Staggered Strumming Guitar Lesson
Staggered Strumming
Brendan Burns explains how "staggering" your strums can assist in performing chord changes.
Taught by Brendan Burns in Tips & Tricks with Brendan Burns seriesLength: 8:08Difficulty: 0.5 of 5
Supplemental Learning Material
Tips & Tricks with Brendan Burns
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsBrendan Burns covers tips for rapid chord changing and economy of motion.
Lesson 1
Pivot Fingers
Brendan Burns explains how pivot fingers can be used to achieve smoother, quicker chord changes.
Length: 9:04 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Battle Plan
Brendan Burns discusses a "battle plan" for performing chord changes. The battle plan prepares you for the next chord in the progression through visualization as well as physical preparation.
Length: 8:16 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
The Strum Switch
Brendan explains how rhythmic consistency with the right hand must be maintained in order to perform effective chord changes.
Length: 9:27 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Staggered Strumming
Brendan Burns explains how "staggering" your strums can assist in performing chord changes.
Length: 8:08 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 5
Connected Chord Voicings
Brendan discusses and demonstrates how to connect chord voicings together.
Length: 14:00 Difficulty: 1.5 FREE
Connecting Chords: Dominant 7ths
Brendan Burns demonstrates and discusses ways to connect dominant 7th chord voicings.
Length: 10:35 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Connecting Chords: Minor 7ths
Brendan Burns demonstrates connecting chords for both the 6th string and 5th string minor 7th voicings.
Length: 13:15 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Connecting Chords: Major 7ths
Brendan Burns discusses the major 7th chord voicings and ways to connect them.
Length: 13:15 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Connecting Chords: Minor 7th Flat 5
The last chord voicing in the connecting chords series is the minor 7th flat 5. Brendan demonstrates uses and voicings for this chord.
Length: 7:52 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Kline Electric Guitar
Brendan answers some frequently asked questions about his Kline guitar.
Length: 6:31 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Practice Strategies
Brendan Burns discusses ways to get the most out of every practice minute you spend with the guitar.
Length: 22:28 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
About Brendan Burns
View Full Biography
Brendan has been passionate about music since childhood. He began his studies on trumpet, in elementary school, and then moved to guitar as a teenager. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Berklee College of Music, and has studied with Norm Zocher, Joe Stump, Bret Willmott, Bob Pilkington, Jay Weik, Tim Miller, & Charlie Banacos.
While at Berklee, Brendan was a member of the Music Mentoring Program, teaching private lessons to gifted high school students. He is currently teaches, and is chair of the guitar department at Brookline Music School. Brendan also teaches guitar for Tune Foolery & privately at his home in Cambridge, MA.
Along with educating, Brendan plays out often as a Solo Guitarist, performing standards, pop, and classical repertoire. He has recorded and played with the chamber-fusion band Ra Quintent, and as well as Vessela Stoyanova's Eastern Stories Under Western Skies Project. Brendan also performs as a leader, director and sideman for various Boston art-rock projects, and is former member of MIT's Gamelan Galak Tika.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.That was a cool lick you did towards the end of the video. Is there an exact name for that technique? Earlier on in the video you would hit one note before strumming. Is that "walking the bass"? I really want to learn how to play licks like you did towards the end of the video. Very nice.
I'm not sure if has a name, I think of it as a style. Classic Rock, Southern Rock, Soul and other styles of music use that technique a lot. They are essentially hammer-ons using the open strings. Try it out on a couple of different chords. It doesn't work for everyone. Also, try researching open chord embellishments, or hammer-ons in JamPlay. I'm sure someone else has talked about this subject.
Thanks Brendan. I have started playing around with this technique. I'm simply going back and forth from a C to Am. I'm going real slow to get the feel of things. I'm really liking this technique using hammer ons with open chords. It definitely puts some flavor in the music. Thanks again.
Check out some tunes by the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Guns n' Roses. They use this technique all over the place.
I've been playing for quite some time now, not even thinking about doing chord changes for the basic open chords as I did a year ago. Not that I wouldn't be able to play them, but seeing your fingers move so delicately I got embarassed I started practicing them again.
Wait until it's been 5 years and 10 years after you've learned the basic open chords. It's so wild. The guitar and your fingers just transform over time. Best of luck. Keep rockin'! Brendan
Excellent lesson, Brendan! All you lessons have been outstanding, but this one is the absolut winner. Now I can come up with my own licks while using any old chord progression. I would be interested in more of these fundamental insights into playing techniques. Thanks a lot!
Cool and crystal clear. Enjoyed it !