Strumming Patterns for Guitar

Strumming patterns for guitar are used in all styles of guitar music. Here are a few to get you started and spark some creativity in your musical journey.

Make sure you understand how to hold a pick before you get going.

First Things First

To start strumming, practice all down strokes on guitar when learning new chords.

Here is a basic strumming chart. If you get an idea for a song you want to remember, here’s a quick way you could write it down. You could also share your idea with a friend or fellow bandmate using this type of handwritten chart. The slashes “/” after each Chord represent a single strum. In this case a downstroke.
Strumming CHord Chart

This type of chart above can help you with two things: 1) How many times to strum each chord. Or in the case of a more complex strumming pattern, 2) how long to hold each chord, in relation to the others.

 

Different Strokes for different blokes (and ladies)

Now that you have a basic idea of how chord charts work, let me introduce you to some different strumming patterns for guitar that you can use with them.


When playing rhythms it’s a good idea to start learning to count while you play

  • For most songs as well as the examples below you will count like this:
    • 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 and then repeat.
  • Next, start adding the word “&” between the numbers as you count. It should sound like this:
    • 1, and 2, and 3, and 4, and, then repeat.

 

Use an Open E chord to practice these strumming patterns for guitar

EXAMPLE 1

In example 1 every count gets a downstroke.
strumming patterns downstroke

EXAMPLE 2

In example 2 every count gets an upstroke.
strumming patterns upstroke

Girl Strumming Guitar Chords against fence.

EXAMPLE 3

In example 3 you are strumming up and down while counting. Remember all the upstrokes should land on an “&“.
strumming patterns down up

EXAMPLE 4

In example 4 here is one of the many strumming patterns for guitar you can play. The trick to this one is that on number 3 and 4, your pick will not touch the strings as it rises up and gets ready for the next downstroke.
strumming patterns alt 1

EXAMPLE 5

Example 5 is similar to example 4. Notice that strums that don’t have an arrow are not played. HOWEVER, keep the Down, Up, Down, Up strumming going to keep your timing even.
strumming patterns alt 2

EXAMPLE 6 BONUS: REGGAE STRUMMING

This pattern may be a bit hard to grasp when you are first starting out. But it’s worth mentioning. Rhythm guitar parts in Reggae songs don’t usually land on the main beats of the song (1, 2, 3, and 4). Instead they land on the “&s” that are in-between. When your first learning to play this type of strumming focus on your count and landing between the numbers. They will ALL be upstrokes. That’s one of the things that gives Reggae such a cool flavor. Everyone is doing something different, but its all connected. It’s a bit beyond this lesson. But its interesting to note, that usually only the high string of a chord (the D,G,B and high) are used with this strumming technique. NOTE: This is NOT the same as ex 2, which are upstrokes on the 1,2,3 and 4 count.
strumming patterns for Reggae Guitar

So there you have it. A plethora of ideas to get you started strumming. 🙂