Strumming Guitar Lesson
Strumming is a vital & basic skill for guitarists. Learning to be a good rhythm player (a good strummer) is a primary goal of guitarists. It can be the rhythmic engine of a song. Strumming is the 'brushing' or 'scratching' of the strings [as a block]. Like a pendulum, the hand continues to move, always keeping time. The strumming hand is the motor hand. The fretting hand is the steering wheel.
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, you may notice them watching your strumming hand. It is a visual timekeeper.
Quarter Note Strumming
Start with strumming just down - use open strings (don't touch with fretting hand):

To Keep in Mind
- Range = how many strings you hit per strum. 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 & 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.
Another Strumming Guitar Lesson - Mutes & 8ths
| Basic Chords | Starter Set • Blues Chords • Jazz Chords |
| Power Chords | E Form • A Form |
| Strumming | Basics • Mutes & 8ths • First Chord Change • Tips • Strumming Patterns |
| CAGED | The 5 • CAGED + 1 • Linear CAGED Cycle • Forms with Mods • Chord Formulas • E Form |
| Chords in Keys | Chart for 13 keys • Triads in A minor • Progressions |

