Topic: strum pattern question
Why isn't a strum pattern simply part of the tab? Do I just do what sounds right? I can read the tab and play the chords but it never sounds quite right. Thanks for any advice.
Re: strum pattern question
Welcome to Chordie Anubiscross!!!!!!
This subject has been in my kitchen since I started playing. I, like many others, am not blessed with a musical ear. I cannot listen to a song a feel out the rhythm. "Why isn't a strum pattern simply part of the tab?" Why indeed!!!!! I feel that the strum pattern is just as important as the chords.
So, if you can't find a lesson on it or someone to show you then, yes, you just need to feel it out.
Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!
3 2011-11-09 07:33:05 (edited by bunbun 2011-11-09 07:35:33)
Re: strum pattern question
Most tabs, if not all, you find in here will not have a strum pattern at the top of the tabs but you can usually get a good indication of the pattern based upon how close the tabs are to one another. this usually indicates the speed of the strum: If you have three of the same tabs close together it is down, up, down in a rapid strum. If you buy music books you may or may not get strum patterns at the top of the music. It usually looks something like this:
/``/``/`/`/``/``/`/`/``/.......etc. It will not tell you to go up or down in your strum but give you the rhythm of the strum. If you are trying to follow the song exactly as it was recorded or written you can follow the strum pattern. Many songs, though, can be played in a manner that fits how you want them to sound.
Hope this helps and I am not too far off base. There are others on here that have much more experience than I and can answer the question better. It often helps to know the tempo of the song.
- Zurf
- Blunt but well meaning moderator
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Re: strum pattern question
Youtube is your friend.
Tabs are put together by well-meaning folks who are working out the chords best they can, in the way that THEY play the song (i.e., not necessarily using the same chords that the original artist plays the song). Given that you haven't the foggiest notion of how the person who worked out the tabs plays the song, a strum pattern may only mislead you from your intended result.
If you want it all handed to you on a silver platter (and there's nothing wrong with wanting that), then you're going to have to put out some money and buy tab books. Those usually have strum patterns, solo tabs, and standard notation. It will help you to learn to read standard notation if your goal is a note-for-note transcription of the original artist.
It's all a matter of managing your expectations for the tools. If you want someone to go through the trouble and spend the time to transcribe an entire song note for note, you need to expect to pay for that. Also, there's the issue of royalties, as the original artist who came up with it deserves some compensation for his work too.
Tabs aren't meant to do that. They're meant to give you a rough idea of one way of banging out that song. One thing I have learned is that when I see in a tab something along the lines of "I guarantee that this is exactly right, precisely the way So-and-so played it", that you're pretty much in for a lot of pain because it's not going to be very similar to how So-and-so played it at all. The person who wrote the tab wasn't lying. To his/her ear, it is the same. The problem is that our brains fill in things for us and put notes in that aren't played, and blend several parts together into one, and fill in all sorts of blanks between instrument to recording to editing to listening to transcribing.
You asked why. There's a couple reasons why. There's probably more.
Again, Youtube is your friend. Type in "Name Of Song Guitar Lesson", and you're likely to get quite a lot of options.
Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
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If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
- bensonp
- Honoured Member
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Re: strum pattern question
Besides learning the chords, strumming correctly is one of the hardest things for a new person to learn. It's hard for some of us old folks as well. Strumming does come naturally over time. You need to know the melody well and really listen to the bass (or the beat) of the song and then try to strum along with that. If you sing along with your playing, thats a plus.
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I have finally found happiness in my life. Guitars, singing, beer and camping. And they all intertwine wonderfully.
I have finally found happiness in my life. Guitars, singing, beer and camping. And they all intertwine wonderfully.
Re: strum pattern question
I found that with strumming your timing (or beat) can not be inturupted for chord changes etc. If you find yourself holding back a little while you are looking for, or planting your next cord, slow the song down to a place where you can make the cord changes within the timing of the song. Then as you master the chord changes, bring the tempo back up to where it should be. Hope this is helpfull.
Keep on pickin"
Wade