Guitar Strumming

[Creativemind]

Hi All!

 

When I'm playing the guitar I've come to realise my strum patterns aren't very good. I can play pretty good but when I try to record in a daw, it's doesn't really sound very neat. It's like the strum has no specific pattern. Here's a link to me playing a song I wrote on You Tube:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwhErbH7iME

I mean what I play in that video is ok because you don't really notice with nothing in the background (drums, bass etc) till you go to record it, and then I realise the strum pattern in the video is made up on the spot so has no structure. I strum what just feels natural.

I looked at a video on You Tube the other day and the guy was saying about 1e&a 2e&a etc which I could do easily but I seem to have no art for the strum patterns when I write songs as such. I am self taught if that makes any difference. Also, another video I watched a couple of weeks ago, the guy said, he cringes when he sees the up/down arrows on guitar chord sheets which demonstrates the up / down strokes and he said that they were a load of crap and that you do a steady 1/16th, 1/8th note or whatever strum and it was what you leave out that created the pattern, is that the case?

Can anyone advise me on any techniques or things I could practice to help me here?

Thanks!

[ezbass]

I haven’t watched the video but for a good reason - I’m going to suggest something and don’t want to be swayed by what you might or might not be doing. I think a great way to devise a strumming pattern is to just play a one note, one bass string rhythm pattern and then recreate that pattern as a strum.

[Creativemind]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

I haven’t watched the video but for a good reason - I’m going to suggest something and don’t want to be swayed by what you might or might not be doing. I think a great way to devise a strumming pattern is to just play a one note, one bass string rhythm pattern and then recreate that pattern as a strum.

Thanks for that. Just tried that and this is what I came up with (Is a little quiet). First bit is just the bass line and then the strum with a kick drum then the strum, bass line and kick drum together:-

 

Do you count when you strum?

Edited October 15, 2020 by Creativemind

[ezbass]

I’m glad that helped and it sounds fine to me.
 

I don’t think I count when I strum, but I may have back in the dim and distant past when I started, I just don’t remember. However, I probably do it unconsciously by tapping my foot or nodding my head.

[Creativemind]

41 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I’m glad that helped and it sounds fine to me.
 

I don’t think I count when I strum, but I may have back in the dim and distant past when I started, I just don’t remember. However, I probably do it unconsciously by tapping my foot or nodding my head.

Yeah dunno, something about it just doesn't sound good sometimes. I'm not sure what it is. I'm always having to tidy it up a lot in my daw (didn't on my Soundcloud example but it was a basic strum really and my second take).

I forgot to ask as well, at the ends of the bars on my example would you flick your wrist or just move your hand up and down?

[Dad3353]

5 hours ago, Creativemind said:

...Can anyone advise me on any techniques or things I could practice to help me here?...

There's not much wrong (well, nothing at all, really...) with any of that, neither the video nor the Soundcloud. I've played with numerous front-line folks that couldn't hold down a rhythm like that (I play drums...). What do do to improve..? You just need to widen a little your 'palette', and I'd suggest that one way would be to listen to some others, to soak in some of their rhythms. Who, for instance..? Joan Armatrading springs to mind as an excellent 'strummer'. Maybe U2's 'The Edge'..? For enthusiasm and stamina, Ritchie Havens is as good as they come. Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders...), maybe, or Johnny Marr..?
A tip, that may be useful... It's not necessary to play all the 6 strings all of the time. A lot can be done with brushing only the bottom 4, or the top 4; bouts of arpeggio are good, too (picking individual notes out in rhythmic fashion.
Try some of this stuff; see how you get on. The essentials, you have already, with good timing (singing at the same time, too; very good, lad; very good..!). You're doing fine, so carry on.
Oh yes; the most important bit... Be natural (as in the video...). If you feel it's right, then it's right. 
Hope this helps. 

Douglas

[ezbass]

9 hours ago, Creativemind said:

 

I forgot to ask as well, at the ends of the bars on my example would you flick your wrist or just move your hand up and down?

Not sure what you mean there as my strumming comes mostly from my wrist, so it’s all quite flicky I guess. Whatever works for you is best, but try and avoid excessive tension in the hand and arm, as this can lead to fatigue and a somewhat robotic feeling.