What's that strumming pattern?

[BobbyMocha]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Have you tried playing along with the recordings?

Not yet. I should though.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by BobbyMocha

Not yet. I should though.

I think it will really help. Back in the day that was the only way to learn a song!

[BFD]

Originally Posted by reeve21

I think it will really help. Back in the day that was the only way to learn a song!

And these days its still an excellent way to get the right feel for a song and to have a legit reality check on how you're doing

[KDepew]

Hey there. This is a question I get a lot from folks. I did a live Q and A on youtube. You might get some direction here. I agree with other folks to relax and have fun with it.
https://youtu.be/QDjbgLUQsbs

I also did one on strum patterns for beginners. You can find that one here:
https://youtu.be/PH1ZvyI-G1k

[BobbyMocha]

Originally Posted by KDepew

Hey there. This is a question I get a lot from folks. I did a live Q and A on youtube. You might get some direction here. I agree with other folks to relax and have fun with it.

https://youtu.be/QDjbgLUQsbs



I also did one on strum patterns for beginners. You can find that one here:

https://youtu.be/PH1ZvyI-G1k

Excellent. Thanks.

[1neeto]

Yep. Once I got out of that “I must strum the song exactly like the artist”, things just got much better. Feel the song, and never stop that strumming hand from going. As long as you don’t change it too much, the song will sound great, with your own special sauce.

In fact, many artists change the strumming a little bit when performing live.

[FwL]

I'm going to play contrarian here and say that the rhythm pattern (therefor the strumming pattern) IS the feel of the song. If you can't nail the strumming pattern you'll never nail the feel of the song.

I don't know why this is one of those areas that guitar players hate to actually look at, analyze and teach to new players. Most people either just kinda get it but don't know how or why or they never quite get it.


.

[perttime]

Originally Posted by FwL

I'm going to play contrarian here and say that the rhythm pattern (therefor the strumming pattern) IS the feel of the song. If you can't nail the strumming pattern you'll never nail the feel of the song.

I don't know why this is one of those areas that guitar players hate to actually look at, analyze and teach to new players. Most people either just kinda get it but don't know how or why or they never quite get it.
.

That could be a different way to look at it - not really contrarian.

Not sure how many here have been actually taught strumming patterns. Not me certainly. Somehow we have picked up some ability in deciding or feeling how strumming works. It isn't really structured in my mind, so it is hard to explain it to somebody else.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by FwL

I'm going to play contrarian here and say that the rhythm pattern (therefor the strumming pattern) IS the feel of the song. If you can't nail the strumming pattern you'll never nail the feel of the song.



I don't know why this is one of those areas that guitar players hate to actually look at, analyze and teach to new players. Most people either just kinda get it but don't know how or why or they never quite get it.





.

I agree with this to some extent, but sometimes you can get too overwhelmed if you try and strum a song exactly like it was recorded. You can modify a strumming patters so it fits you without changing the feel of the song.

[Laughingboy68]

Originally Posted by FwL

I'm going to play contrarian here and say that the rhythm pattern (therefor the strumming pattern) IS the feel of the song. If you can't nail the strumming pattern you'll never nail the feel of the song.

I don't know why this is one of those areas that guitar players hate to actually look at, analyze and teach to new players. Most people either just kinda get it but don't know how or why or they never quite get it.


.

If I were playing the song with a band or on a multitrack recording I might want to reproduce a specific strumming pattern. If I'm playing it as a solo performance my guitar becomes the rhythm section as well and has to give some version of the bass and drums (or other instruments). If I were to just play a "down-up" pattern it will often be less than I need. In many cases, I don't think you can nail the feel of the song by just playing the rhythm guitar part; you need so much more.

[Riverwolf]

I remember at about six months into my guitar journey and laying in bed one morning realizing that I had no rhythm.
I simply had no idea or feel as to how to strum any song.
I was ready to quit.
I purchased justinguitar's strumming course and barely finished the first DVD and it just came to me.
Before I was possessed by D-DU-U-DU, and such. But no more.
My guitar idol if there is such a thing is Neil Young.
Watch his videos, his songs never sound exactly the same but his right arm is an absolute metronome piston.
Whether he is strumming up or down or picking notes or striking no strings at all.
That is the key.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

I remember at about six months into my guitar journey and laying in bed one morning realizing that I had no rhythm.

I simply had no idea or feel as to how to strum any song.

I was ready to quit.

I purchased justinguitar's strumming course and barely finished the first DVD and it just came to me.

Before I was possessed by D-DU-U-DU, and such. But no more.

My guitar idol if there is such a thing is Neil Young.

Watch his videos, his songs never sound exactly the same but his right arm is an absolute metronome piston.

Whether he is strumming up or down or picking notes or striking no strings at all.

That is the key.

When I fort started plying guitar I bought this dvd set named “Gibson Learn And Master Guitar”. It laid a great foundation, and even taught me some music theory. On the strumming session of the course, he said something that stuck with me ever since: “the secret to great strumming is to keep your hand going”. It really laid a great strumming foundation for me.

*edit* love YouTube!

https://youtu.be/yzgMMvepN7Y

[fazool]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

...his right arm is an absolute metronome piston.
Whether he is strumming up or down or picking notes or striking no strings at all.
That is the key.

If I may make one amendment:


that is a key. It was the key for you, but everyone might have a different key.

I always like to challenge absolutes just to say "that's probably a great strategy that works for most people but don't get discouraged if that one isn't the one for you"

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by fazool

If I may make one amendment:


that is a key. It was the key for you, but everyone might have a different key.

I always like to challenge absolutes just to say "that's probably a great strategy that works for most people but don't get discouraged if that one isn't the one for you"

Exactly.
That is why there is no real right or wrong way to do something.
How to play a certain chord.
How to hold a pick, etc...
But in the beginning it is all new, it is rocket science for all of us for awhile.
It was a lightbulb moment for me when I noticed my arm could just keep a steady rhythm with my foot tapping.

Now, having said all that...some songs just sound way better when imitating the original strum pattern/rhythm.

[SteveBurt]

I also struggled with strum patterns, and a guitar teacher who said 'just play what feels right'. Sorry, that's not helpful advice if you don't know what feels right. It wasn't so much the rhythm as the combination of missed strums, dead strums and palm muting, which sounds great if you get it right, but is really hard to figure out.

A different teacher gave exercises with different patterns (and a mix of dead strums and palm muting and so on), and suddenly I could do it; so I think strumming patterns is something that a guitar teacher should be teaching, but often seem reluctant to for some reason. It's a skill, and not everyone finds it an easy one to pick up.