Strumming Suggestions

Oh Ringo

Mark from the Thursday class e-mailed me to ask for a recap of the strumming patterns we've used for each tune we've done in class--what a great idea! Happy to oblige.

A couple of things to note:

1) I may or may not have ACTUALLY used this in class. I sorta go by feel and even though I have a strumming pattern written down on my lesson plans, it's entirely likely that I came up with something different when we were all together. If you wrote down a pattern on your song sheet that doesn't match up with what I put here in the blog, have no fear because...

2) These are only suggestions! There are lots of different ways to strum a tune--so long as you stick with the same number of beats per measure (which, for every song we've done so far is 4)--and I heartily encourage you to experiment. At least take a run at placing the emphasis in different spots and listening to the effects. What happens when you really sock it to the ONE and keep quieter on the 2,3,4? How does it change things when you put the heaviness on the 2 and the 4? Does that make you want to shake your groove thing? Rhythm is as important to the mood of a song as the chords themselves, so take time to play with it, listen to what you're doing, and reflect on what's happening.

I'll use V to indicate a down strum, and ^ to indicate an upstrum. Remember that down strums always happen on the beat (1 2 3 4), and up strums happen on the "and" after each beat (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +)

Pay Me My Money Down:
V V V V

Jambalaya:
V V V V
(try emphasizing the 2 and the 4 like, chick BOOM chick BOOM)

My Home's Across the Smoky Mountains:
V V V V
(or if you want to get fancy, try V  V^ V  V^ like, boom chick-a boom chick-a)

Sons and Daughters:
V^  V^  V^  V^
(put the emphasis on the down strums and keep the up strums light, like CHUG-a CHUG-a CHUG-a CHUG-a)

Leaving on a Jet Plane
V  V  V^ V^
(one two three-and four-and)

Galway Bay
V
(just play one chord per measure, but arpeggiate it, meaning slowly strum the bottom 4 strings only, one at a time, one on each beat. It should sound harp-like)

Another Saturday Night
V  V^  V^  V^
(emphasize the first beat BOOM chick-a chick-a chick-a)

Sunshine
V^  V^  V^  V^ 
(try the BIG little strum and emphasize the 1 and the 3, like CHUG-A chug-a CHUG-A chug-a)