, I can emphasize the 1 beat and soften the 2 beat for a nice effect. I hope that makes sense.
I just sat and tried it the “one finger per string” way and I just have to say do what works for you, although you may have more fun with the alternating thumb. =)
March 31st, 2011 at 9:29 pm
This is immensely helpful. I’ve been practicing this for a bit this evening; I’m glad to be learning some different finger styles and strumming early on, where I can learn on both hands and diversify. I’d love to see more videos on fingering / strumming. Actually, even the the tabs break it down pretty well…
Time to dive into the site!
April 2nd, 2011 at 6:03 pm
Thanks so much. Very helpful. I will be looking forward to your blog posts.
April 11th, 2011 at 8:39 am
I spent the last week ingraining that pattern cause it sounds badass when played really fast. Thanks. Watch a movie – if nobody’s home – and repeat for two hours, then watch another.
Bonita, if I may, I would recommend learning all four right away (if you’re pretty serious) because it’s way easier to switch to three fingers later than it is to learn a whole new finger later.
Still, some songs (as Tim said) are better for three fingers, especially when it’s alternating thumb every second note (like it is here). Here, for example, the thumb is playing those two first notes with an empty beat in between, so it’s essentially thumb every other beat, which makes it really rhythmic.
More complicated songs (especially campanella like Tim said) I find are way smother if one finger is ‘dedicated’ to a specific string.
Tim, this site is filling in my gap every week of waiting for Al to post something I want to learn. Badass indeed. Thanks!
April 11th, 2011 at 10:49 pm
Alec – That is exactly how I burn in patterns. Watching TV. I don’t use too much thought but instead let the kinesthetic memory burn in. Especially if it is complicated.
Thanks for the comments. I totally agree. When playing a certain song or type of music I let the situation dictate how many right hand fingers I use. When I worked up Larry O’Gaff to top speed I changed my right hand fingering several times as I flushed out inefficiencies. It was a true case study. And I had to watch a lot of TV
April 20th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
This is a great lesson and a great site. Thank you so much! I am finding that practicing this with a metronome really helps. I practice it at one speed until it’s comfortable, take a break, pet the cat, and come back and turn it up one notch at a time. If I only increase the speed one notch each time (about 4bpm) I find that it keeps me from speeding up too fast and getting tangled.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Yes, pepamahina, that is a great way to practice. Keep it up!
May 7th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Great website, loving the lessons and the super sleek style on an iPad. Will be a favorite.
May 18th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Just found this over on UU. Thanks for this. The problem I’ve been having with most tutorials is they just show the pattern. That’s probably good enough for most, but I need to see it actually used in a song, to see how it works in chord changes. Again, thanks.
May 28th, 2011 at 2:14 am
Holy holy holy holy crap. THANK YOU!!! I feel like I’ve seen the light. I’ve been stumbling around not knowing how to start moving beyond strumming, and well, I’m so grateful I found this!
August 9th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Great tutorial! I took a break from practicing the ukelele for a year while I focused on learning Hawaiian Slack Key. In slack key, the recommended style is to use the four fingers to pick the six strings. For me, that fits right in with four fingers on the uke. Mahalo (thank you)!
November 16th, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Just found you on UTube today. What took me so long?
“When the student’s ready, the teacher appears”
Mahalo
be well
Kona don
January 16th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
thank you- very clear instruction, quite helpful!
November 12th, 2012 at 9:11 pm
Sweet and simple… A major move forward on fingering/strumming for me, a nubie. Much thanks!
January 22nd, 2013 at 10:57 am
Thanks. Good one.
September 26th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Very good info. Lucky me I came across your blog by chance (stumbleupon).
I’ve saved it for later!
October 15th, 2014 at 5:57 am
Thanks for this. I love it and can now do it pretty fast. What I cant see though is the chord you are changing to when you are playing fast. It goes from G to C to G to ??. This is about 4 mins 40 seconds in. Please enlighten me!!
October 15th, 2014 at 7:20 am
Thanks and congrats. That would be a D chord. G C G D, or 1 4 1 5 progression. Have fun!
October 15th, 2014 at 8:24 am
Thanks – I have been playing a D – just sounds different – must be my playing!!
April 30th, 2015 at 8:01 am
Looks like it will be very helpful.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:58 pm
It’s really nice. Thanks.