Muting
Techniques
Dampening the strings to stop them from ringing, used for rhythmic and percussive effects.
Muting (also called dampening or palm muting) is the technique of stopping the strings from vibrating. On ukulele, you can mute with either hand — the fretting hand by releasing pressure on the strings without lifting off, or the strumming hand by lightly resting the side of your palm on the strings near the bridge.
Strum muting (the "chuck" or "chop") is a signature ukulele sound. Strum down, then immediately press the side of your strumming hand against the strings to create a percussive "chk" sound. This adds rhythmic punch and is essential for reggae, island, and funk styles.
Fret-hand muting involves lifting your fingers just enough to stop the strings vibrating without leaving the strings entirely. This produces a dead, muted tone when strummed and is used between chord changes to create clean, rhythmic separation.
For the "chuck" strum, think of it as one motion: strum and land. Your hand should follow through the strum and land on the strings in a single movement.
Put this into practice with Pocket Uke's free tools