How to Make Your Strumming GROOVE (For Beginners)
How to Make Your Strumming GROOVE (For Beginners)
Hey guys, Brad Litton from SimpleGuitar.com. This blog post transcribes my YouTube lesson on the trick that makes your strumming groove instead of sounding flat and boring — and it's only going to take some downstrokes.
Step 1: All Downstrokes, Just Your Wrist
We're using just downstrokes. That means a very small strumming motion with your wrist. You don't need your whole arm for this.
Normally a full measure of eighth notes is down up down up down up down up. Today, change that: all downs.
You're probably not going to hit every single string with every stroke. That's okay.
First practice: take a G chord and go 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and — all downstrokes — and loop it. Start slower than me if you need to. Use the video controls. You can do this with open chords or a power chord, acoustic or electric. Doesn't matter.
Step 2: Accent Beats 2 and 4 (The Backbeat)
Once the downstrokes are comfortable, add accents. That's what gives the groove.
First accent: beat 2 and beat 4. That's the backbeat — typically where the snare drum hits. Accenting the backbeat syncs you up with the drums, and everything starts to fit.
You're already doing small wrist strokes. To accent: hit harder, and you'll most likely hit more strings.
Count: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.
This takes repetition if you've never done it. Slow it down. Loop it.
Add It to a Chord Progression
G, C, and D — one measure each. Same all-downstroke eighth notes, accents on 2 and 4. I ended back on G. If you need to rewind or slow the video, do it.
Step 3: Accent Beat 3 (Half-Time / Reggae Feel)
Accenting beat 3 instead gives you a half-time feel. It also gets used a lot in reggae.
Same downstroke eighth notes. Just make beat 3 the loud one.
Step 4: Pick Your Own Accents (Including 3-3-2)
This is not the only way. Write down a full measure of eighth notes, then pick which beats you're going to accent. You can choose any of those eight spots and try them out.
A really common one: accent beat 1, the and of 2, and beat 4. We call this a 3-3-2 pattern because you're grouping the first three notes, the next three, and the last two. Gets used in tons of songs. A little more advanced, a lot of fun.
What to Practice, In Order
- Just downstrokes with just your wrist
- Accents on 2 and 4, then put that on a chord progression
- Accent beat 3
- Any other accent pattern you want — including 1, and-of-2, and 4 (3-3-2)
Take it slow. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Then you can take any strum pattern and make it groove, instead of hunting for "more strum patterns."
Secret Tip: Play Along With the Snare
Listen to songs and listen for the snare drum — that crack. Play along and accent when the snare hits. That's going to get you identifying the rhythmic pattern of a song and syncing up to it really quickly. People will think you've played that song a thousand times, even if it's your first time.
This exact question came up in the Guitar Mastery Circle: "How do I get my strumming to fit the song?" This is what we talked about.
If you want a simple place to start, grab my free Top 10 Things to Learn on Guitar First at http://simpleguitar.com/top10.
And hang out with other adult guitar players in the Simple Guitar Facebook group: http://facebook.com/groups/simpleguitar.
About the Author
Brad from Simple Guitar helps adult learners play the songs they love without the frustration. Visit simpleguitar.com for more free resources and lessons.
