Strum

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For other uses, see Strum (disambiguation).
Guitar strum About this sound Play (helpinfo): base pattern on open G. Many patte
rns are created through subtracting beats from this base.
Guitar strum About this sound Play (helpinfo): pattern created by subtracting the
second and fifth (of eight) eighth notes from the base, above.
Ska stroke[1] About this sound Play (helpinfo): features dampened staccato upbeat
downstrokes.
In music, strumming is a way of playing a stringed instrument such as a guitar.
A strum or stroke is a sweeping action where a fingernail or plectrum brushes pa
st several strings in order to set them all into motion and thereby play a chord
. Strums are executed by the dominant hand, while the other hand holds down note
s on the fretboard. Strums are contrasted with plucking, as a means of activatin
g strings into audible vibration, because in plucking, only one string is activa
ted by a surface at a time. A hand-held pick or plectrum can only be used to plu
ck one string at a time, but multiple strings can be strummed by one. Plucking m
ultiple strings simultaneously requires a fingerstyle or fingerpick technique.
A strumming pattern or strum is a preset pattern used by a rhythm guitar. Compar
e with pattern picking, strumming patterns may be indicated through notation, ta
blature, up and down arrows, or slashes. For example, a pattern in common time o
r 4/4 consisting of alternating down and up eight note strokes may be written:
/\/\/\/\
Contents [hide]
1
Rock and Pop
2
Jazz and Funk
3
Fingerstyle strumming strokes
4
See also
5
External Resources
6
References
Rock and Pop[edit]
The pattern most typical of rock and related styles would be written:
/ /\ \/\
Patterns may alternate or vary through one song.
Examples of primary strumming patterns in songs:[2]
single down strum: / / / /
Elvis' "Burning Love"
down-up: /\/\/\/\
Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart"
Kathy Mattea's "What Could Have Been"
boom-chicka: / /\/ /\
Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings"
Jazz and Funk[edit]
The simple four-to-a-bar rhythm is associated with Jazz guitarists such as Fredd
ie Green, although they may subtly vary the chord on each beat.
A simple eight-to-a-bar rhythm is known as "straight eights" as opposed "swung e
ights", in which each pair are played as the first and third notes in a triplet.
The fretting hand can also be lifted off the fretboard to damp a chord, creating
staccato and percussive effects. In reggae and ska, a few staccato "chops" are
played per bar. In funk rhythm playing, the strumming hand keeps a fairly steady

motion in 16th notes, while the left hand, basically holding down a jazz chord
damps some of them in a syncopated pattern.
Fingerstyle strumming strokes[edit]
Some of the many possible fingerstyle strums include
A slow downstroke with the thumb. This is a sforzando or emphatic way of playing
a chord.
Light "brushing" strokes with the fingers moving together at a near-perpendicula
r angle to the strings. Works equally in either direction and can be alternated
for a chord tremolo chord effect.
Upstrokes with one finger make a change from the standard downstroke strum.
A "pinch" with the thumb and fingers moving towards each other gives a crisp eff
ect. It is helpful to clearly articulate the topmost and bass note in the chord,
as if plucking, before "following through".
Rasgueado: Strumming typically done by bunching all the right hand fingers and t
hen flicking them out in quick succession to get four superimposed strums. The r
asgueado or "rolling" strum is particularly characteristic of flamenco.
Turning p-a-m-i tremolo plucking into a series of downstrokes. This is a lighter
version of the classic rasgueado, which uses upstrokes.
See also[edit]
Harmonic rhythm
External Resources[edit]
StrumPatterns.com
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Snyder, Jerry (1999). Jerry Snyder's Guitar School, p.28. ISBN 0-73900260-0.
Jump up ^ Dix, Bruce (2011). You Can Teach Yourself Country Guitar. pp. 19 26. ISB
N 9781610654869.
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