Published:
2019-07-10
Updated:
2024-11-14

Learning Ukulele with Curt

Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style, 2nd Edition

Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style, 2nd Edition is an new expanded edition which focuses on the alternating thumb fingerpicking style through a series of graduated lessons-chapters incorporating your index and middle fingers with the alternating thumb.

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Code: UKEFP01v2

Main Category: Fingerpicking Main Instrument: Ukulele

24 June 2026

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Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style, 2nd Edition

Product Info

  • Product Code: UKEFP01v2
  • Author(s): Curt Sheller
  • Publisher(s):
  • Published: 10 July 2019
  • Updated: 14 November 2024
  • ISBN-13: 978-1-60321-091-1
  • Size*: Book ANSI A (8.5 x 11 in), PDF A4 (210 x 297 mm)
  • Pages: 104
  • Hard Copy Price: $19.95
  • PDF Price: $9.00

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Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style, 2nd Edition is an new expanded edition which focuses on the alternating thumb fingerpicking style through a series of graduated lessons-chapters incorporating your index and middle fingers with the alternating thumb.

For ukulele, it's common to employ a hybrid approach that incorporates elements of fingerpicking with strumming techniques. Fingerpicking can be organized into two styles: An alternating thumb style that uses the thumb and two fingers. And, the Traditional classical fingerstyle that uses the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers. Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style focuses on the alternating thumb fingerpicking style through a series of graduated lessons-chapters incorporating your index and middle fingers with the alternating thumb.

Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style focuses on the alternating thumb fingerpicking style through a series of graduated lessons-chapters incorporating your index and middle fingers with the alternating thumb.

For ukulele, it's common to employ a hybrid approach that incorporates elements of fingerpicking with strumming techniques. Fingerpicking can be organized into two styles: An alternating thumb style that uses the thumb and two fingers. And, the Traditional classical fingerstyle that uses the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers. Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style focuses on the alternating thumb fingerpicking style through a series of graduated lessons-chapters incorporating your index and middle fingers with the alternating thumb.

Table of Contents

Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style, 2nd Edition

  • Chapter 1 – Building the Foundation • The Basics
  • Chapter 2 – Thumb and One Finger • Level 1
  • Chapter 3 – Thumb and One Finger • Level 2
  • Chapter 4 – Thumb and One Finger • Level 3
  • Chapter 5 – Thumb and One Finger • Level 4
  • Chapter 6 – Thumb and One Finger • The Middle Finger
  • Chapter 7 – Thumb and Two Fingers • Level 2
  • Chapter 8 – Thumb and Two Fingers • Level 3
  • Chapter 9 – Thumb and Two Fingers • Level 4
  • Chapter 10 – The Pinch
  • Chapter 11 – Rhythmic Variations
  • Chapter 12 – More Rhythmic Variations
  • Chapter 13 – Additional Time Signatures
  • Chapter 14 – Banjo Rolls on Ukulele
  • Chapter 15 – Embellishments
  • Chapter 16 – How to Read TAB
  • Chapter 17 – Extras
  • Chapter 18 – Patterns Summary
  • Chapter 19 – Example Progressions
  • Chapter 20 – Conclusion

Errata

Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style, 2nd Edition

  • 14 November 2024 Updated Chapter 3 with missing T1L2 patterns and missing Standard Music Notation & TAB patterns.
  • 23 January 2024 (Jan 23, 2024, 4:22:06PM GMT) – New updated version with missing pattern for T1L3 and T3L3 patterns and a few more tweaks.
  • 5 April 2022Errata File Created
  • 5 April 2022page 26, Pattern 1 should be Pattern 3.
Pattern 3
Alternating Thumb Style Series - Videos

Alternating Thumb Style Series - Videos

Fingerpicking for Ukulele – Alternating Thumb Style videos all in one place. The videos are FREE to view for the months of April and May. After that they are for site members with Premium Site Access only.

Alternating Thumb Style, Additional Practice Material

Alternating Thumb Style, Additional Practice Material

Additional practice material for developing and exploring the possibilities of the alternating thumb on ukulele no found in the book.

Alternating Thumb Style, Additional Time Signatures

Alternating Thumb Style, Additional Time Signatures

The patterns in the previous chapters were all in 4/4, common time with four beats per measure or pattern. The alternating thumb fingerpicking style can be used with additional time signatures.

Alternating Thumb Style, Banjo Rolls on Ukulele

Alternating Thumb Style, Banjo Rolls on Ukulele

Exploring banjo rolls on ukulele. In bluegrass music, a banjo roll or roll is a repeated accompaniment pattern of eighth notes. Each roll pattern is a right hand fingering pattern, which can be played while holding any chord position.

Alternating Thumb Style, Building a Solid Foundation - The Basics

Alternating Thumb Style, Building a Solid Foundation - The Basics

As the subtitle of this Fingerpicking Basics lesson for Ukulele implies, this lesson's focus is on the alternating thumb part of the style. Commonly called Travis Picking on guitar and Scrugg's Style for banjo. For guitar it’s an alternating bass note style with the thumb playing the lower, bass notes.

Alternating Thumb Style, Conclusion

Alternating Thumb Style, Conclusion

Fingerpicking for Ukulele – Alternating Thumb Style explored a lot of material. This style of fingerpicking or fingerstyle be can used in a wide variety of music. It’s a great addition to your music toolbox. A special thanks to my musical mentor Chuck Anderson, Glen Hirabayashi and Jan BroFka-Berends for their contributions to this book.

Alternating Thumb Style, Embellishments

Alternating Thumb Style, Embellishments

Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, and Slides are the most basic embellishments and an integral part of rock, folk, country, bluegrass, and pop music styles.

Alternating Thumb Style, Examples Progressions

Alternating Thumb Style, Examples Progressions

Common progressions can be used after mastering the individual patterns with a single chord and moving on the songs and common chord progressions.

Alternating Thumb Style, More Rhythmic Variations

Alternating Thumb Style, More Rhythmic Variations

More rhythmic variations can be incorporated into this style of fingerpicking, creating a variety of syncopated patterns.

Alternating Thumb Style, Patterns Summary

Alternating Thumb Style, Patterns Summary

Summary of the core Alternating Thumb patterns from the Alternating Thumb Fingerpicking for Ukulele book.

Alternating Thumb Style, Reading TAB

Alternating Thumb Style, Reading TAB

Tablature, or "TAB" for short, is a musical notation system for indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches in the standard music tradition. Tablature is common for fretted stringed instruments such as the lute, vihuela, or guitar. Tablature has been around for centuries and was common during the Renaissance and Baroque eras.

Alternating Thumb Style, Remembering the Patterns

Alternating Thumb Style, Remembering the Patterns

In addition to the individual rhythmic make-up of the pattern which is represented in the Standard Music Notation. Musical direction and the strings can help in remembering the patterns. The string pattern can really help with getting the plucking hand to actually execute the pattern as intended.

Alternating Thumb Style, Rhythmic Variations

Alternating Thumb Style, Rhythmic Variations

Rhythmic variations can be incorporated into this style of fingerpicking, creating a variety of syncopated patterns. All previous patterns were steady in nature, with the thumb alternating and playing on every downbeat. Many of the following patterns are syncopated, creating rhythmic variety.

Alternating Thumb Style, The Pinch

Alternating Thumb Style, The Pinch

All the previous lessons in the "Fingerpicking for Ukulele, Alternating Thumb Style Series" where melodic, single notes only. This lesson introduces The *Pinch, where any one of the thumb/index finger or thumb/middle finger combinations can be played together - harmonically.

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - Level Four

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - Level Four

All the previous lessons in the "Fingerpicking for Ukulele, Alternating Thumb Style Series" where melodic, single notes only. This lesson introduces The *Pinch, where any one of the thumb/index finger or thumb/middle finger combinations can be played together - harmonically.

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - Level One

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - Level One

In this lesson we’re introducing the index finger once to the alternating thumb pattern mastered in the Alternate Thumb Fingerpicking Style - Introduction. There are four possible patterns when adding the index finger once in common or cut time.

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - Level Three

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - Level Three

In this lesson we’re introducing the index finger three times to the alternating thumb pattern mastered in the Alternate Thumb Fingerpicking Style - Introduction. There are three possible patterns in common or cut time.

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - Level Two

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - Level Two

In this lesson we’re introducing the index finger twice to the alternating thumb pattern mastered in the Alternate Thumb Fingerpicking Style - Introduction. There are six possible patterns in common or cut time.ssible variations in this lesson.

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - The Middle Finger

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and One Finger - The Middle Finger

In this lesson we’re reolacing the index finger with the middle finger for the patterns mastered in chapters/lessons two, three and four.

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and Two Fingers - Level Four

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and Two Fingers - Level Four

In this lesson we're introducing the middle finger to the fingerpicking patterns mastered in lesson/chapter five. There's only one pattern in common or cut time. this pattern is demonstarted on the four possible string orders.

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and Two Fingers - Level Three

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and Two Fingers - Level Three

In this lesson we're introducing the middle finger to the fingerpicking patterns mastered in lesson/chapter four. There's three patterns in common or cut time.

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and Two Fingers - Level Two

Alternating Thumb Style, Thumb and Two Fingers - Level Two

In this lesson we’re introducing the middle finger to the fingerpicking patterns mastered in chapter/lessons four. There are six possible patterns in common or cut time.

Fingerpicking on `Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style

Fingerpicking on `Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style

There are two common styles of fingerpicking on ukulele. This series of lessons explores the Alternating Thumb Style. A future series will explore the Thumb and three finger style, the traditional p i m a classical guitar style that we’ll adapt to ukulele.