Strum Patterns and Time Signatues Guitar Lesson

We've made it to lesson #7 in this beginner lesson series. This lesson is not going to focus on any new chords, and not a whole of new information, but rather going to give you a chance to practice strumming the guitar. Before we get started with the application, we'll do some review.

Time Signatures

A time signature is displayed with one number over another number (4/4... 3/4... 6/8... etc...) The first, or top number is how many beats or counts there are in the measure. In a 4/4 time signature, when counting out the beat, you would count to "four". In 3/4, when counting, you would only count to "three". The bottom number refers to which note value gets the count (or beat). In 4/4, every quarter note you see is worth one beat and gets one count. In 6/8, every eighth note is worth one beat and gets one count.

Subdividing the Beat

Subdividing a beat means that you are playing more, faster notes of a certain value within one beat. These subdivisions are counted and played differently depending on what time signature we are in. In 4/4, an eighth note would be counted on the "AND" and would be exactly 1/2 of a full beat. If we were to play an 8th note strum pattern in 4/4, we would count it as 1& 2& 3& 4&. In 6/8 time, since the eighth note gets the beat, and 8th note strum pattern in 6/8 would be counted as 1 2 3 4 5 6... 1 2 3 4 5 6... etc...

Sixteenth notes in a 4/4 or 3/4 time signature are counted as 1e&a 2e&a etc... with there being 4 total divisions of the beat and each 16th note covers exactly 1/4 of the beat. in a 6/8 time signature, sixteenth notes are just counted on the "AND" and take up exactly half of one beat.

Strumming Guidelines

One of the main things that is hard to grasp when learning to strum efficiently is deciding when to play an upstroke vs. a down stroke. If you start out with the following general rule, you will do just fine:

When strumming a primarily 8th note pattern, use upstrokes on the &'s of the beats. When strumming a pattern with 16th notes, quarter and eighth note values are down strokes, and the 16th divisions are upstrokes.

In other words, a 1e&a 2e&a... constant 16th note strum would be alternating down/up/down/up. Every 1 & gets a down stroke, and everything in between gets an upstroke. If you're working with only an 8th note pattern, use alternate strumming on the 8th note. So 1& 2& 3& 4& would be down/up/down/up...

Backing Tracks

There are three tracks that come with this lesson. All are designed to give you a different way to strum along and develop your timing and technique. As you see demonstrated in the video, it can often be quite difficult to strum to a metronome. It is much easier to get a feel for strumming when playing with a track. I have provided tracks in 4/4, a 3/4 and 6/8. Make sure you are strumming and counting along where you can.

Before you try the backing tracks, look over and play through the suggested strum patterns provided in the supplemental content. You will practice all of these patterns over a G chord until you are comfortable changing chords. Once you have a basic feel for the strum patterns, take them to the tracks and apply them.

Each track changes chords exactly the same way. They all follow the CAGED order. So you will strum over a C chord, then switch to an A chord, then to a G chord etc...

Track 1: 4/4 Jam -- Each chord C, A, G, E, and D will be played for 8 measures before switching. Any of the suggested strum patterns will work over the track

Track 2: 3/4 Jam -- Each chord C, A, G, E, D will be played again for 8 measures. This track builds a little more. You'll notice that when strumming 8th notes over the 3/4 track, that the 8th notes feel a little different. This is because this track has some "swing" to it. We'll get more in to "swing" later, but for now, do your best to groove with the track and have fun!

Track 3: 6/8 Jam -- As with the last tracks, the chord will change every 8 measures. When strumming in 6/8 time, it is very easy to push the beat. Don't rush and try to think about playing slightly behind to get that laid back 6/8 feel!

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