You know a handful of strumming patterns. You know the chords to a song. But when you sit down to play, you freeze — how do you choose a strumming pattern that actually fits?
This is one of the most common sticking points for guitarists who’ve moved past the absolute beginner stage. The answer isn’t random. There are clues in every song that tell you exactly what to do.
Listen to the Drums First
The drum pattern is your biggest clue. The kick drum and snare tell you where the strong beats fall, and the hi-hat tells you the subdivision — straight eighths, shuffle, or 16th notes.
If the hi-hat is playing even eighth notes, your strumming should match that feel. If it’s swinging (shuffle), your strum needs to swing too. Get this wrong and your guitar will fight the drums instead of locking in with them.
Don’t overthink it. Just tap your foot to the song and notice what your foot does naturally. That’s the pulse your strum should follow.
Match the Energy
A big, loud rock song calls for full, aggressive strums hitting all the strings. A quiet verse wants something lighter — maybe just brushing the top four strings, or using a softer pick attack.
Many songs change energy between sections. The verse might use a simple down-down-up pattern while the chorus opens up to full eighth note strumming. Pay attention to the dynamics of the original recording and match them.
Start with the Simplest Pattern That Works
Most songs don’t need a complex strumming pattern. Start with straight downstrokes on the beat. If that sounds right, you might be done. If it feels too stiff, add upstrokes between the down beats. Still not right? Try skipping a strum here or there.
Build up from simple to complex, not the other way around. A lot of players pick an elaborate strumming pattern first and try to force-fit it to the song. That’s backwards.
A Simple Framework for Choosing a Strumming Pattern
Honestly, most popular music fits into one of three basic feels:
Straight rock/pop: Down-up eighth note variations. This covers everything from the Beatles to Taylor Swift. The D-D-U-U-D-U pattern alone works for hundreds of songs in this category.
Shuffle/swing: Same down-up motion, but with uneven timing. Blues, jazz, early rock and roll, country swing. The feel is bouncy rather than straight.
16th note grooves: Faster strumming with muted ghost notes between the chord hits. Funk, R&B, some modern pop. This requires more right-hand control but gives you that tight, rhythmic sound.
Once you identify which of these three feels the song uses, you’ve already narrowed down your options dramatically.
When In Doubt, Use Your Ears
Play along with the recording. Try a pattern. Does it sound right? Does your foot naturally tap to the beat? Does the guitar sit comfortably in the mix, or does it feel like it’s fighting the song?
Trust your ears over any written-out pattern. Your instincts about what “sounds right” are usually correct — you just need to give yourself permission to experiment for a few minutes instead of committing to the first thing you try.
Keep Building Your Pattern Vocabulary
The more patterns you know, the easier it becomes to choose a strumming pattern that fits. If you only know two patterns, you’re trying to fit every song into one of two boxes. If you know ten or fifteen, you’ll usually find one that clicks immediately.
Start with beginner strumming patterns to get your core vocabulary, then explore different guitar strumming styles to expand what you can do.
For the full collection, check out our strumming patterns guide.
