Strumming woes!!

[rbachman]

I've been playing for a couple years and I'm playing with a band of more experienced musicians.

I'm the rhythm guitar along with my buddy who gets me started on the rhythm and then takes off on leads.

I play a 314CE LTD (imbuia). I am really getting frustrated with my up strum. I get into a groove and then I hit this horrible up strum and then it throws me off. I often get hung up on the E string.

I've experimented with lots of picks and I'm currently using .60mm Fender. If I use a thin pick I find the up srum is less of a problem but I don't like the sound of a thin compared with a .60 pick.

Is this part of my learning curve? Would a dread be more forgiving? I don't want to move to a dread because I love my guitar (the size, feel, and light string).

Any help is appreciated.
Rob

Originally posted by rbachman
I've been playing for a couple years and I'm playing with a band of more experienced musicians.

yeah, BTO!!


practice, baby, practice! You'll get it!

[cpmusic]

It's almost impossible to tell what's happening without watching you play, but from a blind distance my guess (just a guess) would be that you've got a strum that heads down into the soundboard instead of across it. If you've got pick scratches or marks on the treble side of the soundhole, that would reinforce my guess. Watch your hand as you play, and if you find that the back of your hand is facing down toward the floor most of the time, you'll need to adjust so that it faces down only at the top of your stroke. Think of the strum as a little bit of turning a key in a lock, and that might help.

Also, try holding the pick so that the point is angled back a little toward the bridge. This will help ease the pick past the strings.

[semolinapilcher]

My problem used to be that I would play with my arm and not rotate my wrist enough. If anyone has taken any video of your band, it should be easy to spot if you share this problem.

[bnjp]

Originally posted by semolinapilcher
My problem used to be that I would play with my arm and not rotate my wrist enough.

I think that's probably one of the most common strumming problems. Your wrist has alot more mobility than your elbow. A stiff wrist strum usually sound really choppy. I move mostly all wrist and very little forearm.

[rbachman]

Thanks for all your help.

I guess it's just going to take lots and lots of practice. I was playing last night along with my buddy and it was a good night. I was concentrating a lot on the up-strum and it went well (for last night that is !!!).

I have a favorite pick that I got at an America concert about a year ago. I love this thing. It is black with "America" on one side and "Dewey Bunnell" on the other side. It is somewhere bewtween a thin and a light. Very unique material. I don't know what I will do when it goes!!!

I will be very bummed!

[jam]

Originally posted by rbachman
I get into a groove and then I hit this horrible up strum and then it throws me off. I often get hung up on the E string.

Rob, sounds like you have your wrist locked. Loosen up, dude! Less arm and more wrist. Also, a lot of guitarists go through this "louder-and-faster-is-better" phase, especially strummers. I went through it myself. I see it a lot when I work with young guitarists at church. When I say, "play faster", the volume goes up; when I say, "play quieter", they slow down. Try working on speeding up without increasing the volume. I think you'll learn to handle that pick with a bit more finesse and it won't fight you over that e-string.

And, yes, practice!

--jam

[bnjp]

Originally posted by rbachman
I was concentrating a lot on the up-strum and it went well (for last night that is !!!).

I don't concentrate on a down strum or an upstrum. As a matter of fact, I don't really think about it at all. I concentrate on keeping rythm.

This may sound weird, but I like to practice with one of those shaker eggs...you know, that's filled with ball bearings. If you move your hand in the same way you would shake that egg in rythm, it'll help. Try it and see...for me, the way I shake the egg and the way I strum is almost the same. I even saw one of those eggs on the internet that hooks to the back of your hand so you can strum at the same time.

[TNBluegrass]

I'm glad I saw this post. I have the same problem. I have been "Playing" almost 7 months. I have never been able to do an upstroke without hooking a string with my pick or, missing the strings altogether!!!!! The other night I was messing around with an electric that I am going to buy from a friend, and I was playing rhythm to These Thousand Hills by Third Day (contemporary christian) and noticed I was getting the upstroke. I thought, it is because i'm on the electric, so I got my 510ce out and low and behold, I was getting the upstroke on it too. I was so relaxed, and just let my wrist pivot on its own, naturally. However, the next day, and days later, I'm having trouble again. I am not as bad as I once was, but, not as good as that one night. I am trying to concentrate on relaxing more. Sorry for the long post, I don't post much, but, I am around alot. This is a great forum.

Jeff

Taylor 510ce
Fender DG-8 (first guitar)
Epiphone Les Paul LP-100
Fender Acoustisonic Jr. Amp.
Fender Dyna-Touch Deluxe 90 w/DSP Amp.

[semolinapilcher]

One thing that really got me over the hump on this was to practice strumming in '6/8' time. What this forces you to do is to accent on the upstroke in a repetitive, controlled way:

ONE- 2 - 3 -FOUR- 5 - 6

DOWN -up-down-UP -down-up

Over and over and over... wax on, wax off

Originally posted by rbachman
I guess it's just going to take lots and lots of practice. I was concentrating a lot on the up-strum and it went well (for last night that is !!!).

A friend once asked me, on the tee no less, "do you inhale or exhale on your backswing?" TOTALLY threw me off!!

Same with this. Don't try too hard!

Ever try NOT using a pick? I haven't used one for many years and even prefer it on my electric guitar (in a Mark Knopfler kind of way -- dont I wish ). I find I can *feel* the strings/guitar much better -- and more overall control. It's not for everyone and I occasionally run into problems with fingernail wear on my right hand index finger (because of strumming), but it's not really that bad because I combine fingerpicking and strumming.

Even with a pick, I think it's just a question of practice and experience that will help you to eventually overcome it.

Tom

[rbachman]

Thanks for all your help everyone !!!!!

Last night our jamming night went real well. I must be getting to another level.

I was a strummin' away !!!

[jam]

Originally posted by rbachman
I was a strummin' away !!!

Yes! "I love it when a plan comes together!" Don't you just love the small victories?

--jam