Free Guitar Lesson
Learning to strum - Strumming Basics
This guitar lesson demonstrates basic strumming.
Strumming is a vital & basic skill for guitarists. It can be the rhythmic engine of a song. Strumming is the 'brushing' or 'scratching' of the strings in large strokes. Like a pendulum, the hand continues to move (up & down rather than side to side), always keeping time.
To strum, you can use a pick, or the thumb, or thumb/fingers.
When starting to play guitar - when learning to strum- never stop the motor hand until the end of the song or progression.
When you jam with drummers, watch them watch your strumming hand. It is a timekeeper.
Quarter Note Strumming
Start with strumming just down - use open strings (don't touch with fretting hand):
Things to Keep in Mind
- Range: you don't have to hit all of the strings all the time - when strumming down, focus contact with lower 3 or 4 strings (low is towards the sky - upside-down).
- Realize that you are MISSING on the way up.
- Drivers: the primary motion for strumming is a combination of twisting your forearm and wrist [from the elbow and wrist] with a slight chop from the elbow. If strumming with your fingers, the fingers can move as drivers on their own, but a slight turn/chop will give it a little more weight.
