Strumming Patterns

Strumming patterns are only limited to your imagination. 

Beginning Strumming Patterns...

Lets Start With 4/4 Timing, meaning 4 Beats per measure.

fig 1

Pattern 1: Each beat, strum down (fig 1). Keep in rhythm with your hand to practice for harder strumming patterns. (Down, Down, Down, Down). These are Quarter notes.

fig 2

Pattern 2: Each beat strum down up (fig 2). Counted like: One And Two And Three And Four And. You strum down on the count, and strum up on the "&". Simple right? Try different speeds to a metronome or a beat. I prefer a beat. It is easy to get off rhythm. These are Eighth notes. It might be easier to "count" Down Up Down Up... thats ok for now, but you may change when doing sixteenth notes. You should be able to do these strum patterns for 4 to 5 minutes without mistakes. A little over the average length of a song.

Pattern 3: First 2 beats strum down, last 2 beats strum down Up down Up (fig 3). (Down, Down, Down up, Down Up), better yet (1, 2, 3 &, 4 &) Combination of patterns 1 and 2.

Pattern 4: This strumming pattern is very common and sounds good. You skip the 3rd down beat, but strum on the way back up. (1, 2 &, &, 4 &). Beat one Down, Beat 2 Down Up, Skip the down on Beat 3 but strum the Up, Beat 4 Down Up. Right after that last down up, you go right into beat 1 Down. Once you get this strumming pattern down, there are a lot of variations, like the first down you can just pick the first string in the chord you are using, and or mute the second strum.... what ever sounds good to you. 

A lot of songs use more than one strumming pattern. get used to switching between these 4 strumming patterns and you will be on your way.