Guitar Strumming Technique

Firstly, if you need help on basic/beginner guitar strumming technique, I suggest you visit our Beginner's Strumming Lesson. Otherwise, welcome to the next level! This lesson is all about putting the rhythm in rhythm guitar (I have no friends).

When playing rhythm guitar you have to learn to control both your strumming hand and your fretting hand - that may seem obvious, but when faced with both at the same time, it's easy to get into a musical mess.

Let's get to grips with some essential guitar strumming technique! Follow the audio and diagrams...

Timing your strumming punch

When playing rhythm guitar, it's useful to think of your playing in a percussive sense, supporting the drums. This in mind, the bass strings on your guitar can compliment the timing of the bass drum and the top strings are then free to jump around whatever time signature your in.

Listen to the audio below and hear when the bottom strings are being struck - try and imagine the drum beat shaped around it...

Now take a look at the diagram to map out your upstrokes (towards your head) and downstrokes (towards the floor, unless you're a bat)

It's all about keeping the time signature strict, but the rhythm free.

Let's move on so I can..uh...explain this better.

Stop/start strumming dynamics

Used a lot in funk and soul music, stop/start rhythmic playing builds on this percussive quality the guitar has.

We're using the same pattern as above, but this time we're creating a skip in the beat by using our strumming hand's palm to mute the strings at the right place.

Take a listen first...

Each "stop" lasts for a split second, so this is good rhythm co-ordination practice for you - you have to mute and lift off during that small space of time you have between those downstroke bass marker points.

Start off by JUST playing the bass string downstrokes at the correct times in the pattern, and once you're comfortable, add in the upstrokes, and then the stops - one layer at a time.

Barred stops

Similar to the last example, except this time we're playing barre chords which allows us to use our fretting hand to mute. Here's how...

When you barre the chord, whether it's an E, A, C or D shape barre, you can stop the chord from ringing out any time by simply raising your fretting hand slightly so the strings are raised off the fretboard.

You can use this as a guitar strumming technique to spice up your rhythms. This style is used a lot in Ska and Reggae music. You'll know why when you hear the example...

The secret is to keep that fretting hand in strict rhythmic movements so even if you were constantly strumming (up-down-up-down etc.), you should only hear the chords ring out when they're supposed to, when your fretting hand squeezes the strings down.

This allows you to get the momentum going with your strumming hand and arm while your fretting hand deals with all the real rhythmic detail.

Irregular strumming rhythms

In the audio clip below, listen to how the timing of the higher strings being struck separates from the bass note. The bass note will always use downstrokes as that's where the rhythmic "punch" lies. Use that as your base and try working interesting rhythms around it using the higher (treble) notes/strings of the chord...

Try separating the bass string (root note) of the chord your playing with the rest of the chord like in the audio clip.

Time signature

Try playing to some alternate beats, other than 4/4...

Notice how at first, just hearing the metronome it sounded a bit... disjointed or like you couldn't get a "hold" of the rhythm, but when the guitar came in the rhythm seemed obvious.

That's how important the guitar is to shaping rhythm!

One more for the road. This one's all down strokes:

That's an example of how rhythm guitar can help turn what would be an awkward timing into a logical, interesting timing. Slightly funky even...

Using hammer-ons to compliment your strumming

Hammer-ons are often referred to with lead guitar, but in this example I use hammer-ons with chords to liven up the rhythm.

Click Here to See a Chord Hammer On! (Win. Media Player Required)

It won't sound bad because there's only a split second within the hammer on movement so the ear only picks up the percussive effect. This works with any guitar strumming technique, especially faster paced rhythms.

You might have also picked up the stops as well. By following a hammer on with a palm mute stop you get a really cool, funk inspired jump.

Power strumming

Power strumming is a term thrown around a lot to describe strumming that is aggressive or rhythmically lively.

It works well with acoustic guitars because it's a downstroke orientated, punchy style of playing that gives a real kinetic presence to the music - good music to drive or run to.

The rhythm is split between hitting the bass notes of the chord and hitting the higher notes. Play it like the drums and hit the higher notes of the chord where the snare drum would be hit.

Use the links below to take you to wherever it is you're going next!

See you soon!