Faster strumming

I disagree Baldy. I always hold my pick like this:

It's very loose and I have more control of heavy and light strumming. It allows the pick to give a little. With just a nub sticking out my finger would hit the strings and it would always be loud.

You might be over thinking the new strum. It's really no different than what you already know. Like you said, take it slow until you can get it.

Hey to each their own.

Good point re: grip strength though. If you lock the muscles down its tough to move 'em.

Edit: for giggles I went and played a few notes then took a pic of my pick hand. I use WAAAAY less pick than I thought I did...less than either of the pictures above. Interesting.  I'll post em tomorrow from my computer.

I also use 1.5mm gators on my acoustic so if I whacked w that much pick I think the strings would go. No flex at all.

Get a metronome.  It will be your best friend and worst enemy at the same time.  Play the rhythm you want at some moderate to slow speed.  It doesn't matter what it is, but I'm going to use 80 beats per minute (bpm) as an example.  That's a nice slow-to-moderate speed. 

So, play the strum pattern you want EXACTLY RIGHT at that speed.  If you can't get the strum pattern EXACTLY RIGHT at that speed, slow down until you do get it exactly right.  Practice at that speed for as long as it takes for the strum pattern to become second nature.  Then speed up the metronome.  For example, if you started it at 80 bpm, bump it up to 90.  Strum it a few times, and you'll have it exactly right and realize that 90 bpm is ridiculous and why did Zurf ever tell you to bump it up so little.  Then take it to 140 bpm.  It'll stink.  You'll hate it.  You'll want to throw your pick out the window.  Instead, slow it back down to 90 bpm where you have it exactly right.  Get it exactly right a few times at 90 bpm, then bump it to 100, and then 120, and so on. 

The idea isn't to practice it at speed UNTIL you get it right, because you never will.  The idea is to practice it right at as slow of a speed as you have to go to get it right, and then get the speed up.  In other words, practice it so that you can't get it wrong, rather than having to work to get it right. 

I wish I was wise enough to take my own advice.  It's really good.

Don't bust on my grammar or my Gram will come back from the grave, bust my knuckles, and make me conjugate verbs.

Hey everybody...
Been practicing with wrist action, going slow, pick pressure attention, no pick and, yes, even the metronome Zurf... It is starting to come together into a good practice time.  Looking forward to getting better and faster! Thanks everybody!