Picks for ukulele

The ukulele is a plucked instrument, so for it, as for its analogues – acoustic or electric guitar, a mediator is used – a plate with a pointed end. It comes in different shapes, unequal thickness, is developed from a large number of materials.

These parameters affect the quality of the sounds extracted with the mediator .

Learn more about ukulele picks

Beginner musicians ask if it is possible to play well with a om pick on a ukulele, or is it better to use fingers. Depending on the shape, material and other parameters, the sound on the instrument turns out to be different – warm or sharp. These effects are reproduced by ukulele picks.

Differences from guitar

The structure and sound of the ukulele differs from the guitar parameters, so each instrument uses its own mediator . When choosing a fixture for a ukulele, you need to consider the following rules:

• picks made of hard materials wear out ukulele strings, so it is advisable to use ebonite, plastic and other softer products;
• a guitar pick is not suitable for a ukulele because it wears out the strings;
• The sound quality depends on the rigidity of the mediator .

Can you play the ukulele with a pick?

The answer is unequivocal – yes . This product has two great benefits:

• extracts sounds from the ukulele that cannot be achieved with fingers . Musicians value the ukulele pick for its ability to produce interesting sound effects;
• makes the melody more varied . This advantage emerges from the first advantage – when playing with a pick , the range of sounds becomes richer. So the musician has more opportunities to create an original composition.

To play the ukulele pick well, you need to develop your own style of performance. Some musicians use their fingers and plectrum (as the accessory is called in another way) at the same time.

It is impossible to say with certainty which pick is best suited for a particular instrument. The musician needs to independently look for a suitable plectrum for himself in terms of rigidity, thickness, material. Sometimes, in order to play a melody, you have to use a special plectrum .

What mediators does our store offer?

We are implementing 1UCT2-100 Cortex thin plectrums from Planet Waves, which are suitable for playing chords . Thanks to precise molding, a dynamic response is formed, and each note sounds crisp, clear, clean, as if bouncing off the string. The material has a tactile feel reminiscent of a tortoise shell, does not damage the strings.

You can pick up thick 1UCT6-100 Cortex picks from the same developer – Planet Waves. They are made from the same material as their slimmer counterparts, but allow you to extract original sounds from the ukulele.

For a beginner, we recommend a set of picks of different thicknesses Schaller 15250000 – from 0.46 to 1.09 mm. Each batch of plectrums – very thin, thin, medium thickness, etc. – is dyed with a specific color. They have polished edges, an optimized finger area, making them comfortable to use; material is nylon. The products are very durable.

For the convenience of the game, celluloid finger picks Alice AP-100M are purchased . They have a variety of bright colors.

How to make a plectrum for a ukulele with your own hands

To create a plectrum yourself from improvised means, you need to prepare:

• felt-tip pen;
• an unnecessary plastic card (a bank card will do);
• stroke shape;
• scissors.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Use a felt-tip pen to circle the shape on a plastic card and cut it out.
2. Wipe uneven edges with paper or a hard cloth. You have to be careful not to overdo it. The movements must be arched so that the future mediator a gets the correct shape.

In size, you can make a small or large plectrum – the main thing is that it is comfortable to hold.

Summing up

A plectrum can be used to play the ukulele . With it, the sounds become richer, brighter and more original. Although the ukulele is a plucked instrument, a plectrum is not suitable for it, which is used for its acoustic counterpart. Ordinary guitar picks ruin ukulele strings. It is important to choose the right plectrum for the instrument, best of all – from “soft” materials: ebonite or nylon.

You can buy the desired option in our store. You can also make a simple pick for a ukulele with your own hands from improvised means – for example, a plastic card. It will sound no worse than factory products and will not ruin the strings.