Strumming Speed?

Hey, this might be a simple or obvious answer, but I was wondering how to increase my strumming speed, along with rolls, and still staying accurate??

ill answer that!

Basically to start off, I didnt think i could strum at all. But fred told me to keep on trying and start slow... very slow untill u understand the beats and know when to strum to rythm.

I do the 5 finger or 4 finger roll all the time.. when practising just "fan" my fingers out randomly at work, in the toliet before sleep!! hahaa just to practise the whole motion of fanning my fingers.
This helps heaps..

Practise struming slowly and and try to master a particullar pattern. then learn more.

eg. down chunk up up down ....

or what ever??

keeps practising.... =]

To strum fast you need accuracy, hand toughness, and of course speed. The only way to improve your strumming accuracy is to strum a lot. Pick a hand shape that works for you and then try to strum the exact same way in the same place on the strings every time. I use the backs of my finger nails to strum because I like the sharper attack and the contrast it has to the warmer sound of finger picking with the pads of my fingers. I use my thumb nail on upstrums and my middle finger nail on down strums. If you want to shred your fingers are going to take a pounding. At blazing speeds one miss-strum can start a blister, tear a cudicle, or rip off a finger nail. Luckily your fingers will learn from your mistakes and build up some wicked scar tissue to protect you so finger toughness is easy to build up as long as you stick with it. As for speed, most people will tell you to start off slow until you get the technique down and then slowly build up speed, but I say that's quitter talk. If you want to play fast you have to play fast. Playing slow won't teach you how to play fast, it will teach you how to play slow. So I say you should start off strumming as fast as your arm will physically move for as long as you can and everything else will fall into place. Are you getting horribly painful arm cramps? Good the training is working.

use a metronome. ! just practice your down up down up. and slowly increase the tempo. just because your playing fast doesnt mean your going to consistent. start at an easy temp down up down up then keep increasing.

TRY IT! :rock:

+1 for the building up from slow to fast / metronome idea.

If you go straight to fast strums, you'll lose your groove and you'll end up sounding choppy and off-beat.

You might not become a Malmsteen overnight, but at least your fast licks will sound good when you finally get them down.

hotnuts said:

+1 for the building up from slow to fast / metronome idea.

If you go straight to fast strums, you'll lose your groove and you'll end up sounding choppy and off-beat.

You might not become a Malmsteen overnight, but at least your fast licks will sound good when you finally get them down.

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I agree, years ago, a brilliant player once put me in my place when he opened my eyes and ears up to a simple and sobering true-ism...."you ain't fast, if you ain't clean, dude"... nuff said...e.lo..

Cool, thanks guys. All your help is great. That's a cool saying, I like it! I know I just gotta keep practicing, but while on the subject, are there any special strumms that can help me improve on my coordination that you guys can think of? Or just learn as many as I can and just practice them all steadily?

therimidalv said:

Cool, thanks guys. All your help is great. That's a cool saying, I like it! I know I just gotta keep practicing, but while on the subject, are there any special strumms that can help me improve on my coordination that you guys can think of? Or just learn as many as I can and just practice them all steadily?

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therimidalv, that's hard to answer. It would depend on your current skill level.

If you are just starting out, here on UU, Aldrine has already posted some great strum lessons for you to master.

I myself still warm up (and continue to practice) the basic index finger strum (you know, the one where you are opening a door knob with your wrist) from very slow to very fast while varying to volume of the strum. Of course always keeping it clean as I go. I also practice the triple roll with my thumb and index finger (up thumb, down index, down thumb). Also the 5 finger roll (up thumb, down pinky, down ring, down middle, down index). Oh yeah, another good one is to just do a triplet with the index finger only. Just a quick twist of the wrist on that one (index finger.. down, up, down)..

All these strums/rolls and more can be found on UU lessons. Good luck, dude....e.lo....

i agree with e lo check out aldrine he explains the 5 finger roll, 2 finger tremelo and different strum patterns.!