Strumming 101 - A Beginner Guitar Strumming Tutorial

By Dan Cross, About.com Guide

Here's another exercise which combines using our newly learned strums, with the added challenge of switching chords quickly. Study the above example, and listen to an audio file of the pattern. You play the first strumming pattern we learned while holding a G major chord. You'll then immediately switch to a C major chord and play the second strumming pattern.

Keep in mind:

• The rhythm of this exercise is the same as the last one
• It is very important not to pause while switching chords. Instead, continue to strum while you switch chords with your fretting hand. If you're playing with other people, they can't stop while they wait for you to switch chords - you need to learn to keep up.
• If you're having trouble switching chords quickly enough, slow the exercise down, and play it at a tempo that allows you to switch chords without pausing.
• Try playing the exercise alone, and eventually, you can try playing along with the audio example.

Previous

• Learning the Basics of Strumming
• More on the Basics of Strumming
• A Slightly More Advanced Strumming Pattern
• Strumming Pattern Exercise Number One
• Strumming Pattern Exercise Number Two

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