Guitar Songs: strumming

Showing posts with label strumming. Show all posts

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Strumming patterns 1

f the engine of harmonic rhythms is the strumming hand, then the fretting hand could be likened to the steering wheel.
Although the strumming hand is the engine, it sometimes doesn't ultimately create the final rhythm. The fretting hand (using mutes and presses) can add to the overall rhythmic feel.
The basic principle with strumming is that the strumming hand never stops moving. Even though it might miss, the hand keeps moving. For these exercises, use any chord, open strings (the open chord), or a mute (lightly touch to create a clunk).

Basic Quarter Note Pattern

Master the motion of down strumming, then move onto 8th note strumming. Realize, you are missing on the way up (hitting only on the downs). When you miss the hand passes across the strings without hitting (or awkardly whipping the hand).

Basic 8th Note Strumming

Once you master this (lock it into muscle memory), then learn to miss without altering your strumming motion (like changing speed on a miss, or whipping your hand awkardly to miss).

Pattern with Two Misses (the and of One and Three)

Missing on the And of One and Two

Missing on the And of One and Four

pattern with misses on and of one and four

The World's Most Popular Strumming Pattern

pattern with misses on and of one, third downbeat

With this pattern, you are missing a downbeat (and the and of one). Get a feel for the rhythm by tapping on a table. As with all beginner strumming patterns, keep the hand moving. During a rest, you can let the chord ring, or cut it off (choke - mute).

Two Misses in a Row (and of Two and the Third Downbeat)

pattern with two misses in a row on and of two and downbeat of
three

Keep the hand moving over both misses. You can let the chord ring through the and of two and the downbeat of three, or cut it off.

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:

Take the fretting hand out, & just strum. Keep the rhythm steady.
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:

Start on the E minor & touch it (don't press, lightly touch the 5 & 4 strings at 2 fret).
Go through this process: TOUCH - PRESS (against fret) - TOUCH - HOVER (keep the shape & FLOAT above the chord), then REPEAT.... TOUCH - PRESS - TOUCH - HOVER
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 .
HOVER over G6
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

Fret & strum beat 4
Lift as you strum up
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).

Strumming Tips Guitar Lesson

This guitar lesson contains tips to improve your strumming. Learning to strum with finesse & precision can be fun & rewarding. It is a physical & rhythmic exercise.

Considering so much of what creates style, is based on what happens between the actual chords (the pressing), let's consider some ideas about strumming that can help you become aware of the resonant rhythms which live within you.

As humans, we are rhythmic beings. Our walking is rhythmic, as well as our speech & use of language.

The guitar, being a harmonic, melodic, & rhythmic instrument, has the potential to create a wide variety of musical experiences. Strumming is an experience. It feels good; we can get rhythmic with it. We can emulate drum sets, & other percussion instruments by strumming.

Every player should seek to become a solid rhythm player, & strumming is the primary means of attaining this type of rhythmic reliability.

Guitar Lesson Tips

Strum slowly. Keep the rhythm evenly spaced. Keep the motor hand moving. The Motor hand is the engine. The fretting hand is the steering wheel [it creates rhythm too].
Slow down the snap to 'slow motion.' Super slow motion. What does it take to make this change? When you program motion in slow motion, you create a larger memory of information in your brain & body.
You don't have to press the notes of the chord down all the time. You can release (touch lightly without lifting) the tones of the chord while you are strumming. To start, you typically release (touch lightly) on the ands (the up-beats or weak-beats) of a measure.
The goal of any chord change is to make the connection. In fact, a chord change is the space between the chords. The chords themselves are 'consequences' of good travel (connection). Think about the space between the chords. Consider your travel.
Count the beats aloud as you strum. Feel the beat; the rhythm.
When learning a change, get the shapes (changes) programmed first, then clarify the sound later. Don't judge the sound too early. To get clarity in a change, you need to build hand strength (include scale playing into your training routine). You also are creating awareness about what you are touching. Ideally, as you grow this awareness, you always know the state of every string, & intuitively know which fingers are touching which strings.
Be aware of your fretting hand wrist. The farther down it is, the straighter the fingers (a natural thing beginners do to try to not touch open strings); this isn't the solution. Rather, by raising your wrist up, behind the neck, you actually get the curvature of the fingers that will create the clarity you are looking for. If you can't reach the lower strings, move your elbow around to find the access angle. Each chord may have slightly different wrist/elbow/angle configuration. Nothing drastic, just minor adjustments. Stay loose with this process.
If you are layering (adding fingers 1 or 2 at a time, rather than landing all together), fret the lowest tones first. At the beginning, since you are changing chords on the down-strum, putting the bass tone fingers on first matches the direction of the strumming motion. You strum the bass notes first on a down-strum, so put them on first, then add the higher tones/strings.

Changing chords

Eg. take Em to G6.
Chord puzzle directions are below if you need them.

Once you have the movement of the fretting hand, add the strumming.

strum e
minor to g6 four beats each, lift on and of 4 and snap to change, land
on beat one

The lifting of the fretting hand fingers on the and of 4 prepares for the land. In all situations, planning ahead is the foundational principle for being on time. Leave in time to land on time.

By lifting the fingers in this way, not only are we on time to land, but we can get an effect. A good one.

Instructions for Chord Puzzles

Mutes and 8ths

We started the rhythmic engine for guitar with down strumming.

In this lesson of free guitar lessons, let's try the same down strum, but this time we will mute. A mute is created by lightly touching the strings without pressing.

In this case, mute all of the strings (make sure all of them are covered with the fretting fingers). You should hear a blocked sound, also known as the chuk or klunk.

Whether strumming opens or mutes for quarter notes (one beat - the down), you are hitting, missing, hitting, missing, etc.

Now, we will hit, hit, hit, hit, hit...when strumming down and up.

This will be notated (drawn) with eighth notes (a half a beat) in 4/4 time.

Again, the motion of the hand does not stop and you don't have to hit all the strings all the time. Try this on open strings. You can also do this with mutes, and combinations of opens and mutes.

Muscles have memory. By doing this exercise above for long enough, your arm will not want to stop once we start changing chords.

So, down-up strum is the template for all other strumming patterns that will emerge. In fact, we will get more complex patterns by MISSING more. Missing creates gaps in the sound & creates more interesting rhythmic patterns. Less is More.

Also, adding mutes to strumming creates personal style. Creating a personal style is a most worthy goal for any player. Another responsible thing to do is become a solid rhythm player. These are possibilities for all us.

The breakdown for strumming:

Motor hand - strumming hand: The non-stop engine that powers the rhythm.
Fretting hand: The steering wheel which can create a harmonic rhythm through pressing and muting. It can also add melodic activity to harmonic blocks.

Introduction to strumming

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.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Strumming Patterns

There are few points to remember.

While learning strumming, you have to be conscious of your hand movement to match the counts etc. here you will find your hand moving more like a mechanical robot. But the art of strumming begins with having your right hand low down and up in a smooth naturalmovement.
Strumming is an art based on a simple DOWN-UP movement of your hand. So your hand should always move down and up, and based on the pattern that you are playing you either choose to HIT or MISS the strings while going down or HIT or MISS it while coming up. This is very important as many people tend to overlook it.
First divide the basic counts into a pattern like this: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Move your hand down on ONE and UP on the AND (&) and keep this going on continuously.
Wherever in the examples there is an X mark, you DO NOT stop your hand movement, but you simply DON’T play on that X.

Hitting all the counts:
1–&–2–&–3–&–4–& | 1–&–2–&–3–&–4–& |
D–U–D–U–D–U–D–U | D–U–D–U–D–U–D–U |
Example 2:
Hitting on 1-2&3-4&
1–&–2–&–3–&–4–& | 1–&–2–&–3–&–4–& |
D–X–D–U–D–X–D–U | D–X–D–U–D–X–D–U |
Example 3:
Hitting on 1-2&-&4&
This pattern if played at a moderate speed can be used for Papa Kehte Hain type of songs:
1–&–2–&–3–&–4–& | 1–&–2–&–3–&–4–& |
D–X–D–U–X–U–D–U | D–X–D–U–X–U–D–U |
Example 4:
Hitting on 1&-&-&4&
1–&–2–&–3–&–4–& | 1–&–2–&–3–&–4–& |
D–U–X–U–X–U–D–U | D–U–X–U–X–U–D–U |

All these strumming patterns are OPEN PATTERNS where you can let EACH OF YOUR BANG to RING…There are quite a few complicated ones as well, some of which require you to MUTE
the strings after you BANG on it ONCE. Some which require you to HIT the strings hard with your right hand, but completely MUTED by your LEFT hand.
For example, the BOSSANOVA pattern, if you remember George Michael’s Faith, or Allah Ke Bandhe the pattern doesn’t let the strings RING. Nazre Milana from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is another example of muted strumming. Basically the sound shouldn’t be CHANNNNGGGGGG it should rather be CHANK!

More patterns
^ – Down Stroke
v – Up Stroke
Simple Duple (2/4) – 2 beats to a bar.
Simple Triple (3/4) – 3 beats to a bar.
Simple Quadraple (4/4) – 4 beats to a bar.
The comma (,) is used here to differentiate between the separate beats contained in the bar of the pattern.

MARCH

(2/4) | ^ , v ||

FOX-TROT

(2/4) | ^ , ^v ||

TANGO

(2/4) | ^^-v , ^^ ||

POLKA

(2/4) | ^-^v , ^^ ||

WALTZ

(3/4) | ^ , ^ , ^ || OR | ^ , v , v ||

FANDANGO

(3/4) | ^ , ^v , ^ ||

SARRABANDE

(3/4) | ^ , ^ , -v | ^ , ^ , – ||

SOUL

(4/4) | ^ , ^-^v , ^v , ^v ||

BOLERO

(4/4) | ^v , ^ , ^v , ^ ||

RHYMBA

(4/4) | ^^ , -^ , ^v , ^v ||

SWING

(4/4) | ^v , ^v , ^ , v ||

ROCK

(4/4) | ^–v , ^–v , ^–v , ^–v ||

ROCK 1

| ^ , -^ , ^ , ^ | | ^ , -^ , ^ , v ||

ROCK 2

| ^–^ , v^ , – , ^ | | ^^ , v^ , -^ , ^^ ||

16 BEATS

| ^–^ , v^-^ , ^ , v | | ^^ , v^-^ , ^^ , v^– ||

DISCO

| ^v , ^v , ^v , ^v | | ^v , ^v , ^v , ^v^- ||

POPS 1

| ^ , v , ^ , v | | ^ , v , ^-^ , v-^ ||

POPS 2

| ^ , v , ^ , v^ | | -^ , v^ , ^ , v ||

POPS 3

| ^^ , v^ , – , v | | ^^ , v^ , – , vv ||

SLOW ROCK

| ^ , -v , ^^ ||

SWING

| ^ , ^-^ , ^ , ^-v ||

MARCH

| ^v , -v , ^v , -v | ^v , ^v , ^-vv , ^^ ||

REGGAE

| ^v , -v , -v , –^v ||

BOSSA-NOvA

| ^ , ^v , ^v , -^ | ^^, -v , -^ , ^^ ||

SAMBA

| ^^ , ^-v^ , -^-^ , ^v ||

BEGUINE

| ^-^v , ^v , ^v , ^v | –^v , ^v , ^v , ^v ||

Strumming Patterns

There are few points to remember.

While learning strumming, you have to be conscious of your hand movement to match the counts etc. here you will find your hand moving more like a mechanical robot. But the art of strumming begins with having your right hand low down and up in a smooth naturalmovement.
Strumming is an art based on a simple DOWN-UP movement of your hand. So your hand should always move down and up, and based on the pattern that you are playing you either choose to HIT or MISS the strings while going down or HIT or MISS it while coming up. This is very important as many people tend to overlook it.
First divide the basic counts into a pattern like this: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Move your hand down on ONE and UP on the AND (&) and keep this going on continuously.
Wherever in the examples there is an X mark, you DO NOT stop your hand movement, but you simply DON’T play on that X.

Followers

Misc

HIndi Songs

English

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Basic Quarter Note Pattern

Basic 8th Note Strumming

Pattern with Two Misses (the and of One and Three)

Missing on the And of One and Two

Missing on the And of One and Four

The World's Most Popular Strumming Pattern

Two Misses in a Row (and of Two and the Third Downbeat)

Online Guitar Lesson Breakdown

Guitar Lesson Tips

Instructions for Chord Puzzles

Quarter Note Strumming

To Keep in Mind

Monday, November 16, 2009

MARCH

(2/4) | ^ , v ||

FOX-TROT

(2/4) | ^ , ^v ||

TANGO

(2/4) | ^^-v , ^^ ||

POLKA

(2/4) | ^-^v , ^^ ||

WALTZ

(3/4) | ^ , ^ , ^ || OR | ^ , v , v ||

FANDANGO

(3/4) | ^ , ^v , ^ ||

SARRABANDE

(3/4) | ^ , ^ , -v | ^ , ^ , – ||

SOUL

(4/4) | ^ , ^-^v , ^v , ^v ||

BOLERO

(4/4) | ^v , ^ , ^v , ^ ||

RHYMBA

(4/4) | ^^ , -^ , ^v , ^v ||

SWING

(4/4) | ^v , ^v , ^ , v ||

ROCK

(4/4) | ^–v , ^–v , ^–v , ^–v ||

ROCK 1

| ^ , -^ , ^ , ^ | | ^ , -^ , ^ , v ||

ROCK 2

| ^–^ , v^ , – , ^ | | ^^ , v^ , -^ , ^^ ||

16 BEATS

| ^–^ , v^-^ , ^ , v | | ^^ , v^-^ , ^^ , v^– ||

DISCO

| ^v , ^v , ^v , ^v | | ^v , ^v , ^v , ^v^- ||

POPS 1

| ^ , v , ^ , v | | ^ , v , ^-^ , v-^ ||

POPS 2

| ^ , v , ^ , v^ | | -^ , v^ , ^ , v ||

POPS 3

| ^^ , v^ , – , v | | ^^ , v^ , – , vv ||

SLOW ROCK

| ^ , -v , ^^ ||

SWING

| ^ , ^-^ , ^ , ^-v ||

MARCH

| ^v , -v , ^v , -v | ^v , ^v , ^-vv , ^^ ||

REGGAE

| ^v , -v , -v , –^v ||

BOSSA-NOvA

| ^ , ^v , ^v , -^ | ^^, -v , -^ , ^^ ||

SAMBA

| ^^ , ^-v^ , -^-^ , ^v ||

BEGUINE

| ^-^v , ^v , ^v , ^v | –^v , ^v , ^v , ^v ||

MARCH

(2/4) | ^ , v ||

FOX-TROT

(2/4) | ^ , ^v ||

TANGO

(2/4) | ^^-v , ^^ ||

POLKA

(2/4) | ^-^v , ^^ ||

WALTZ

(3/4) | ^ , ^ , ^ || OR | ^ , v , v ||