# Learning strumming is gonna kill me yet



## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Trying to learn a strum pattern for a song....biggest frustrating moment ever. 

How do you guys get a strumming pattern into your head?


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Practise. 

Also, take a break _before_ you get frustrated. it's gotta be fun or you will quit.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

I'm still enjoying it. Havent got to the put it down stage. Just feels very awkward..lol.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Just takes time. Letting it sit for a while is all part of the process.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Yup. Practice is the only answer. And when your fingers start getting tired, practice some more.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Sometimes, you feel quite dumb while you try as hard as you can to get the thing works. You finally put the idea aside and play something else. In fact, practice should be included in a workup process.
So you left the tune because you did not feel it was coming.
The next day, you take the guitar and gee ! don't know where it comes from but it works much better than yesterday !
Yep ! Practice almost always leave some positive notes even though it may not have sounded good enough.
So no worry, practice makes better... ;-)


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## StratCat (Dec 30, 2013)

Even after 25+ years of playing guitar, when I try something new, I can’t believe how bad I am.

I’ve been listening to a lot of folk and bluegrass lately and am attempting to turn my focus to fingerpicking (after a life time of strumming and soloing...er, noodling actually). And my finger picking, sence of timing, and muscle memory...YIKES!!! OMG, what’s this crap? I can just hear my wife in the other room...”is he ever going to learn to play that thing??”

Seriously, I think it’s a combination of persistence and getting to the point where you “feel” the song (for the timing) to understand its flow.

For the finger picking, I know getting up to song speed will have to wait until I get the muscle memory working through slow deliberate practice.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Get out your metronome, find a speed that you can play it perfectly, and play it at that speed until you can play it faster. It will probably be excruciatingly slow, but with time, it will get faster. This is the only "shortcut" I know.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

If I ever thought about it I wouldn’t be able to do it ... lol

Maybe don’t get caught up too much about being exact on the pattern just try to get the rhythm going for now and try to keep some kind of time and let the pattern look after itself until you get more practice.


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## BSTheTech (Sep 30, 2015)

Watch a YouTube vide.... oh nevermind....


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Establish the time signature (eg, 4/4, 3/4).
Use a metronome. (Until you are consistent. You may use a drum machine later.)
Go slow. 
Start with easy down-strokes on the beat. 
As you are able, add up-strokes on the half beat.
As you are able, increase tempo. 
Rinse and repeat.


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2019)

Don't be this guy ..


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

laristotle said:


> Don't be this guy ..


Omg I'm dieing. That...will definitely not be me.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Thanks for all the help guys. I do try to practice daily for at least a half hour every day.

I do know it will come, and I do know I need to take it slow. It's been years since I had picked up the guitar. I was pleased with how quickly the remembering of the chords came back this time. Have more of a drive this time since I want to play the one I made.

When I get too frustrated I just move to practicing my chord changes, and then go back to the strum. Seems some times I get it close...then my brain goes cool...then it screws up again.

You guys are great.


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2019)

old and tryin said:


> Seems some times I get it close...then my brain goes cool...then it screws up again.


Try not to think too much.
Feel it.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> Trying to learn a strum pattern for a song....biggest frustrating moment ever.
> 
> How do you guys get a strumming pattern into your head?


I've given up trying to keep my arm going to a steady rhythm and missing some up and downs. I now just figure out a pattern that works by ear and I don't try for an exact match. Works for the songs we play as we're not trying to be an exact cover.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

It may nearly kill you, but think of all the hot girls that are gonna nurse you back to health, just because ............. _you play guitar!!!
_


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

High/Deaf said:


> It may nearly kill you, but think of all the hot girls that are gonna nurse you back to health, just because ............. _you play guitar!!!_


love it.
.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

1SweetRide said:


> I've given up trying to keep my arm going to a steady rhythm and missing some up and downs. I now just figure out a pattern that works by ear and I don't try for an exact match. Works for the songs we play as we're not trying to be an exact cover.


This is true...I'm definitely not applying for a band.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

In the last few weeks, I had to relearn how to play arpeggios ! Yes ! Relearn ! I was so proud at playing these a some years ago ! But it seems playing much country blues, delta blues et more recently celtic pieces took me away from arpeggios. Now learning a tune with arpeggios sections on mid strings, I felt I had a totally clumsy right had. So I took some hours practicing arpeggios to get fluent again ! Frustrating you say ! But I had to do it and I did.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Heard the term...never knew what they were...Arppegios? The new guy needs an explanation.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> Heard the term...never knew what they were...Arppegios? The new guy needs an explanation.


It's picking individual notes of say a chord instead of strumming it.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

And now I know. Apparently I have been doing that some.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

old and tryin said:


> Trying to learn a strum pattern for a song....biggest frustrating moment ever.
> 
> How do you guys get a strumming pattern into your head?


I completely ignore strum patterns and just strum how I think it should sound.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Guncho said:


> I completely ignore strum patterns and just strum how I think it should sound.


I have heard of people doing that. Seems to sound ok from what I've heard of them playing.


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## Vally (Aug 18, 2016)

I recall when I started playing I would do all down strokes but with kind of a two stroke pattern. I called it a dum ching, first hit root note (dum) and then down stroke all stings associated with that chord (Ching).


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> I have heard of people doing that. Seems to sound ok from what I've heard of them playing.


I'd like to think I sound alright. I make up the rules as I go. Proper rhythmic strumming is still something I struggle with.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

old and tryin said:


> Heard the term...never knew what they were...Arppegios? The new guy needs an explanation.


They are the things that no one wants on their pizza.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

old and tryin said:


> Heard the term...never knew what they were...Arppegios? The new guy needs an explanation.


Generally, you play the bass of the chord with the thumb, then individual notes of the chord following a pattern or another according to the sound you want.

Think of The House of the Rising Sun, Dust in the Wind or Blowin' in the Wind for instance.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

cboutilier said:


> I'd like to think I sound alright. I make up the rules as I go. Proper rhythmic strumming is still something I struggle with.



Atleast I'm not alone in my struggles


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

mawmow said:


> Generally, you play the bass of the chord with the thumb, then individual notes of the chord following a pattern or another according to the sound you want.
> 
> Think of The House of the Rising Sun, Dust in the Wind or Blowin' in the Wind for instance.


Sort of like 'Hurt' from Johnny Cash then?


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> Atleast I'm not alone in my struggles


We all have our struggles


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> Atleast I'm not alone in my struggles


Nope, the struggle is real and continues but at least we get to make music which very few of the general population ever get to do.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

old and tryin said:


> Sort of like 'Hurt' from Johnny Cash then?


Had to get a glance at the YTube : you made me discover a nice Cash tune I did not know though I have a bunch of his CDs including the last he made with late wife June Carter while she was sick and frail (in their bedroom I kind of remember).

If you know or listen to the pieces I mentionned, you will hear a more lively playing : it becomes kind of a riff over the chords. But you got the idea : deconstructing the chord, I'd add.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Wardo said:


> They are the things that no one wants on their pizza.


Dedicated to @Wardo 









@old and tryin My rhythm playing/ strumming is all over the place! 
It certainly doesn't come naturally to me.


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## cbg1 (Mar 27, 2012)

Dont let it kill you ;-) ..... you will get the strumming thing down .... then want to figure out how to change things up so it does not sound like you are a machine playing the same thing all the way through....

Here is a sheet I use for practice ...
Choose a pattern of strums and strum the words while holding a chord in place... there is no "right" pattern to choose. The idea is that if you create a pattern then it is easier to know when you are playing it correctly.
You are trying to create communication between your brain and hand... repetition is important but make sure you are repeating the pattern you want to play


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

cbg1 said:


> Dont let it kill you ;-) ..... you will get the strumming thing down .... then want to figure out how to change things up so it does not sound like you are a machine playing the same thing all the way through....
> 
> Here is a sheet I use for practice ...
> Choose a pattern of strums and strum the words while holding a chord in place... there is no "right" pattern to choose. The idea is that if you create a pattern then it is easier to know when you are playing it correctly.
> You are trying to create communication between your brain and hand... repetition is important but make sure you are repeating the pattern you want to play




This is actually kinda neat.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

1SweetRide said:


> Nope, the struggle is real and continues but at least we get to make music which very few of the general population ever get to do.



Getting there...more sound right now instead of music.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> Getting there...more sound right now instead of music.


It will come.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I just break the pattern into smaller patterns. If there are 15 strums in the patern, get the first 4 down pat. then keep adding a few. Keep it super slow, not trying to play the sung, just get the pattern. When you get to the point of playing th pattern correctly at 1/10 speed slowly try to speed it up. Took me forever to learn the strumming pattern for horse with no name.


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## John Fisher (Aug 6, 2017)

Strumming and timing to me have been one of the hardest things to learn. Ever . I use that to explain my hair loss, I have pulled it all out


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

knight_yyz said:


> I just break the pattern into smaller patterns. If there are 15 strums in the patern, get the first 4 down pat. then keep adding a few. Keep it super slow, not trying to play the sung, just get the pattern. When you get to the point of playing th pattern correctly at 1/10 speed slowly try to speed it up. Took me forever to learn the strumming pattern for horse with no name.


The problem with keeping it slow is that you’ve no idea if it sounds right or not. Keeping it slow works for lead but not for strumming in my experience.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

1SweetRide said:


> The problem with keeping it slow is that you’ve no idea if it sounds right or not. Keeping it slow works for lead but not for strumming in my experience.


I think he is referring to just learning the pattern to get in your head...not any song in particular.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

John Fisher said:


> Strumming and timing to me have been one of the hardest things to learn. Ever . I use that to explain my hair loss, I have pulled it all out



And now I have an excuse for when it gets more so.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Doesn't matter what it sounds like. Mute the strings, Get the pattern, learn the chords, put it all together. Also count it out.... 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and...

Watch Marty for 30 seconds


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)




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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Are you familiar with your basic rhythms and counting them? Whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth notes? Triplets? Combinations of these? If not, I'd like to suggest that you take 5 or 10 minutes per session to run over some basic rhythm patterns that are easily accessible on the Interwebs. They can be used with single note lines, chords, and arpeggios. In your case focus just on the chords at first. And like others have mentioned. Use a metronome as well as keeping the basic time signature (4/4, 3/4, 6/8, etc....) as quarter notes with your foot. Just keep in mind this is something that won't happen over night and will get very frustrating. Dig through that and it will just "click" for you at some point. I'll reiterate. Just start with 5 or 10 minutes a session. You'll soon find the time will get longer naturally. 

Best of luck.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Dorian2 said:


> Are you familiar with your basic rhythms and counting them? Whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth notes? Triplets? Combinations of these? If not, I'd like to suggest that you take 5 or 10 minutes per session to run over some basic rhythm patterns that are easily accessible on the Interwebs. They can be used with single note lines, chords, and arpeggios. In your case focus just on the chords at first. And like others have mentioned. Use a metronome as well as keeping the basic time signature (4/4, 3/4, 6/8, etc....) as quarter notes with your foot. Just keep in mind this is something that won't happen over night and will get very frustrating. Dig through that and it will just "click" for you at some point. I'll reiterate. Just start with 5 or 10 minutes a session. You'll soon find the time will get longer naturally.
> 
> Best of luck.



Thanks for the tips. Biggest thing I'm finding is trying a strum pattern...and it sounding nothing like the song I'm trying...which throws me off. If I could atleast recognize it...that would help.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

old and tryin said:


> Thanks for the tips. Biggest thing I'm finding is trying a strum pattern...and it sounding nothing like the song I'm trying...which throws me off. If I could atleast recognize it...that would help.


Try listening to the song and tapping your foot to it. Until you aren't thinking about your foot. Then listen to the rhythm of the strum pattern while your tapping your foot in time. Once that's down, introduce the guitar and try playing the pattern. It takes a bit of multi tasking so once your over 1 hump, on to the next. It'll come. Also break the strum pattern down into manageable pieces, if you haven't already. 1 bar at a time.

You can also try drumming out the pattern with your hands and your foot as the Bass drum. Are you OK at counting while you play or listen? Or is that something that needs attention?


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Dorian2 said:


> Try listening to the song and tapping your foot to it. Until you aren't thinking about your foot. Then listen to the rhythm of the strum pattern while your tapping your foot in time. Once that's down, introduce the guitar and try playing the pattern. It takes a bit of multi tasking so once your over 1 hump, on to the next. It'll come. Also break the strum pattern down into manageable pieces, if you haven't already. 1 bar at a time.
> 
> You can also try drumming out the pattern with your hands and your foot as the Bass drum. Are you OK at counting while you play or listen? Or is that something that needs attention?



Oooh...thanks for that...will also try that one. Figured out last night finally that the song I've been trying is more picking...arppegio I think you guys said. So that helps alot because I couldn't get the strumming to sound how I wanted. Knowing that...I can almost hear what I want, and if I can atleast hear it a little I can practice more.


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## AlexPlattGuitar (Apr 25, 2019)

old and tryin said:


> Trying to learn a strum pattern for a song....biggest frustrating moment ever.
> 
> How do you guys get a strumming pattern into your head?


Hello. I guess this is repetitive because a few others have mentioned it, but: can you tap your hand on a table to the beat of a song? Strumming is drumming. It's all about coming down with the beat. 

What I would do is play a song (say, Back in Black by ACDC or whatever). Just mute the strings on your guitar with your left hand and try to flick the strings on the beat with your right hand. FLICK FLICK FLICK FLICK. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. 

Then, try it without any music playing. Keeping the beat is the most important part of music. If your heart isn't beating you can't live and if you can't keep the beat the music dies.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

knight_yyz said:


>


That guy should do a video on how to change a tire...lol


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Wardo said:


> That guy should do a video on how to change a tire...lol



I didn't find it terrible..some of the things he said made sense. But..what do I know...I'm still learning.


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