Strumming lessons?

cruz610 · Post by **cruz610** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 7:35 pm

Anyone know a good way to learn to strum well? IE techniques...I practice all the damn time but I am trained classically and the fingerpicking definitely does not translate into good strumming...I have been working on Stay or Leave for a while now, and just cant seem to get this down...any suggestions?

fatjack · Post by **fatjack** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 7:38 pm

slowly.... listen to the pattern, and then play is slowly...

Tranman66 · Post by **Tranman66** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:15 pm

strum like drumming. that helped me.

onid41 · Post by **onid41** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:30 pm

the way i get strumming down is i just listen to the pattern of the song in my head while im playing...i duno it works for me

sk8r · Post by **sk8r** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:31 pm

Tranman66 wrote:strum like drumming. that helped me.

yea im a drummer first then a guitar player so i think the drumming rhythm helped me alot with strumming especially with dmb songs

mlb1399 · Post by **mlb1399** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:58 pm

Depending on where you are at practice doing some chords doing only downstrokes, then do it only using it upstrokes, then to Down Up Down Up. After you get comfortable doing those patterns, then try doing odd ones like Down(D), Down, Up(U), D, U, D, U and mixing it up doing alternative patterns.

Usaj88 · Post by **Usaj88** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:21 am

for some its easiar to learn to upstruck by starting out going down then up then down, because the concept of strumming just upward seems strange at first but if your coming down then up then down it feels more natural. thats how it was for me atleast.

onid41 · Post by **onid41** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:27 am

i think i strum pretty well..its that alternate picking that gets me

little ants734 · Post by **little ants734** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:41 am

onid41 wrote:i think i strum pretty well..its that alternate picking that gets me

like in The Stone?

Speenis · Post by **Speenis** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 1:21 pm

onid41 wrote:i think i strum pretty well..its that alternate picking that gets me

I can strum and alternate pick pretty well. Down picking is something I need to work on.

dmfollower · Post by **dmfollower** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 3:54 pm

BigSpeen3436 wrote:
onid41 wrote:i think i strum pretty well..its that alternate picking that gets me
I can strum and alternate pick pretty well. Down picking is something I need to work on.

That is my problem as well and its always annoyed me cause people are constantly asking about alternate picking and struming and never "basic" down struming.
*edit*
I usually hit the wrong string if i try and only down-pick, but when i alternate pick i get it right on.

mrjones · Post by **mrjones** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 3:56 pm

my problem it seems like whenever i strum, i strum the same pattern, only the tempo changes. like i basically use jimi lead into chorus strumin for most songs ive noticed

mangold · Post by **mangold** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:43 am

sk8rdude12000 wrote:
Tranman66 wrote:strum like drumming. that helped me.
yea im a drummer first then a guitar player so i think the drumming rhythm helped me alot with strumming especially with dmb songs

it didnt help BK! ahahahahahahahahaha!

i dont worry about the strumming pattern the artist uses unless its very recognizable and specific like, say crash. just work your own out with the beat and throw some mutes in.

mlb1399 · Post by **mlb1399** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 10:20 am

Dave likes to use a lot of bass-treble-treble-bass-treble-treble patterns.

hayter · Post by **hayter** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 3:54 pm

The best advice I ever got on strumming is to keep your hands moving constantly. If you need to miss a beat, then still move your hands but make them miss the string, or mute the chord. Just keep them moving smoothly up and down. I hope this helps.