• Registered: 2010-01-17
  • Posts: 2

Topic: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

Hello everybody,

picked myself a guitar and started to teach myself using youtube and justinguitar.
Came upon this site which is a fantastic source of information also.

I do have a question though, how come song chords and lyrics do not come with the strumming patterns for the particular song?

It should not take much to add that little extra that is vital to play.
Maybe it's a dumb question or maybe it has been discussed already but I had to ask.

thanks,
Gabriel

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

Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

Welcome to the forum gabriel999 -- yeah, it's been discussed a lot.  I guess the best answer to that which I've found is because everyone plays differently.  The reason you don't find strumming patterns with the chords here on this site is because Chordie actually works like a search engine pulling the tabs and chords from different websites... so when you find lyrics and chords here, they were not created by any one person or persons directly FOR this site... they are found all over the web on different sites... searched and indexed here to be easy to get to all in one place.  If you have questions about strum patterns for specific songs however, the people that visit this forum are really fantastic, and if you ask, they will likely take a listen to the songs on youtube and let you know what they would use as a pattern to get the same... or similar... result!  smile

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

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  • Registered: 2010-01-17
  • Posts: 2

Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

sounds good.
Thanks

  • zguitar
  • Don't call me Sir
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  • From: Mentone, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-01-10
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Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

Welcome Gabe,

I use Youtube as my go to resource for learning. Therea are lots of videos out there by very good teachers. They cover more than you can get by looking at a single page. Just put in "guitar lesson" or "how to play guitar" with the song title.






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  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

"Strumming pattern" doesn't really have any musical meaning.    Rhythm, tempo, and dynamics do.  Chord charts (and tablature in general) don't have a good way to describe those things.

That is, for any given rhythm, there are usually a couple of ways you can strum it.   Understanding how standard notation describes rhythm is a great thing to know, as it can accurately describe the rhythm that the song needs.  It's up to you as a musician to come up with a strumming pattern that matches that.

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6 Reply by NELA (edited by NELA 2010-01-18 17:37:31)

  • NELA
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  • Registered: 2007-11-28
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Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

What Jerome, said. Listen to the song and hear the rhythm. Have you ever listened to a song and started keeping time by tapping your foot on the floor or your finger on a table? If so, you've got the strum pattern. Listen to the "beat" and count to yourself as you keep time. The count (in 4/4 time) could be 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1....... this would be a down / up strum (1 = down - & = up) or it could be 1  2 & 3 & 4 & 1....  or some such pattern that you hear (feel). You can usually fit a couple of different patterns into any song like Jerome said. Once you believe you "hear" the beat you begin practicing your srtuming. If you are using the songs w/chords that are found here on chordie you can practice your counting while looking and the sheet. (remember, sometimes the chords are not in the right location but over time you will begin to reconize this) Listening to the song, counting the "beats" and developing the "pattern"  is just as important as practicing chords and scales. If you cannot do this you can't begin to play. My best time to practice strum patterns is while driving and listening to a CD or the radio.

Nela

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  • zguitar
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Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

NELA wrote:

Listening to the song, counting the "beats" and developing the "pattern"  is just as important as practicing chords and scales. If you cannot do this you can't begin to play. Nela

Nela, I disagree with this statement if you are talking about just playing songs. I don't play guitar, I play songs. (Zurf has explained the diff before) So scales and developing patterns doesn't rank all that high on my list. I'll admit I have put together a pattern or two by watching diff videos to get 1 that suited me, but just listening and picking it up, doesn't work for me. I know I've posted on this same subject a few times. Some of us just are talented enough, don't have an ear for it, or aren't learned enough to "feel" things out. I need to be shown how to do it. Besides, a single guitar can't emulate an entire band, so if I'm lacking the "feel" gene then my version won't sound like I want it to. Some of us just need to be handed these things on a silver platter in order to attain what we want. We do appreciate all that you veterans do for us. Without you there would be a few less guitars being strummed.


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8 Reply by NELA (edited by NELA 2010-01-20 01:18:16)

  • NELA
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Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

zguitar, each and every one of us has their own opinion and I'll stand behind mine as I'm sure you will yours. Just to give you some insite on my ability I was 54 years old when I started playing guitar. I am now 58 years old. I've had several guitar instructors, some good and some bad, but due to my work restrictions (constant traveling) I am self taught. I do not have a ear for music and it is hard for me to determine the key. I can tell if I'm close but that don't mean I am "spot on". I don't sing, that's my wife's job. and we have to work real hard just to get things right. Since I don't play lead we are dependant upon me setting the rhythm / tempo of a song with my playing. I'm not typing this just to argue as I respect your opinion just as you respect mine. My way works for me. I always have a pick in my pocket, on the console of my truck or somewhere close by. As I'm listening to the radio (CD) while driving I strum along to the song. I'm not trying to play the song I'm trying to establish the rythem / tempo of the song. This works for me and I practice it each and every day.

I'm lucky enough to be included in a group of people who play music twice each month. My wife and I have between 50 and 75 songs that we have practiced to where we are able to proform 2 to 4 songs each time we play (to a crowd of 40 to 5o people). I play rhythm, I've practice and practiced and practiced struming to songs without having a guitar in my hands that it's become second nature. I can play on stage with this group of people for 4 hours and keep up the rhythm even on songs I do not know. Anyway - this works for me.

Nela

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  • zguitar
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Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

Sorry Gabe 4 hijacking your post.


Nela,

I think it's awesome that you are giggin after being self taught. Whatever works for you keep doiing it. I hope I'm that good when I hit 4 years. I've only been at it for a little over a year now. Self taught also. Actually, not SELF taught, I steal songs from youtube.

I guess it struck me funny when you said "if you cannot do this you can't begin to play". I play and I cannot do this. That was my point. I do strum along to songs when I'm driving just like you, but I can't put that to work with a guitar in my hand. Things don't sound like I want them to. I too don't have an ear for music and the only keys I know are the ones I use to start my truck or get in the front door.

Anyway, we all have diff ways of doing it. The important thing is that we are doing it and keeping music alive.


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  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

zguitar wrote:

Actually, not SELF taught, I steal songs from youtube.

That counts. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
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  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
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Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

zguitar wrote:

Sorry Gabe 4 hijacking your post.


Nela,

I think it's awesome that you are giggin after being self taught. Whatever works for you keep doiing it. I hope I'm that good when I hit 4 years. I've only been at it for a little over a year now. Self taught also. Actually, not SELF taught, I steal songs from youtube.

Well, if what you want is to just play songs, then you probably won't need it.  But I think what you're going to find is that playing purely by rote is going to get boring real quick, and you'll find you've plateaued, and need some place to grow.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

  • Zurf
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Re: chords and strumming patterns on the same page

While I think that's true Jerome, everyone has to get to that place by their own path. 

For me, it was a necessity.  I've played a fair number of instruments before guitar: trumpet in an orchestra, trombone in a Dixieland band and a playhouse, tuba in a marching band and a brass choir, classical and playhouse orchestra upright bass, electric blues bass, and country/folk style harmonica.  I learned each of those through the classical method of learning notes and scales and reading music (actually, not reading music on the blues bass, that was the listening to Magic Sam records variety of learning).  Anyway, when it came to guitar, I had a mental block on learning in the classic style.  I tried over and over again, but failed each time.  The time it stuck, for me, was when I just started to play songs on the guitar and not learn the guitar as an instrument.  Am I progressing more slowly than if I had learned scales, argeggios, and inversions?  Absolutely!  Do I understand theory as applied to guitar?  Not a whit.  Would it help if I did?  You bet, especially for lead licks and playing by ear!  But, in the meanwhile, I'm playing songs and learning that those things are important and working them in here and there.  Eventually, I'll play guitar too.  But for now, playing songs on guitar is good enough.  Slow but steady works for some of us.  It's the same destination, just a different path.   

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude