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  #1  
Old 08-09-2020, 09:16 AM
FrankHudson FrankHudson is offline
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Default Strumming isn't strumming isn't strumming, is it?

I thought I'd start this thread after reading yet another "is guitar xx good for strumming" thread.

I'm a failed finger-picker who uses a flat pick most all the time. I actually didn't strum acoustic guitar much in the past couple of decades, preferring to cross-pick arpeggios for the most part. Frankly, that kind of playing uses the acoustic guitar's resources the same way and is meant to sound much like a finger-picker who uses finger-picks.

Earlier this year I went to the last in-person concert at a local venue before Covid-19 and suddenly had a realization after watching three singer-songwriters play. "You know, a strummed acoustic has some uses. Why should I avoid that?"

So, almost like a beginner, I started to strum some. What did I notice? Well, first off, strumming has a lot of different things one can do with one's fretting and pick-holding hand. Where do you voice your chords? Cowboy chords with open strings, barres, capo positions, smaller voicings up the neck on four or fewer strings? And pick attack: lots of pick depth past the string plane (typically with a thinner, more flexible pick) or less pick depth (sometimes with a thicker picks.) Energetic with lots of strumming motion, or slower with more space or sustain filling the space? Damping with either hand? Boom-chuck and similar uses of bass string single notes alternated with fuller chords. Soft lower volume, or strumming so hard the guitar compresses even acoustically?

There's a lot of choices available in strumming--and therefore, deciding what guitar is good (or bad) for strumming depends on what kind of strumming.
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Old 08-09-2020, 09:37 AM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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I'm mainly a flatpicker/strummer. The reason I am, especially performing solo, is that compared to fingerpicks or bare flesh, the flatpick makes the guitar much more useful as a timekeeper. A drum, in other words. To me, that's far and away the most important musical thing.
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Old 08-09-2020, 11:36 AM
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Strumming is big when paired with vocals:

She starts the performance at around 2:30,


And this is a classic intro...

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Old 08-09-2020, 11:41 AM
wguitar wguitar is offline
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My experience have been that strumming is anything but one-size-fits-all guitars, and that strumming is an artful skill unto itself. Some guitars sound best when more lightly strummed, while other flourish with a strong "attack". There is also the strumming style as the OP mentioned. This is all further influenced by size (ie. OO vs OM vs Dread, etc.), as well as tonewood, bracing, brand/maker of guitar, strings, etc. To me this has been the educational wonder of having more than one guitar! With each guitar I have acquired new acoustic horizons have been discovered. Like life in general, guitar playing is a journey! Enjoy ! Cheers!
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Old 08-09-2020, 12:02 PM
mercy mercy is offline
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Sure enjoyed that America song, not so much that Taylor Swift thing. I have been a strummer, rhythm guitar, player most of my life but I saw and met a guy that did fingerstyle in college. He taught me Deep river blues by saying watch what I do. He was no teacher and didnt want to do any more so years went by still strumming. At a point I got a classical guitar and got some classical chops but hated the sound so I got a steel string and learned a few fingerstyle songs. Now Im fingerstyle only but its been a long road. To me I love it all, fingerstyle and strummin, and if someone asked me to play rhythm for them Id sure do it. Sure there are lots of ways to strum.
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Old 08-09-2020, 12:19 PM
stevo58 stevo58 is offline
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If you really want to learn a lot about strumming, take up the 4-string banjo. It’s ALL about strumming.

Steven
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Old 08-09-2020, 12:47 PM
strumbringer strumbringer is offline
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Great post! I see people saying "Guitar X isn't good for strumming, or guitar Y is awesome for it..." (most of the time, Y = dreadnought of some sort).

But honestly, in my reasonable amount of amateur experience, most guitars work for most things. There are some that are at the extreme ends of the spectrum that are one trick ponies, and if that's your trick, awesome! But so far, I find that my favorite guitar to strum... was actually originally conceived of as one oriented towards fingerpicking. Funny how that works out! Personally I tend to shy away from the one-trick ponies since I just want to play what's in my lap. Some of them are brighter, some darker, some fuller, some more articulate... but I wouldn't hesitate to fingerpick or strum any of my guitars.

Last edited by strumbringer; 08-09-2020 at 01:06 PM.
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Old 08-09-2020, 01:00 PM
Chipotle Chipotle is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankHudson View Post
Where do you voice your chords? Cowboy chords with open strings, barres, capo positions, smaller voicings up the neck on four or fewer strings? And pick attack: lots of pick depth past the string plane (typically with a thinner, more flexible pick) or less pick depth (sometimes with a thicker picks.) Energetic with lots of strumming motion, or slower with more space or sustain filling the space? Damping with either hand? Boom-chuck and similar uses of bass string single notes alternated with fuller chords. Soft lower volume, or strumming so hard the guitar compresses even acoustically?
What if every song you play is different? You use pretty much all the techniques listed above, as well as fingerstyle, hybrid picking and other forms of flat picking? All in the same set. Music isn't one-size-fits-all, and yeah, most guitars can handle a lot more than one playing style. Otherwise I'd need to have 10 acoustic guitars at every gig.
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Old 08-09-2020, 01:10 PM
DukeX DukeX is offline
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I play fingerstyle and strum with some flatpicking. I have four acoustics (classical, grand auditorium, OM, 000 slope. I can and do strum them all, but each needs to be "treated" differently...which is a good thing IMO.
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Old 08-09-2020, 01:40 PM
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There are some very lightly built guitars that will not handle being strummed at all. That being said if you adjust your technique to the guitar most guitars can handle strumming and multiple other techniques. My favorite guitars are usually 000 bodies.
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Old 08-09-2020, 01:40 PM
Br1ck Br1ck is offline
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One day I was in a guitar store just screwing around when an older guy came up to me and complemented my playing. I consider myself solidly average, but I have developed a style that complements my singing. He asked if I gave lessons, to witch I replied the store had several outstanding teachers who could teach him a wide variety of styles. He was a beginner.

That got me to thinking how I'd teach a beginner to play like me, so I deconstructed my style, bit by bit. First of all, I'd leave the hybrid picking for later. I hybrid pick a lot, often dragging my middle finger on a pick upstroke. Then, gosh, I throw in a bunch of single note runs both during and between chords. Better leave that for later. Double stop phrases? Leave that for later too. Arpeggios? Not for now.

By now I was having a hard time playing simply, and reconstructing strumming 101. I realized I rarely just strum, and when I do, I use a lot of palm blocking, learned from steel guitar days. I finally did manage to get to root strum a strumma. It was hard. The automatic Travis bass thing is so ingrained. So was the bass run to the next chord. I finally managed to get to the basics I could teach someone.

I realized just how complex my style was, even just sticking to cowboy chords. And then I noticed nobody I hear playing out does what I do. I'm the only hybrid picker I know. It just happened as I got tired of fussing with nails. But the experience tought me that sometimes, a strum is what works for the song. That's a good lesson to know. When less is more.
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Old 08-09-2020, 02:01 PM
cdkrugjr cdkrugjr is offline
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Yul Brenner used to tell the story of Itzhak Perlman, "Itzhak . . play a note for me on your violin."

Perlman did so.

"Now play the same note."

Playing a note, he frowned and said, "Dam you!"

It's Never "just" Anything . . .
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Old 08-09-2020, 02:18 PM
3notes 3notes is offline
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I play with a pick and I too have moved to a lot more strumming. I am just reaching the point where every string of a chord is accessible to me. It gives my music more 'mountains and valleys.' I can go into a chord using the bass notes and exit using the high notes and vice versa. My music is beginning to have a conversation. All through strumming. I've taught myself to do this and frankly, it's been a giant step forward. It's a lot of fun to play this way. It's made me a better player. I should have been doing this years ago.
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Old 08-09-2020, 08:01 PM
rstaight rstaight is offline
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Playing bluegrass rythm guitar keeps the tempo along with the bass.

When playing chords I will different picks depending on what tone I'm after. I will use a .73mm nylon, .98mm Tortex, on 1.5mm nylon thumb pick. Some times I don't use a pick and use my 4 finger nails on the down beat and my thumb nail on the up beat.

As the OP said strumming pattern also plays a role. Johnny Cash's favorite pattern tried to simulate a train. Then you have a boom chucka pattern. Sometimes just a simple 4 down beats per measure speaks wanders.
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Old 08-09-2020, 10:07 PM
Dakotabison Dakotabison is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stevo58 View Post
If you really want to learn a lot about strumming, take up the 4-string banjo. It’s ALL about strumming.

Steven
I have my grandpas four string plectrum banjo and that's just what I'm going to do over the next few months! His picking hand was just a blur when he got going, it used to amaze me.
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