Strumming Rant

Eriquito

Eriquito

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I apologize for this rant in advance but here goes...
:mad::mad::mad:

AHHHHHHHHH Strumming is REALLY REALLY HARD.

It seems as though every new song I learn to play sounds the same because no matter how hard I try to mind it, my strumming reverts to like a "d u x" pattern that everyone does when they don't know what the heck they're doing. Seriously, this is frustrating.


I just needed to get that off my chest. Thank you.


E
 
The answer is simple:

1. Don't do strumming patterns
2. Stop chunking

Don't worry about what your right hand is doing. Think more about your left. I'm serious.
 
Ken Middleton said:
The answer is simple:

1. Don't do strumming patterns
2. Stop chunking

Don't worry about what your right hand is doing. Think more about your left. I'm serious.
Click to expand...

See I did the opposite, I learned popular patterns and chunks, then developed my own, and then just play free and whatever comes to me is what I play.
 
Eriquito said:
Really? That seems counterintuitive but I'm game for trying different methods....
Click to expand...

Well if you get good fingerings with your left hand, your right hand can sometimes just do whatever it wants and it will sound good. I'm not sure if this is what Ken meant
 
Eriquito said:
AHHHHHHHHH Strumming is REALLY REALLY HARD.

It seems as though every new song I learn to play sounds the same because no matter how hard I try to mind it, my strumming reverts to like a "d u x" pattern that everyone does when they don't know what the heck they're doing. Seriously, this is frustrating.




E
Click to expand...

Yes it is, my strumming is still DU DU DU DU, after A LOT of practice I can now do D D DU DU, and surprisingly easy was DU fan DU fan, harder is fan fan fan fan. but if I'm at uke club I panic and its back to DU DU DU DU. when I see such things as DU DU D. .U I'm a gonner, but at least I've gone a baby step toward something better...yadda yadda yadda practice, lol
 
My go to strum is D DU UDU. It's the first strum I learned on guitar and it's my default strum for songs when I'm looking at chords for the first time or trying to figure the chords out. I guess it's my go to strum because I don't have to think about it. It let's me focus on my left hand and the chords.

I too am curious if that is what Ken meant by ignoring the right hand.
 
misterpk said:
I too am curious if that is what Ken meant by ignoring the right hand.
Click to expand...

What I am saying is that when you are learning the basics on a ukulele, focus equally on what the left hand is doing, don't just concentrate on the right. Strumming patterns are certainly OK for learning to control the right hand. However, if you use the same strumming pattern all the way through a song, it very quickly starts to sound boring, even if it is a fairly complex pattern. It would be better to do a simple pattern and vary it a bit at the end of each phrase (line of words).

As for chunking? It can sometimes sound great if it is done cleanly and in moderation, varying the pattern throughout and adding other techniques in there. But I'm afraid that too many players now use it all the way through a song and, after a bar or so, it starts to sound ridiculous. Sorry if that offends anyone.

As for what the left hand should do, you can decorate the chords by moving one or move fingers, mute some or all of the strings, change chords more often by adding intermediate chords, use higher chord positions, etc. These techniques needn't be complex, but will often be really effective.

That's my three pennyworth.
 
Last edited:
I am SOOOO with you! It can be frustrating, yes!! You are SO not alone! I have one song that I play, I don't know the strum pattern, it just happened... I don't know why, it did, just one song. The rest pretty much stink.. but how long can one pick ode to joy and fur elise? As soon as I get frustrated, I just go back to my one song.. because when I am concentrating on doing some other strumming pattern.. My chord hands get all mixed up!

I wish for more music for the uke written with the symbols like orchestra music with signs for up and down bow.. but strums instead..

Keep practicing, I am sure we will all improve in due time....
 
Eriquito said:
IAHHHHHHHHH Strumming is REALLY REALLY HARD.
Click to expand...

My advice (and the only way to improve):

Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.
And have a glass of wine.

You don't get better by doing 1,000 things, but rather by doing one thing 1,000 times. The wine is merely a reward for perseverance.
 
ichadwick said:
My advice (and the only way to improve):

Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.
And have a glass of wine.

You don't get better by doing 1,000 things, but rather by doing one thing 1,000 times. The wine is merely a reward for perseverance.
Click to expand...

So if I understand your post correctly I should - Practice. Is that correct? ;)
 
Mandarb said:
So if I understand your post correctly I should - Practice. Is that correct? ;)
Click to expand...

I had some trouble with it, too...

could you be a little clearer, please?
 
When your chord-forming hand/fingers know how to form chords and have developed the dexterity
to change from chord to chord without your looking at your fingers and without interrupting whatever
strum you're doing, then you can afford to focus more attention on stumming.

To me, strumming just about always should be dealt with LAST, after learning the chords to a song and
after working on making chord changing smooth and "second nature". Playing a song "simply", focusing
on the chords, chord changes, melody and lyrics is the WORK we must all go through to lay the ground-
work for eventual performance 'tweaking'. After the groundwork is laid (properly), for me, it's a matter
of mimicing the rhythm I remember hearing when I first got interested in the song.

I hope this helps,

Keep uke'in',
 
ichadwick said:
My advice (and the only way to improve):

Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.
And have a glass of wine.

You don't get better by doing 1,000 things, but rather by doing one thing 1,000 times. The wine is merely a reward for perseverance.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but there is also something to note here that is not mentioned very often. Sleep. After you have attempted to learn so many things, you need a good nights sleep so your brain can catalog it and commit it to memory. I can't tell you how many times I've been struggling all night with something, just to find the next morning I can play it like it is nothing.
 
Dane said:
Agreed, but there is also something to note here that is not mentioned very often. Sleep. After you have attempted to learn so many things, you need a good nights sleep so your brain can catalog it and commit it to memory. I can't tell you how many times I've been struggling all night with something, just to find the next morning I can play it like it is nothing.
Click to expand...

good call Dane...that is so true...and relevant to most things in life, not just learning ukulele...sometimes you just need a little time and distance away from the task at hand to clear the head and get a fresh perspective...
 
Uncle Rod Higuchi said:
for me, it's a matter
of mimicing the rhythm I remember hearing when I first got interested in the song.
Click to expand...

I have played a lot more guitar than uke and one of the really attractive parts of uke playing to me are the various strumming patterns. With guitar almost noone studies strums that instensely. They usually go off to flatpicking solos or working on finger style.

But for whatever reason, with uke, the strum patterns seem to be a big part of the instrument and heritage. I have a long way to go but one comment I read is reflected in Uncle Rods post. You have to be able to hear the strum first before you can play it. Clapping it out was one method suggested. That is what I have been working on. Almost like a drummer (never thought I would ever say that in my life...) Move from one pattern to another just with clapping. If you get that in your head it will pop out in the music at the right points.
 
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