# Fingerpicking question (ukulele, specifically) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerpicking-question-ukulele-specifically/798567 "2017-10-11T13:41:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerpicking-question-ukulele-specifically/798567/1 "2017-10-11T13:41:48Z")
Hey folks. I’ve been (tortuously) teaching myself some simple tabbed music for my ukulele and am having a problem. I hope I have the vocabulary to ask this correctly, so please bear with me. When I am picking the same string repeatedly but changing the fretted note, I cannot make the transition sound smooth. [Here is a f’instance.](http://ukulelehunt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/SloopJohnB.pdf) As you can see, on the fourth and fifth note of the song I have to quickly go from a C to a B. I cannot do this without making it sound as if I’ve rudely cut off the C. I can kind of make it work by doing a “pull off” maneuver, but this is extremely difficult, maybe because of how far up (down?) the fretboard I am? If this is the best solution then I guess I’m stuck with strengthening my fingers until I can do it reliably. I have similar problems any time I have to pluck the same string repeatedly, even if it’s the same note. Any kind of contact with the already vibrating string seems to result in unhappy sounds. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerpicking-question-ukulele-specifically/798567/2 "2017-10-11T13:46:36Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > I can kind of make it work by doing a “pull off” maneuver, but this is extremely difficult, maybe because of how far up the fretboard I am? If this is the best solution then I guess I’m stuck with strengthening my fingers until I can do it reliably. I’m not a ukulele player, but that slur in the music notation usually does indicate that you should play it as a pull-off. (Or possibly as a slide from the top note to the other. In general notation, a slur means to smoothly connect two notes.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerpicking-question-ukulele-specifically/798567/3 "2017-10-11T15:27:54Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m not a ukulele player, but that slur in the music notation usually does indicate that you should play it as a pull-off. (Or possibly as a slide from the top note to the other. In general notation, a slur means to smoothly connect two notes.) That’s helpful - I only really know piano and voice notation. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerpicking-question-ukulele-specifically/798567/4 "2017-10-12T03:20:07Z")
I’m not sure what position your fingers are in but I simply hold my index and middle fingers on the 2nd fret 1st and 3rd strings and my ring finger on the 3rd fret 2nd string like I’m fretting a G chord and pull off 3 to 2 with my pinkie and it seems to work. When I do the pull-off I pluck the string with my pinkie pulling it in towards my palm. The only finger that’s moving in the first 6 or so bars is my pinkie either fretting or pulling off. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerpicking-question-ukulele-specifically/798567/5 "2017-10-12T07:13:53Z")
Guitar player here. I’d read it as a slide or pull-off. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerpicking-question-ukulele-specifically/798567/6 "2017-10-12T12:10:40Z")
> [@mack](#): > > I’m not sure what position your fingers are in but I simply hold my index and middle fingers on the 2nd fret 1st and 3rd strings and my ring finger on the 3rd fret 2nd string like I’m fretting a G chord and pull off 3 to 2 with my pinkie and it seems to work. So the way I was initially doing the pull off was by fretting a G chord, like you said, but moving my ring finger down to the 1st string for the pull off. This was working OK, but then I watched the accompanying video on the website and saw that he was using his pinky as you described. This is definitely a better method in terms of efficiency, but my pinky is in no way strong enough yet to do the pull off consistently. I’ll just have to work at it.