Jamorama

Ndawg · Joined: 17 May 2011 Posts: 14

I noticed when I go online to get tabs for songs all I get is the chords and no strum patterns. Being a novice it would do me wonders to have strum patterns for songs. Do I have to go out and buy books that show the strum pattern and tempo?

ronaldcetto · Joined: 17 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

Strum patterns depend on what song your playing and the time signature. In 4/4 time you could just strum four down strokes for easy songs. Be sure to keep in time. Strumming is a matter of feel and what's inside you. Some songs are played with an up down strum in an 8th rhythm pattern. As in udududud per bar ( 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + ). Ther are a lot of strum patters you can experiment with that just feels good with the song your trying to play. Syncopated strum patters are strums that you miss some of the + or on beats.

Ndawg · Joined: 17 May 2011 Posts: 14

This maybe the same type of question but take a look at this song/chords:
http://www.guitarfriendly.net/take-me-home-country-roads-chords/ Almost Heaven is G and West Virgina is Em. The question is how to apply the strum to it. And is it up and down stokes or all down. You see why I am a bit confused?

Are there books out here to make life easier for novices like me that include chord and strum pattern like it teaches in the jamarama book?

I understand what you mean by feel, but as a novice i am not confident in my abilities to feel things.

Juggling.Arcs · Joined: 13 Feb 2012 Posts: 33

I don't know that I could suggest many books that include strum patterns... I know of some courses that teach many different patterns, but perhaps check out this article (Haha... It didn't let me post the link because I don't have enough posts... I will PM you the link)

It might help you learn to get comfortable feeling a songs pattern. I am just getting to a point where I can try different strum patterns and feel comfortable with a chord sheet. Something that helped me is to remember that a song will always have a frame. That frame is the beat/pulse of the song. In the song you linked to you can feel the pulse through the bass guitar. If you play anything in that pulse (subdivide it, go twice as fast, play one strum for every two bass notes, or just play right at the same time) it will sound ok. Remembering this really helps me experiment and try to play with it. So for a song like this I might start by trying something like this:

1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
V V ^ V V ^

And then I would add and take away to see what really helps the song feel right.

As I have been learning, it helps to remember Rhythm is a different skill then playing guitar. It won't come just by learning chords. You need to practice learning Rhythm itself. That article I tried to linked to has some great suggestions and exercises to start getting it.

Did this help?
Thanks for posting your question
Juggling.Arcs

Ndawg · Joined: 17 May 2011 Posts: 14

Yes the linked helped a bit. Basically I have to feel/hear what stoke sounds good for a song that is chorded and most songs follow same strum pattern/structure through most of the song.

It just seems to me, as a novice having strum patterns listed with songs would be better since a chord played up or down is 2 different sounds. Maybe I am spoiled by having strum patters used for jamarama since it sounds like they aren't used in books.

Juggling.Arcs · Joined: 13 Feb 2012 Posts: 33

Some books have markings or finger picking patterns... just not many of them.

Being a beginner is hard Wink

Just a suggestion, (it might not be helpful at all) maybe you would find it helpful to write out strumming patterns for the songs you find. I use a white board for this, and it helps me a lot to see the pattern I am trying to learn. Sometimes I can see what will sound good or at least be a lot of fun to try.

Juggling.Arcs