Strumming Tips Online Guitar Lesson

As with anything you learn to do on guitar, we can utilize a breakdown process for simplifying our learning scenario.

Developing this sense of 'what does this take?' or 'how can I break this down into smaller steps to get the job done?' will help us as much as any other skill we can learn, especially if we are teachers.

Create smaller steps to make the larger goal happen. Using a strumming change example…

First isolate the hands:

1. Take the fretting hand out, & just strum. Keep the rhythm steady.
2. Take the motor hand out (don't strum), & just move the fingers back & forth between the change. We can call this toggling. We toggle back & forth between the change - it is practicing the SNAP.

Break the toggle (the SNAP) down. First let us take feeling pictures of the E minor chord:

1. Start on the E minor & touch it (don't press, lightly touch the 5 & 4 strings at 2 fret).
2. Go through this process: TOUCH - PRESS (against fret) - TOUCH - HOVER (keep the shape & FLOAT above the chord), then REPEAT.... TOUCH - PRESS - TOUCH - HOVER
   
[The PRESS is taking a feeling picture of the chord. Since muscles have memory, you are telling your body that this is the E minor chord. Eventually, you think Em and your hand can't help but to make this shape.]
3. Next, apply this process to the change (in this case, LIFT both fingers): Start on E minor...TOUCH - PRESS - TOUCH - HOVER & in SLOW MOTION, start the CHANGE to G6. Super slow .
4. HOVER over G6
5. Then, for G6, TOUCH - PRESS - TOUCH - HOVER & slowly make the change back to E minor.

If you do this with quality focus, you will never have a problem with this change again. Apply to as many chord changes as necessary before chord changing becomes easy.

Next, put it back together with strumming, but just PLAY: 4 & 1 (the beats).

Online Guitar Lesson Breakdown

1. Fret & strum beat 4
2. Lift as you strum up
3. then LAND on beat one of the next chord. Repeat.

Put everything back together. Play the full measures & see if the change is easier.

This is proof that things which seem difficult, get easier with a good breakdown process.

Once you have this experience, you now have proof that things that are difficult don't remain that way. Process is center .

Once you get your strumming motor functional, it's time to learn chords, find tabs, and play/write songs.

We suggest you keep with 8th hitting up and down until you get fluid with your chord changes (while learning to change chords). You can then play different patterns by missing. More complex rhythmic strumming patterns come from doing less (missing).