Module: Technique & Control
Learn a steady fingerpicking pattern and tone control.
Lesson objectives
Strumming treats all four strings as one unit. Fingerpicking separates them - each finger plays one string, so you can build melody and rhythm at the same time. The key is consistency: the same finger always plays the same string.
The standard assignment is p-i-m-a. Each letter stands for the Spanish name of the finger: pulgar (thumb), índice (index), medio (middle), anular (ring). Here's how they map to the ukulele strings in standard GCEA tuning:
Hold a C chord and pick each string in order from low to high: G (thumb), C (index), E (middle), A (ring finger). That's it. One cycle, four notes, four fingers. Do it again. Keep going.
The goal for now is not speed. It's consistency - making sure the same finger goes to the same string every time, and that each note sounds clear and even in volume. Speed comes from repetition, not from trying to move fast.
Most beginners use the flesh of the fingertip. That's fine. Players who want a brighter tone grow the nail on their picking fingers and strike with the nail edge. Either works - pick one and stay consistent for now.
Once you can do four clean repetitions on C without looking at your right hand, switch to Am. Same pattern: G-C-E-A in order, one string per finger.
The chord change is a left-hand problem. Keep your right hand moving in the same rhythm even during the chord change - the pattern doesn't pause.
Alternate between C and Am, four picks per chord. Hold each chord for the full four picks before switching. Start slow enough that you can hear each note clearly. Build to a tempo where the pattern feels automatic - then you're ready for more complex patterns.
Next up: Fingerpicking Patterns: Rolls, Alternation, and Pinch - putting multiple patterns into practice.
