DERRF
Member
I have a really hard time with unique strumming patterns. Does anyone have any fun ones I can practice to spice up some songs? I seem to get stuck doing the same thing.
Strumming
- Thread starter DERRF
- Start date
jinny
Well-known member
Yeah, with all the different patterns to choose from, I still fall back on a few stand by favorites... I try to match the strum pattern to the type of song I'm playing. I think the goto beginner strum is down down up up down... but I haven't used that one in a while. I find that these days, most of my regular strums involve some chunking, 'cause i like having some percussive element.
for picking up strum patterns, for me, it's all about muscle memory. I gotta do it a few times and then put the uke down then I try again later. Usually after a few tries i sleep on it and try again in the morning to see if I got it commited to memory. soon it becomes more natural... that is, until I try to add some singing to the new strum... practice practice practice.
for picking up strum patterns, for me, it's all about muscle memory. I gotta do it a few times and then put the uke down then I try again later. Usually after a few tries i sleep on it and try again in the morning to see if I got it commited to memory. soon it becomes more natural... that is, until I try to add some singing to the new strum... practice practice practice.
mrplatypus70
Well-known member
someone posted this a while back. I think seeso came up with it.
http://www.ukemaker.com/ukeclub/media/StrumPatterns.pdf
http://www.ukemaker.com/ukeclub/media/StrumPatterns.pdf
Uncle Rod Higuchi
Well-known member
I have one piece of advice:
Work on strumming LAST.
I'm presuming that because you're interested in strumming, you're a singer as well. If so, learn the song first then work on strumming patterns, rhythms, etc.
When I learn a song I want to play, I make sure I have the chord progression down to where I can play through the song with a basic rhythm/strum. Once I have the chord progression and the lyrics down, it's natural for me to then work on strumming and rhythm. I usually try to replicate what I like about the rendition I'm covering.
I believe that anyone who favors strumming before actually learning the chord progression and the lyrics will eventually frustrate themselves because they will be trying to put together too many unfamiliar pieces of a formless puzzle.
As you can see I view working on strumming as a "tweaking" part of learning a new song. I tell my students who are concerned about learning strum patterns, that they should listen to their favorite rendition and simply work on copying what they hear (in terms of rhythm).
I hope this helps. Please check my link and listen to some of my MP3's to see what I'm talking about in my own presentations.
http://www.4shared.com/file/118539723/f8ce7bfe/Besame_Mucho.html
click on my email address next to my profile picture to access other songs.
Work on strumming LAST.
I'm presuming that because you're interested in strumming, you're a singer as well. If so, learn the song first then work on strumming patterns, rhythms, etc.
When I learn a song I want to play, I make sure I have the chord progression down to where I can play through the song with a basic rhythm/strum. Once I have the chord progression and the lyrics down, it's natural for me to then work on strumming and rhythm. I usually try to replicate what I like about the rendition I'm covering.
I believe that anyone who favors strumming before actually learning the chord progression and the lyrics will eventually frustrate themselves because they will be trying to put together too many unfamiliar pieces of a formless puzzle.
As you can see I view working on strumming as a "tweaking" part of learning a new song. I tell my students who are concerned about learning strum patterns, that they should listen to their favorite rendition and simply work on copying what they hear (in terms of rhythm).
I hope this helps. Please check my link and listen to some of my MP3's to see what I'm talking about in my own presentations.
http://www.4shared.com/file/118539723/f8ce7bfe/Besame_Mucho.html
click on my email address next to my profile picture to access other songs.
This video helped me learn this fun, versatile strum pattern. Practice it with muted strings while you watch TV. By the end of a show you'll have it down pretty good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYvNtqXVAdw&feature=related
This is my next strum to tackle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTgqW6hqpfA&feature=related
I think the trick to learning a new strumming technique is to start out really really slow and build up to playing speed. That has helped me so far. (I'm still new and very beginner, so keep that in mind.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYvNtqXVAdw&feature=related
This is my next strum to tackle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTgqW6hqpfA&feature=related
I think the trick to learning a new strumming technique is to start out really really slow and build up to playing speed. That has helped me so far. (I'm still new and very beginner, so keep that in mind.)
molokinirum
Well-known member
Rod is right on!! I try to learn the chords first using a basic U D strumm. When I get the chords down real good, then I start to try different strumming patterns to give the song a different sound
Joe Beamish
Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2009
- Messages
- 17
- Reaction score
- 0
I agree with JBennett's post (above). The video "Ukulele Strums Revealed" on Youtube is quite useful IF you read through the comments to get some explanation on what he's doing. (The video is low quality.)
You might try practicing the second strum in the video (the split stroke) as a nice syncopated variation of up-down strumming that might work nicely with any number of 4/4 songs.
Another (much more detailed and instructive) video on the split stroke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7oEN5maZY&feature=related
Don't get caught up with the speed of it -- it's a nice stroke at any pace, applicable well beyond the Formby style.
You might try practicing the second strum in the video (the split stroke) as a nice syncopated variation of up-down strumming that might work nicely with any number of 4/4 songs.
Another (much more detailed and instructive) video on the split stroke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7oEN5maZY&feature=related
Don't get caught up with the speed of it -- it's a nice stroke at any pace, applicable well beyond the Formby style.
Last edited:
