String buzzing is an annoying side effect of poor technique (or a poor quality ukulele). Here’s how to fix it.
To find the source of a buzz, a little bit of observation goes a long ways. You have to be able to identify the problem before you can fix it.
This means you need to dramatically slow down what you’re doing for honest assessment.
Playing at this sluggish tempo gives you ample time to fine-tune your technique. It magnifies your efficiencies (or inefficiencies) and makes it easy to see problems in your movement and fretting.
You can learn a ton from playing slower. It forces you to be more precise with your technique AND your timing since there is more space to be off.
Don’t speed up before you can play something perfectly slow. If you’re struggling to keep in time at a slot tempo, learn how to play with a metronome.
Fingering Position
The main component of playing without buzzing is where you place your fingers within the frets.
Keep your fingers cleanly between the fret wires.
Fretting with your finger too far on the bridge side of the fret space can mute the string on the high side of the fret. Fretting too far on the low side of the fret space requires much more pressure to get a clean note.
Of course, as you move up the neck, the frets get skinnier – and your finger larger by comparison. At a certain point, depending on the size of your ukulele and hands, the 2/3 guideline stops working for high frets. If your finger start hanging over the bridge side of the fret when placed at 2/3 position, you should just revert to nestling your finger evenly between the frets.
Finger Pressure
The finger position you use on your ukulele greatly impacts how much finger pressure you need to use.
If you’re pressing 2/3 of the way up in the fret, as in the picture above, you’ll be able to play with the minimal amount of finger pressure: just enough for the note to sound clear.
If you’re NOT using the 2/3 guideline, you’ll have to press harder to make up for the inefficiency. Everything is connected!
Observe the different break angles over the fret you get in these illustrations:
The best connection to the fret – and least amount of buzzing – comes from a steep break angle. This is gained by playing higher in the fret with sufficient pressure – see example #3.
Here’s an exercise to find this happy-medium:
- Touch your finger to the string, but don’t press – so that it is muted
- Begin picking the string repeatedly so you hear a thunk, thunk, thunk
- Keep picking and begin to press down slowly with your fretting finger
- Listen for the first sign of a note and buzzing as the string comes into contact with the fret
- Press through the buzz until the note is crystal clear and continue pushing until your finger is smashed up against the fretboard – pressing too hard
- Keep picking and slowly release your fretting finger, passing back into a slight buzz
- Once you reach that first sign of a buzz, increase your finger pressure a tiny bit to bring the note back to full clarity
This is the amount of pressure you should use for every note. Pushing any harder wastes energy.
Volume
Part of the balancing act is how hard you play the strings and the amount of vibrating space they have.
If you play an ukulele with low action, a string has .09″, .10″, maybe .11″ of wiggle room at the 12th fret. That’s not that much.
The harder you pick, the further the string moves in its arc of vibration. That arc is what causes buzzing – the string hopping on and off the fret wire as it vibrates.
To counteract aggressive strumming or picking, you have to press slightly harder with your fretting finger. Try the above pressure exercise using different right hand attack volumes.
If you play soft, you don’t have to press as hard. But be sure you don’t get stuck pressing overly hard for loud sounds when not needed!
If you pick a string straight down, it mostly vibrates side to side, along the surface of the fretboard. This attack style will lend itself to cleaner playing. Experiment with how you strike the strings with your right hand – especially when picking.
Hand Coordination
Coordination between the left and right hands ensures that your fretting finger is in place for the moment when the string is played. Picking the string before the note is properly fretted will catch either the open string, a muted sound, or a buzz.
If you release your fretting hand and move before you finish the picking motion, you will similarly encounter buzzing or muting.
Study your fretting transitions from note to note at a slow pace. Watch your fretting finger at the moment you pick. Is it settled into its place? Does it move away from the note before the picking motion is complete?
In order to make crisp fretting transitions, you must be confident of where you are going next. Think ahead to where you’re going next.
Don’t try to be a hero. If you’re unable to get from note to note in time, slow the tempo down as you practice. Muddling through every note in a fast passage in a rush to get to the next one sounds bad and also reenforces poor technique!
Part 2: Mechanical Buzzing
A high fret, loose brace, or worn out string will cause your ukulele to buzz, no matter how perfect your technique is. If you’re experiencing noises, but are playing with good technique, check out part 2: