Strumming Archives - Riff Ninja

Category Archives for "Strumming"

The Most Popular Strumming Pattern In The World

Is this the most popular strumming pattern in the world? I’ll leave that up to you to decide, but it’s been used in many, many songs.

We’re in 4/4 time, and the strumming is based on 8th notes. Remember that the downstroke is a stronger strum, and upstrokes should use a little less force. This helps build some subtle variation and dynamics into your rhythm playing.

You can use this strumming pattern for fast songs or slow songs, and you can also change it up a little bit with the variations that we discuss in the video.

Here’s a short list of songs that you could use one or both of these strums on – keep in mind they’re all different tempos so you have to match up accordingly:

  • Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison)
  • Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan version)
  • Last Kiss (Pearl Jam version)
  • Let It Be (Beatles)
  • Me and Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin or Waylon Jennings versions)
  • Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
  • Love Me Do (Beatles)
  • 8 Days A Week (Beatles)
  • Yellow Submarine (Beatles)
  • With or Without You (U2)
  • Angel of Harlem (U2)

If you found this short lesson helpful, you might like to checkout my Essentials of Strumming & Rhythm course, because there's a lot more where this came from!

Let me know in the comments below if you recognize this strum pattern from other songs!

Beginner Strumming Patterns for Guitar

In this video we are going to look at some beginner strumming patterns as well as a few tips and tricks for holding the pick correctly. You will need to know (and be comfortable with) four chords – G major, E minor, C major and D major.

When it comes to strumming patterns, you are going to come across many varations for playing a chord progression, but what you have got to get right first is holding the pick. And there many different picks out there as well, coming in different sizes and thickness, that will have an influence on the technique you use.

Also important to know when you’re working out strumming patterns is how to count beats and play in time, and which strokes will fall on the beat and on the ‘offbeat’.

If you’d like to work on your strumming more, I recommend checking out my free e-course on exactly that, which you can find here.

Beginner Strumming Patterns for Guitar:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYIqT4APoCQ

Watch on Youtube

 

Strumming Lesson For Beginners

Here are some tips that will help beginner guitar players with their strumming.

Choosing the right pick is very important when you’re learning to strum. Thin picks, which are often popular with beginners, don’t give much control. Thicker picks give you more control, but also take more getting used to. In the video you’ll see pointers on how to hold your guitar pick, and of course how to use it.

A straight eighth note strum is a great place to start, maybe around 100 beats per minute, or faster if you’re able. Just a nice up down strumming pattern that you can start getting used to the pick and your chords.

If you want to take your strumming to the next level, you’ll definitely want to check this out too.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbrN4a-sXGw

Watch the Strumming Lesson for Beginners on Youtube.

If you enjoy these guitar lessons, please let me know in the comments below!