Well hellooo there Undergroundlings! Here we go again, with another quick ukulele tip – this time on UKE MINUTES, Aldrine addresses a question that we’ve been getting a lot lately … “So how, exactly, do you do that ‘CHUNK’ thing??”
Check it out. The chunking technique is used to add a percussive sound to your strum; basically the equivalent of clapping, using your strings. To chunk, strum down using three or four fingers of your right hand, then immediately dampen the strings with the side of your thumb (while your thumb is pointed towards the ground). If done quickly and correctly, you should get a nice, juicy “CHUNK” sound.
Remember, chunking doesn’t take a lot of force. You should be able to create a fairly clean chunk sound with minimal effort, so don’t try to hit your ukulele hard (and definitely DON’T dig into the strings on the down strum). Take the time to experiment with this and you’ll be chunking like a pro in no time!
If you have any other questions, do yourself a solid and hit up the ridiculously awesome people in the UU Forum (seriously, some of them are famed for their awesomeness). Thanks bunches to all you ukers a-commin’ up in the world. We love ya lots!
-UU Staff
What Should I Learn Next?
“3 Finger Chunk”
“How to Figure Out Strumming Patterns 1″