#1
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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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----------------------------------- Creator of The Parlando Project Guitars: 20th Century Seagull S6-12, S6 Folk, Seagull M6; '00 Guild JF30-12, '01 Martin 00-15, '16 Martin 000-17, '07 Parkwood PW510, Epiphone Biscuit resonator, Merlin Dulcimer, and various electric guitars, basses.... |
#2
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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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#3
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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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Barry Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}: My SoundCloud page Some steel strings, some nylon. |
#4
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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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#5
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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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#6
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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 |
#7
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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. |
#8
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Quote:
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#9
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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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#10
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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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'59 Gibson J-45 "Spot" '21 Gibson LG-2 - 50's Reissue '94 Taylor 710 '18 Martin 000-17E "Willie" ‘23 Taylor AD12e-SB '22 Taylor GTe Blacktop '15 Martin 000X1AE https://pandora.app.link/ysqc6ey22hb |
#11
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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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2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa |
#12
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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 . . . |
#13
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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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Play it Pretty |
#14
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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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2007 Indiana Scout 2018 Indiana Madison Quilt Elite 2018 Takamine GJ72CE 12-String 2019 Takamine GD93 2022 Takamine GJ72CE 6-String 2022 Cort GA-QF CBB 1963 Gibson SG 2016 Kala uke Dean A style mandolin. (Year unknown) Lotus L80 (1984ish) Plus a few lower end I have had for years |
#15
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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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