Quarter notes and eighth notes are the two building blocks behind almost every strumming pattern. Understanding how they relate to each other — and how tempo changes what they sound like — opens up hundreds of rhythmic possibilities.

Tempo Changes Everything

Tempo is the speed of music, measured in beats per minute (BPM). At 120 BPM, you’re playing roughly two beats per second. At 60 BPM, you get one beat per second. This matters because the same note value sounds completely different depending on the tempo.

Quarter notes at 120 BPM sound just as fast as eighth notes at 60 BPM. The actual speed of the strums is identical — the difference is only in how the beats are counted and felt. This trips up a lot of players who think eighth notes are always “fast” and quarter notes are always “slow.”

Quarter Notes: One Strum Per Beat

Quarter notes get one downstroke per beat. In 4/4 time, that’s four downstrokes per bar: 1, 2, 3, 4. Every strum carries equal weight and equal spacing. It’s the most straightforward rhythm on guitar.

At slower tempos (60-80 BPM), quarter note strumming feels laid-back and spacious. At faster tempos (120-160 BPM), those same quarter notes start to drive and push. The pattern is identical — only the speed changes.

Eighth Notes: Two Pulses Per Beat

Eighth notes split each beat into two pulses using a down-up stroke. Count them as: 1-and, 2-and, 3-and, 4-and. The downstroke always falls on the numbered beat, and the upstroke fills in the “and.”

The upstroke is naturally weaker than the downstroke — that’s fine. The volume difference between down and up is what gives eighth note strumming its rhythmic character. Fighting to make them equal just creates tension in your hand.

Combining Quarters and Eighths in One Bar

This is where strumming gets interesting. Instead of playing all quarters or all eighths, mix them within a single bar. One effective pattern: quarter note on beats 1 and 3, eighth notes on beats 2 and 4. Count it as: 1, 2-and, 3, 4-and.

Flip it around and you get a different feel entirely: eighth notes on beats 1 and 2, quarter notes on beats 3 and 4. Count: 1-and, 2-and, 3, 4. Same notes, different placement, completely different groove.

Every possible arrangement of quarters and eighths within a four-beat bar creates a distinct strum pattern. There are hundreds of workable combinations from just these two note values.

Using Strum Changes Between Sections

Songs don’t use the same strum from start to finish. A verse might use quarter note strumming to keep things understated, then the chorus switches to eighth notes to lift the energy. Or the verse alternates quarters and eighths while the chorus goes to straight eighths throughout.

This contrast between sections is one of the simplest ways to make a song feel dynamic. You don’t need to change chords or volume — just switching from quarters to eighths (or vice versa) shifts the whole feel of a section.

Practice the Switch

Pick a chord you’re comfortable with — a G major works well. Play one bar of quarter notes, then one bar of eighth notes, alternating back and forth. Keep the tempo steady with a metronome, drum loop, or foot tap.

Start at whatever speed feels comfortable. If you’re a beginner, slow is better than sloppy. Once the transitions between quarters and eighths are smooth, start experimenting with combination patterns: 1, 2-and, 3, 4-and is a great first one to try.

Speed comes naturally with repetition. Don’t rush it.

Build From Here

Quarter and eighth note combinations are the foundation of strumming. Once these feel natural, you can add triplets, sixteenth notes, and syncopation on top. But without solid control over quarters and eighths, those advanced rhythms won’t have anything to stand on.

For more on building strum patterns, visit the strumming patterns hub. New to strumming? Start with beginner strumming patterns for guitar. Ready to add more texture? See how picking patterns layer bass notes into your rhythms.