4
Tips for Playing Guitar by
Strumming
When it
comes to playing guitar, there
really are "different strokes for
different folks!" Perhaps you
want to play by strumming. It
really isn't that difficult once
you know the chords. Let's
explore the basics of strumming
and how to get
started.
What is
strumming? Strumming is the act
of brushing a pick or fingers
across several guitar strings in
a rhythmic motion (up and down)
to create a tune. The notes of a
chord are played simultaneously
with either up or down strokes.
Strumming
for country, gospel or jazz music
is often simple with only several
chords per song. In classical
music, however, strumming can be
more difficult and may require a
professional music instructor to
learn these methods.
As with any
musical skill, playing guitar by
strumming takes patience and lots
of practice. Many beginners will
learn a couple of chords first
and practice strumming these.
Then they add more chords along
to improve their skills. If
you're a new strummer, first
learn the basic steps and how to
stroke the guitar strings (up and
down) while creating smooth,
balanced rhythm.
Even with
slow strumming, try to maintain a
smooth rhythm. Learn several
chords at a time and practice
these together. This will help
you learn to change chords more
evenly as you play.
1.
Finger Rules
In
strumming, you'll only use four
fingers. The thumb will touch the
three brass strings, and
sometimes be used to adjust these
strings. The index, ring, and
middle fingers are used to handle
the three treble strings. The
pinky finger is not used at all
in strumming.
2.
Change and Release
Chords
Practice
proper chord progression when
learning to strum chords. The
chord change should lead into the
next chord smoothly with barely a
notice.
Also, while
strumming chords, you can release
them (or touch the strings
lightly without lifting) instead
of holding them down the entire
time. This makes things a little
easier on the fingers!
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3.
Counting the Beats and
Guitar Playing
Rhythm
Guitar
playing by strumming
demands the right beat
and rhythm. You can
count the beats aloud as
you strum to become
familiar with a song's
timing.
Timing
is the number of beats
in a bar such as 4/4 (4
beats to the bar) or 3/4
(3 beats to the
bar).
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If learning
from an instructor, you will
likely learn about beats first
and then use this method in
practicing your
lessons.
4. Keep
the Wrist Loose and
Comfortable
Strumming
should never be performed with a
tightened wrist. Be sure the
rotation of your wrist matches
the motion and strumming method
while playing guitar. If your
wrist feels tight while
strumming, try varying the
position of your wrist until it
moves freely with the rhythm.
Also,
exercise the hand and wrist using
an exercise ball and motion
exercises to reduce the risk of
developing carpal tunnel
syndrome, a condition caused in
the hands and wrists by
continuous repetitive
motions.
Strumming
the Guitar is
Conceptual
The type of
strumming you do will usually
depend on the guitar, your skill
level for playing guitar, and the
types of music you desire to
play. As you learn chords,
practice strumming the guitar and
changing chords each day until
you master the desired
smoothness. You can learn
strumming from music lessons
online or a music instructor.
Strumming
is a great method for beginners
and can help you learn to play
songs on a guitar quickly. With
practice, you'll be able to strum
many of your favorite tunes in no
time at all!
This article
about guitar strumming is
presented by Music
Playground.
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