• From: Florida
  • Registered: 2011-12-25
  • Posts: 26

Topic: Weird strum

Man, I am having trouble getting my strum'in down .  It seems I have the same action for every song, it's like a bad habit doing th same thing over and over.  I hate the sound of all down strokes,and I don't do that but, but my strum came naturally not trying to do either a up or down stroke, but kinda a roll, like a combination of down up and down.  It sounds good with some songs, but I feel it doesn't on others.  Do I have to do different stroke on different songs?  My stoke I either speed up or slow down to the beat or rythum.  I am new at playing, Oh ya, new at playing the guitar but I love doing it.  Any advise?

! Corinthians 15:1-4
  • Registered: 2006-10-31
  • Posts: 50

Re: Weird strum

You'll start hating me when I again say "Find your own thing" aren't you? I wrote in another thread that I always look if there is some signature strumming in a song (Viva la Vida, First we take Manhattan... of course there are others) and try to build around it... also it helps if you try some 3/4 stuff (Irish Folk works good). And before you know it your hand will memorize different strumming for different types of song... Songs where there is change also are a good exercise (I am thinking of Amrican Pie here, or 99 Red Balloons...)

Keep it up and you'll soon see that whatever you play gets owned by you...

Cheers,

Tom

  • zguitar
  • Don't call me Sir
  • Offline
  • From: Mentone, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-01-10
  • Posts: 1,367

Re: Weird strum

Frustrating huh Sonny? You'll get it. You have to start slow, very slow.

Check out this vid for help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T4_9Bj6sYE

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!
  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Weird strum

Hi Sonny,

Check your e-mail. I have sent you something that might help.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Weird strum

Aside from fretting clean (which I really still don't do that well) getting different strumming patterns down was one of the hardest things I had to do.  I still have issues and tend to revert to "my pattern" when learning new songs until I get the chord changes down.  Lots of good advice from Z and Roger I'm sure.  Keep it up, and you'll get some different patterns going!!  smile  Good luck, and know that it's ... completely normal!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • From: Florida
  • Registered: 2011-12-25
  • Posts: 26

Re: Weird strum

Thanks again Guys, I'll
Keep working on it

! Corinthians 15:1-4
  • From: Northern Wisconsin, USA
  • Registered: 2012-02-01
  • Posts: 28

Re: Weird strum

I know what you mean about figuring out a strum for a song.  I don't have a teacher.  I have a good friend that has been playing for over 45 years that helps me out when I need it.  BUT, I have come to the conclusion that a strum pattern will be different depending on whether you are playing with a group as a rhythm player or you are playing as a solo performer.  A rhythm player gets the beat of a song and keeps that beat as a drummer would; 3/4, 4/4, etc.  In a solo performance, I find it necessary to "sing strum" to the words/melody of the song mixing strums patterns with selective picking of some strings to match the lyrics/melody.  It's taken me a while to figure that out.  COMMENTS????

Keeping It Fun, Dean
'91 Epiphone PR350E
'11 Taylor GC3
'15 Taylor GS Mini/Mahogany
  • From: Chesapeake,VA
  • Registered: 2008-11-12
  • Posts: 332

Re: Weird strum

Welome Sonnya.  I would ask you to consider your strum hand talent just as important as your fret hand, even though the fret hand seems to do all the thinking.  In that way you'll realize you can double your playing ability without learning any new chords if you know what I mean.  Also, you want to be careful not to develop a habit that can potentially make all your songs sound like the same song..more or less.  Try listening to Viva La Vida by Cold Play and imagine how that would be drastically different with another strum pattern.  I think it goes down, down, down, down-up, up, up, up, down-up, down-up.  Just an example where you'll benefit from just the strumming hand.  Good luck!

AccoustikNoyz's Website