Is It Okay To Double Up Chords To Fill The Space?

[Mikxe6]

My only strumming pattern for 4/4 is DDUUDU for a one-chord measure and DDU-DDU for a two-chord (split) measure. But I sometimes run into songs where that pattern seems extremely slow compared to the speed of the vocal. Often, it sounds normal if I simply double everything.

An example is Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright”: The first line—Well, It Ain’t No Use To Sit And Wonder Why, Babe—is a half measure of C, a half measure of G7, and a full measure of Am. So, with my strumming pattern, C=DDU, G7=DDU, Am=DDUUDU. But, as I said, that sounds glacially slow for the vocal. Yet when I double it to C=DDUUDU, G7=DDUUDU, Am=DDUUDUDDUUDU, it sounds normal. In fact, when I listen to other versions of the song that don’t employ Dylan’s rapid picking style, like those by Waylon Jennings and the Indigo Girls, it sounds like that is what they are doing.

But then I’ll look at the sheet music and think that I must be wrong, and I end up tossing the song from my librar.

Any advice?

 

[rainbow21]

If you are playing for your own enjoyment, then it is okay... anything is okay in this case. The only time it is not is if you are playing with others and it would confuse them or mess up the song for them.

In your case, perhaps some music knowledge has the downside in that you can figure things out (like how many measures and what their timing is on the strumming). If it sounds okay and follows timing that you are happy with, do it as part of the creativity. And if you play the wrong chord, you can attribute it to trying to jazz it up some.

 

[acmespaceship]

Well it ain't no use to follow sheet music, like Bob Dylan never did before. Strum twice, it's alright.

Seriously, don't expect guitar strum patterns to work on ukulele. Guitar has longer sustain. You need more strums to fill the same span of time. When playing with others it's important to keep the same underlying BEAT but the strum pattern is entirely up to you. Doubling up on the strums is not a problem. Expecting every 4/4 song in the universe to work with the same incessant DDUUDU strum -- that is a problem. But you're already figuring that out. Trust your ear and play what sounds good.

 

[Mike $]

I think Dylan plays this finger picking TITM. If you can't do that, you can strum Boom chug-a-lug-a-lug-a over and over. It fits nicely when you're strumming. Learn more strumming patterns or create your own. If double time D-DU-UDU sounds good, then use it. You're basically making your own arrangement when you don't play it exactly like the original, so, have fun and do what sounds best to you.

 

[ampeep]

To make it sound really good, you'll have to fingerpick this song using a variation of travis picking. That way you can get the timing & volume changes as you play it. Emphasis is usually on the first beat of every chord change with the following picking slightly lower in volume. Trying to strum it is an approximation of how it's supposed to sound.

 

[Steedy]

I never worry about strumming patterns. I just listen to the song and play what I hear, which is usually a blend of what I hear on the recording and what I hear in my head.

 

[Ukecaster]

It's all good, be your own muse!

 

[Wiggy]

What a great question! Some just play in straight 4/4 or 3/4. You'll need to listen for a groove where you can introduce (fit in) a bit of syncopation and swing. Be careful to not "tip the ship" with flamboyance.

Stay in time. You'll be fine.

 

[Canada Jim]

There is no one way that it is "supposed to sound". Don't feel that it has to sound the way the record sounded. Make it your own.
Dylan played it using pattern picking TITM on the Freewheelin' LP, but usually used a flat picked church lick "bum-diddy" strum when he performed live.
You do it however it takes to make it your own.

 

[Renaissance-Man]

My only strumming pattern for 4/4 is DDUUDU for a one-chord measure and DDU-DDU for a two-chord (split) measure. But I sometimes run into songs where that pattern seems extremely slow compared to the speed of the vocal. Often, it sounds normal if I simply double everything.

An example is Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright”: The first line—Well, It Ain’t No Use To Sit And Wonder Why, Babe—is a half measure of C, a half measure of G7, and a full measure of Am. So, with my strumming pattern, C=DDU, G7=DDU, Am=DDUUDU. But, as I said, that sounds glacially slow for the vocal. Yet when I double it to C=DDUUDU, G7=DDUUDU, Am=DDUUDUDDUUDU, it sounds normal. In fact, when I listen to other versions of the song that don’t employ Dylan’s rapid picking style, like those by Waylon Jennings and the Indigo Girls, it sounds like that is what they are doing.

But then I’ll look at the sheet music and think that I must be wrong, and I end up tossing the song from my librar.

Any advice?

Addressing your specific question, I find your DDUUDU pattern fits Don’t Think Twice as-is. I'll play the song's intro, both fingerpicked, and strummed with your pattern.

 

[Mikxe6]

Wow, thank you all for your helpful and creative responses!

 

[ripock]

To be honest, if you didn't double-up, it wouldn't be worth my time. If you accurately re-create a song, my impression is "great, you're a monkey; you can mimic something." However, if I want the original, I'll listen to the CD. In a new rendition I want something new, something personal, something fresh and sincere. I realize I am a bit of a freak in this regard. Normally, when you say I can play uke or guitar, that means you can imitate a song note-for-note, beat-for-beat, and measure-for-measure. I know that but I just happen to think it is a bit boring.

 

[raoliveri]

I never worry about strumming patterns. I just listen to the song and play what I hear, which is usually a blend of what I hear on the recording and what I hear in my head.

I am new to strings but played in bands for years as a keyboard player...I know music and like you I strum to the song and never even think about U or D...Not sure if this is wrong or not but its comfortable and works for me....

 

[casualmusic]

Here are some examples of singing and strumming that capture the essence of the song.

Use the YouTube slowdown button to play at 3/4 or 1/2 speed etc to see strumming details.

I’d never discard a song without searching YouTube for ukulele examples or guitar examples.

My advice is to let the singing shine by strumming sparsely and rhythmically. Uke players sometimes drown songs with mucho strumming.


For songs in 4/4 I’d play each bar in folk rock style: boom, chukka, boom, chukka.

Play bass root note (boom), strum down up (chukka), bass 5th note (boom), strum down up (chukka), etc.

The bass notes are the 4th and 3rd strings closest to your chin, and most listeners won’t notice whether you start on bass root or bass 5th.

For 3/4 time I’d play boom, chukka, chukka.

After a while you’ll get a feel for how to add strumming variations that suit the songs.












Cheers.