You finally figure out how to play that one ukulele chord that’s giving you all sorts of trouble, but when you strum:
Bzzt!
No matter what you do, playing the chord sounds like fingernails scraping across a chalkboard.
Is this a problem with how you’re strumming? Is it an issue with your fretting hand? Do you just not have the strength yet to play a chord?
Every ukulele player at some point or another has gone to play a ukulele chord just to have the chord sound out with a dead thud. This is such a common challenge every ukulele player has to overcome. Even advanced ukulele players will encounter this problem and have to find a way to fix it.
Fortunately, most buzzing ukulele chords can be fixed with one easy trick.
Watch the video to learn how to fix your buzzing ukulele chords.
Don’t Forget This Last Buzzing Ukulele Chord Consideration
You can fix ninety-nine percent of buzzing ukulele chords with the above solution, however, there are other factors that can cause your ukulele to buzz on you.
For example, cheaper entry-level ukuleles are infamous for buzzing.
This has to do with the quality of craftsmanship. For example, cheaper ukuleles may have metal frets on the fretboard that are uneven or not properly filed down.
Most ukuleles can be taken to a luthier or local music shop who can often perform a “set up” on your ukulele to fix these frets that are catching on the strings, however, sometimes the cost to perform this service is more than the actual ukulele itself! So it may be in your interest to save up for a higher-quality ukulele.
Lastly, strings can buzz if you strum too hard or with too much tension. If you have a heavy hand, it doesn’t hurt to see what a lighter touch does for your tone and sound.
How to Get a Musical Sound From Your Ukulele
It’s one thing to play the right chords, but it’s another thing to sound musical.
When it comes to your strumming and chord technique, there are a variety of factors that impact how musical you sound:
- How you strum the strings
- How you position your fretting hand fingers to prepare for smooth chord changes
- How you adjust your strumming volume to create dynamics and emotion
If you struggle with strumming the ukulele in a musical-sounding way, there’s no better place to start than by joining me in the Strumming Tricks online course where I teach you how to play 20 songs in 7 distinct styles with musicality and expression.
