Random Learning Ukulele with Curt Lesson

Lessons

Series

Songs

Books

Workshops

About

Help

Search

Alternating Thumb Style, Banjo Rolls on Ukulele

BluegrassBanjo roll on ukulele.

Published: 11 Mar 2013 Updated: 28 Mar 2020 • Visits: 10 • Code: ULFP117n-CH-14

Category: Fingerpicking • Instrument: Ukulele • Subjects: Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced • Fingerpicking • Strums

Share Alternating Thumb Style, Banjo Rolls on Ukulele on: Bluesky • facebook • twitter (X)

Related LessonAssets

All 4 sample page(s) are viewable on-line.

If you are a registered site member, have verified your email address, and have the correct permissions you can view ALL the pages of this PDF or Samples pages at a larger size using the LearningUkulele.com Online PDF Viewer .

This Download is NOT part of your LearningUkulele.com membership level.

Sign-up for Premium Site Access or Upgrade Your Plan your current access level to download this PDF or your can purchase a copy for download.

After purchasing a PDF , a download link > will be sent to you within 24hrs.

Contact LearningUkulele.com if there are any issues.

Each PDF file is a formatted, high resolution file that prints out great. You'll need a PDF Reader or application capable of viewing PDF files to view the PDF.

NOTE: Download the PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version. As well as additional information not presented on-line.

Members and Active Students need to sign-in to download this lesson's PDF for the complete lesson.

Alternating Thumb Style, Banjo Rolls on Ukulele

Previous lessons covered a lot of material. With all the patterns starting with the thumb on string four and also suggested exploring the patterns starting with the thumb on string three.

You can also start with the index or middle finger. This is a big part of the technique of rolls, very popular on banjo and styles of music such as bluegrass where the banjo is prominent instrument.

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.

Rolls are a core technique on banjo and can be adapted to ukulele. They sound especially cool on a ukulele in the high G, re-entrant 'C' tuning. The re-entrant tuning is a similar setup to the 5-string banjo's tuning with the lowest string not the lowest note.

Additional Content
Available for Premium Site Access Plans Only

Sorry, can't give it ALL away!

This content requires a Premium / Gold Access Plan or enrolled in the Study with Curt - On-line or Private Lesson Program.

To view additional content for this page you'll need to either Sign In or Register or Upgrade to a Premium Site Access Plan.

Login or SignUp to View Content

Guitar

Called "Travis Picking" on Banjo, the Alternating Thumbstyle techniques from this series of lessons and the Fingerpicking for Ukulele, Alternating Thumb Style can be applied to the guitar as well.

As the ukulele has only one set of four adjacent strings, the Guitar has three sets of four adjacent strings. This means the same principles are directly applicable to the guitar. And can be adapted to the guitar's adjacent string sets.

For Guitar the adjacent four strings sets are:

➀ ➁ ➂ ➃
➁ ➂ ➃ ➄
➂ ➃ ➄ ➅

Banjo

Called Scruggs Style on Banjo the Alternating Thumbstyle techniques from this series of lessons and the Fingerpicking for Ukulele, Alternating Thumb Style can be applied.

Sign-IN — it's FREE — to view, un-blur any additional content for this lesson.

Download the PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version. As well as additional information not presented on-line.

End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.

Related Lesson Series

Related Lessons Series for Alternating Thumb Style, Banjo Rolls on Ukulele.

Exploring Fingerpicking Technique on Ukulele

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

The 'Ukulele is typically played with the fingers in a strumming style and finger picking. This series explores the two fingerpicking styles.

Related Books & Charts

Related Books for Alternating Thumb Style, Banjo Rolls on Ukulele.

UKEFP01v2

Fingerpicking for Ukulele - Alternating Thumb Style, 2nd Edition

Updated: 14 Nov 2024

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.

MPRS-FW1

Modular Phonetic Rhythm, The Foundation and Workbook 1

Updated: 08 Dec 2021

Modular Phonetic Rhythm represents a significant advance in the teaching and application of rhythm. Eliminating many inefficient aspects of rhythm education, Modular Phonetic Rhythm streamlines the traditional educational approach, resulting in a reflexive reaction to rhythm.

A Selection of Books & Reference Charts that are recommended for creating a solid foundation with your chosen instrument and music in general.

Books

Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard – C Tuning

Finally, learn the names of the notes of the fingerboard.

Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering

Learn the six fingering principles to navigating the ukulele fingerboard. Fingering is one of the most universal topics.

Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution

Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition.

Ukulele – Reading Music Series – Primer

Learn to read single note melodies in the first/open position is a lot easier than you might think.

Daily Practice Material for the Contemporary Ukulele

An organized collection of daily practice and reference material for the contemporary ukulele player for developing the vocabulary and knowledge necessary for single note playing.

Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.

Reference Charts

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G - G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G – G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

Key Signatures — Circle of Fourths and Fifths – ANSI A & A4 sizes

A handy reference chart of all 15 major and relative minor key signatures. US Letter 8.5 x 11 sized (ANSI-A) , A4

Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.

Site Access Plans for LearningUkulele.com

Forever Access - With Forever Premium Access, you get ALL the benefits of a Premium Access Subscription such as Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources, related assets, and ALL books by Curt as FREE downloads. Pretty much everything on the site, and NEVER worry about a subscription or surprise payment again. And jump the queue for responding to any questions.

If you're anything like me (Curt) and getting Subscription overloaded with everything and everybody on-line wanting money from you once a month — I'm with you. For like-minded individuals, this forever plan is a pay once, and you're done.

The price for Unlimited Forever access is right around the cost of a few months of private lessons. I can guarantee there is more than enough material on-line to keep you busy for a long, long time. And, you get all of my books for FREE . That alone is more than the cost of this plan.

Premium Access — This premium gives you Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources and related assets. As well as ALL books by Curt Sheller as FREE downloads.

Basic Access — A limited selection of basic lessons — ( currently over 140 ) and 100+ songs for ukulele as well as basic general music reference material — FREE

Simply Register/Signup. HOWEVER – I've been doing ukulele and LearningUkulele.com since 2003 and probably have given too much away already - as reflected in my income from the site in relationship to the time spent on the site. So help support this site and its continued development by signing up for one of the below Premium Access Plans or buy a few of my books. - Thanks, Curt

NOTE: Each higher access level includes ALL the benefits of the lower levels. Private Lessons include all the benefits of a Premium Access Plans as long as you remain a student on the schedule.

Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books! — Peter Rhee

Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the best — Glen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys

Folks, if you haven't stopped by Curt's site, do so right now! ..And get his books, they are fantastic. This guy knows his stuff and is able to pass it along too. — Alan Johnson Proprietor, The 4th Peg

I can highly recommend Curt's Uke books — I have four of them and they are excellent. — fatveg — Portland

Want to drop LearningUkulele.com & Learning Ukulele with Curt a nice comment . We always like to know how we are and you are doing. We'll post any comment, quotes throughout the site and you can help spread the word .

Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!

curtieAnim.gif rw.vg.gif

Original Curtie Animation from 1987 for my first web site on a Macintosh II, 37 years ago. Man, does time fly.

“Built for myself (Curt), and sharing with the `Ukulele community!”

LearningUkulele.com has one of the largest collections of lessons, songs, and TABS, Luthiers, ukulele builders, ukulele festival and club information, and, ukulele links on the web. Curt has been on the ®Internet since the early 1990's and This site just never stops growing!!!

Content is added and updated daily — so check back often. I really do need to get out more ;-)

Love LearningUkulele.com? • Show your support!
Support development via a monthly membership or a one-time forever membership!

Sign-Up Today …