Strumming is the heartbeat of guitar playing. It’s how you bring chords to life and create rhythms that make people want to move. When you’re strumming, tapping into your innate sense of rhythm is key. This is what makes strumming feel effortless and natural, like an extension of your musicality.
Experienced guitarists often talk about strumming as if it’s second nature. They might say, “just feel the music” or “don’t think, just play.” For them, strumming is automatic, a deeply ingrained skill. It’s easy to forget that strumming was once a challenge, a hurdle they had to overcome. But just like riding a bike, mastering Guitar Strumming Patterns takes practice, patience, and the right approach. Initially, it might feel awkward and require conscious effort. However, with consistent practice, that “aha!” moment arrives, and suddenly, strumming clicks into place. It transforms from a struggle into an intuitive, enjoyable part of playing.
So, how do you unlock this natural rhythm within yourself and apply it to guitar strumming? Let’s explore a step-by-step method to learn any strumming pattern effectively.
Before we dive in, here’s a quick look at how rhythm works. This is a sneak peek from the Strumming Skills Bootcamp, a comprehensive course that’s included in the StringKick All Access Membership for those who want to go deeper!
Now, let’s begin with the most fundamental strumming rhythm as our starting point: strumming on every beat.
To internalize and execute rhythms like this, we’ll follow a simple, three-step plan.
How to Learn Any Guitar Strumming Pattern
Step 1: Vocalize the Rhythm Before You Play
Guitar strumming patterns are built on the combination of downstrokes and upstrokes. While the mechanics of down and up strums are important, many guitarists get too focused on the hand movements, losing touch with the essential rhythmic feel.
Remember, rhythm exists in your mind first. You can’t truly play a rhythm if you don’t first hear it internally. Therefore, before you even pick up your guitar, and before we even consider downstrokes and upstrokes, the goal is to internalize the rhythm. You need to be able to clearly imagine the strumming pattern in your mind’s ear. You should be able to hear it play out in your head.
A powerful way to check if you’ve truly grasped a rhythm is to vocalize it. Sing it, hum it, beatbox it, tap it out, or simply say it aloud using rhythmic syllables. In essence: say it before you play it. If you can’t express the rhythm vocally, translating it into a solid strumming groove on your guitar will be incredibly challenging.
To see this in action with our simple rhythm, watch this short video from the Strumming Skills Bootcamp. It demonstrates how to vocalize rhythms to get them ingrained.
Step 2: Practice the Strumming Pattern on a Single Chord
Once the strumming rhythm is clear in your mind, it’s time to bring your guitar into the picture. When learning a new skill, focused practice is most effective. You want to isolate the strumming pattern itself, without the added complexity of chord changes.
Therefore, practice the new strumming rhythm using just one chord. This allows you to dedicate your full concentration to the strumming technique. Below is a short “one-chord song” example from the Strumming Skills Bootcamp, played entirely using a G chord. Grab your guitar, form a G chord, and play along to immerse yourself in the rhythm.
Step 3: Apply the Strumming Pattern to a Real Song
After you’re comfortable and confident playing the strumming rhythm on a single chord, the next exciting step is to use it in a real song! The challenge now is to maintain that consistent strumming pattern while smoothly transitioning between different chords.
This song by Lee Hazlewood is perfect for practicing our “strum on each beat” pattern, as it incorporates chord changes while keeping a steady rhythm. Try playing along with the video! The chords will light up in real-time as you play, guiding you through the song progression.
(Quick Tip: The chords are slightly simplified for this example. If you want to explore a more advanced version including the Dmaj7 chord, just toggle the switch at the top right of the chord progression to the “7th Chords” option!)
7th Chords
No 7th Chords
D
Em
D
Em
D
Em
D
Em
E
Am
E
D
Em
Dmaj7
Em
Dmaj7
Em
Dmaj7
Em
Dmaj7
Em
E
Am
E
D
Em
Hope you found this practical example helpful! To explore a wider range of guitar strumming patterns and techniques, be sure to check out the full Strumming Skills Bootcamp course!
This course is included with your StringKick All Access Membership. If you’re not yet a member, you can still access the first few lessons of the course for free. Discover more and start your strumming journey today!
Get Your Free Strumming Lessons >
Want to learn more about what the course offers first? Find out more here.
