As a beginner guitarist the two essentials you need to learn to play songs are chords and strumming patterns. So after learning the basic open string chords what are the strumming patterns that every beginner guitarist needs to know? The following 12 strumming patterns and rhythms enable you to strum your guitar through many songs from The Beatles, The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and many more.
4/4 Strumming Patterns
Most pop/rock songs are in 4/4 time meaning that there are 4 quarter notes beat to the bar. With most strumming patterns you strum DOWN on each beat. The 4 beats can also be divided in half creating eight beats in the bar funnily enough they’re called eighth beats. 😉 UP strums are usually added on the eighth note beats in between the main 4 down strums. Here the DOWN strums are on the ON beats (1, 2, 3 & 4) while the UP strums are on the OFF (counted as “and” written as “+”) beats.
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Listen to the audio of Down Strums. |
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Down Up Strums | Download Listen to the audio of Down Up Strums. |
Here are some common guitar strumming patterns for 4/4 time.
Strumming Pattern #1
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Strumming Pattern #1 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #1. |
Strumming Pattern #2
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Strumming Pattern #2 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #2. |
Strumming Pattern #3
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Strumming Pattern #3 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #3. |
Strumming Pattern #4
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Strumming Pattern #4 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #4. |
Strumming Pattern #5
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Strumming Pattern #5 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #5. |
Strumming Pattern #6
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Strumming Pattern #6 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #6. |
16th Note Strumming Patterns
For slower songs strums just using eight note rhythms can be too slow. To fill in the gaps between the slower strums 16th notes are used. 16th notes are twice as fast as eighth notes. 16the note patterns are counted as 1e+a, 2e+a, 3e+a and 4e+a. Here UP strums are played on the OFF 16th “e” and “a” notes with DOWN strums on the “numbers” and “+s”.
Here are 3 common 16th note strumming patterns that work well on slower songs and ballads.
Strumming Pattern #7
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Strumming Pattern #7 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #7. |
Strumming Pattern #8
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Strumming Pattern #8 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #8. |
Strumming Pattern #9
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Strumming Pattern #9 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #9. |
3/4 Strumming Patterns
Not all songs are in 4/4. The next most common time signature is ¾ meaning that there are 3 quarter note beats in the bar. The 3/4 time is used in waltzes such as the Blue Danube Waltz. Other songs in 3/4 include Norwegian Wood by The Beatles, The Times They’re a Changing by Bob Dylan and Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in a Small Town by Pearl Jam.
Here are some common 3/4 guitar strumming patterns that every player should know.
Strumming Pattern #10
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Strumming Pattern #10 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #10. |
Strumming Pattern #11
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Strumming Pattern #11 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #11. |
Strumming Pattern #12
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Strumming Pattern #12 | Download Listen to the audio of Strumming Pattern #12. |
So now you know 12 common guitar strumming patterns see how you can use them in the songs that you play.