guitar strumming pattern?

Question

are strumming patterns important? if so, why? I'm trying to learn Merry go Round by Kacey Musgraves.

Answer 1

The strumming pattern is something you should be able to feel and hear. Just get the tempo and meter right, and you don't need to nail the pattern precisely. It kind of blows me away to see so many people asking for strumming patterns on YA as if the strumming pattern is supposed to be notated or something.



Here's something that you may not realize: practically every strumming pattern is just alternate up and down strokes. The right hand keeps a steady up down rhythm (usually 8th notes) but sometimes you strike the strings (or emphasize certain beats) and sometimes you don't.

Answer 2

Strumming patterns are vital to any song. I think Norm is trying to say that you shouldn't get obsessed over trying to duplicate an artist's strum stroke-for-stroke, but don't take that to mean that the pattern doesn't matter.



Your strum...especially if you're the only instrument...sets the rhythm for the song. When you're accompanying yourself (or another vocalist) alone on guitar, your guitar has to be the whole band...drums, bass, rhythm, and lead. Every song is open to interpretation, but you have to get the strum somewhere in the ballpark of the original artist or the song won't sound the same. Although your audience doesn't know the difference between an up or down strum, the strums do sound distinctly different. They'll know if the rhythm sounds wrong...they just won't be savvy enough to identify why. Also keep in mind that there are more elements to the strum than just up and down. This is one reason that it's hard...even frustrating to try to describe strum patterns to beginners. Most experienced players just do it without thinking or analyzing what they're doing.



In a band situation, I usually watch the drummer. I'll follow one of his/her hands and match my strum to that....usually either the snare or high hat. When playing alone, I try to get an overall feel for the beat/rhythm of the song and just strum something similar. I do agree that you shouldn't obsess over getting the strum 100% identical to the original artist....but you need to come up with something close so that you don't lose the feel of the song.

Answer 3

Merry Go Round Strum

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

guitar strumming pattern?

are strumming patterns important? if so, why? I'm trying to learn Merry go Round by Kacey Musgraves.

Answer 5

Hello there,



Patterns important? I don't feel they are. Beginners get so hung up on the idea. Never understood why. You can listen to a song and get the general feel for the tempo, pacing and any unusal aspect of how it is strummed. But trying to match the pattern absolutely, 100% is a waste of time in my opinion. All you accomplish is to match how he/she did it on one particular occasion. Many performers do not strum a song absolutely, 100 % match all the time. They vary how they do it. Also, your audience will not know if a song is strummmed up, up, down and up or if is is strummmed up, down, up and down.



Later,

Norm

Answer 6

Strumming is a matter of feeling what is necessary for the song. If you play the wrong rhythm then it's going to be quite obvious.

Answer 7

hmm