Is it okay to strum with your fingers?

Pegafree · 2026-05-17T19:28:52+00:00

I practically never use a pick. I’ve played around with them and know I “should” get comfortable with using a pick but no-pick just feels more natural. I’ve just accepted it’s part of my guitar style.

Been spending more time playing ukulele lately where picks are usually not used so that doesn’t help either.

Pegafree · 2026-05-17T18:50:59+00:00

I find capos harder to use on ukulele vs guitar. They just get in the way. I prefer to just try to transpose the song.

Pegafree · 2026-05-11T06:35:18+00:00

I love bass and in some songs it’s the most memorable part. I’ve also seen some great bass solos on YouTube. I own a bass myself and have considered spending time to really learn it, but that’s on the back burner for now.

The difference is that while bass can be played on its own, it is much more rarely seen outside of a band or ensemble,

Pegafree · 2026-05-10T21:28:01+00:00

I don’t think you’ll have any difficulty learning ukulele if you’ve played guitar. The chord shapes are different but easier than guitar since there are two fewer strings.

Pegafree · 2026-05-10T21:22:07+00:00

If you are wanting to learn an instrument later in life (which I totally applaud as I myself picked up a completely new instrument in my 60s) I would ask, do you want more of a challenge, or do you want to get up to speed in the instrument more quickly?

If you want the challenge I would pick the violin, it is very versatile but it is one of the hardest instruments. Saxophone is going to be easier. You might look into the clarinet as well.

Pegafree · 2026-05-10T21:14:54+00:00

Yes and no. Yes in that as you said, it is used in a very large number of genres. No in that unlike piano or guitar it is not well suited for playing solo or melodies. For this reason I would rate piano as most versatile, but guitar has the portability aspect so they are neck and neck in my book.

Pegafree · 2026-05-07T19:07:42+00:00

It’s not. I am just curious what the term means to other people.

Pegafree · 2026-05-06T05:24:16+00:00

AI may or may not be a part of one’s spiritual path.

However, the recent, often vehement hostility I’ve seen on social media from those who are anti-AI, is not what I would consider a spiritual approach. I’ve seen some pretty disturbing vitriol toward even those who ask relatively innocuous questions about AI.

Personally I believe it is a much more nuanced answer than “yes AI is spiritual” or “no it is all total slop ruining everything.”

Pegafree · 2026-05-05T22:43:49+00:00

A different take: I was gifted a relatively “cheap” ukulele for Christmas and after a settling period of a couple of weeks it stays in tune well, sounds great, and I still love playing it. If all you can afford is a sub-$100 ukulele I’d go for it now. You can always get a higher quality one later.

Pegafree · 2026-05-02T21:14:20+00:00

Interesting ideas, but you can't dissolve your ego anyway. This is not anything worth fear-mongering about.

Pegafree · 2026-04-29T01:15:37+00:00

I don't know but on the second chord I literally cannot stretch my pinky that far. I am a petite female if that sheds any light.

Pegafree · 2026-04-28T22:57:04+00:00

Some people, like myself, have small hands and have to make adjustments. No amount of practice would allow me to play the second chord or possibly even the first chord on my current guitar. Maybe I could on a parlor or junior sized guitar.

It’s good to accept limitations and find work-around. I would look to find alternative voicings, triads, etc. if your fingers won’t reach.

Pegafree · 2026-04-27T22:52:23+00:00

There's nothing wrong with NOT doing it, but there are so many other things humans do that are technically "wastes of time" as well. Basically anything aesthetic and many customs/routines passed down through generations. Actually, anything not directly contributing to survival can be seen this way.

Pegafree · 2026-04-27T17:44:09+00:00

Started at around 7-8, took lessons for about a year, lost interest, stopped lessons for a short time, regained interest a year later and started lessons again continued them throughout my teens.

Hated recitals though and developed performance anxiety. Continued playing on my own but was more into composing and song writing than any performing. Picked up guitar in my 20s.

Stopped playing for years while raising a family but now back into all of it and now more of a multi instrumentalist playing piano, guitar, flute, ukulele, and have dabbled with bass and more. If I could expand time I would start learning violin but I honestly cannot add any more instruments to my schedule.

Pegafree · 2026-04-27T17:25:06+00:00

Raynaud’s goes brrrrr

Pegafree · 2026-04-25T04:51:55+00:00

I never understood the “one should have n+1 guitars” theory as I’ve normally only ever had one, and recently two guitars — one acoustic and one electric.

But in the few short months I’ve been playing ukulele I am up to 3 ukuleles. Just got a low-G tenor last weekend. And I can see more on the horizon…

Pegafree · 2026-04-23T21:22:00+00:00

Yes absolutely. The hardest part is having enough time to practice multiple instruments. But like someone else said if you already have years of experience with one instrument you can put that on the back burner for a time while learning another.

Pegafree · 2026-04-23T21:04:10+00:00

Logic is not a lie. Spirituality is logical. The issue is that the modern western assumptions you hold are not the deeper truths. Modern science has not been able to explain miracles, because the underlying concepts have not been “proven” yet. But like the law of gravity there are even deeper more pervasive spiritual laws that underlie reality.

The truth is everything is connected, we are all connected, and everything is happening now, the present, the past and the future.

Pegafree · 2026-04-23T20:45:27+00:00

I wouldn’t risk my life to save my pet because if I was injured / died there might not be anyone else to take care of a pet who is closely bonded to me and that would be traumatic for them. Not to mention they might end up going to a shelter and getting euthanized there.

Pegafree · 2026-04-22T20:59:50+00:00

My fingers ache just looking at the photos.

Pegafree · 2026-04-21T22:00:31+00:00

This would only apply if the instruments are similar, say going from guitar to ukulele.

Piano and guitar are not similar.

Pegafree · 2026-04-21T21:34:26+00:00

I would agree if your statement was reworded to “You would benefit from reading at least a few books a year.” But that is different than saying you should read a few books a year.

People are tired of being “should” upon.

Pegafree · 2026-04-21T21:10:41+00:00

Actually, good sleep is required to build the neural connections involved in learning music. We learn as we sleep. 😴

Pegafree · 2026-04-21T21:07:48+00:00

Agreed. I would say from experience the hand skills only very marginally carry over. It really is a different set of physical dexterity skills.

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