How do I read a strumming pattern?
Most strumming patterns are written over one bar of 4/4 time, counted one and two and three and four and. The numbers are the beats and the ands are the offbeats in between. A down arrow means a downstroke, an up arrow means an upstroke. Wherever there is no strum, you still move your hand, you just miss the strings.
Why keep my hand moving on the rests?
The secret to steady strumming is a constant down up motion in your wrist, like a metronome. Your hand goes down on every beat and up on every and, all the time. On a rest you let the hand pass the strings without hitting them, which is called a ghost stroke. That is what keeps your timing even.
What is a good first strumming pattern?
Start with all downstrokes on each beat to build a steady pulse, then try the most common pattern, down, down up, up down up. Loop it slowly with the playhead until it feels automatic, then bring the tempo up a few clicks at a time.
How do I get faster and tighter?
Practice slowly with a steady tempo and only speed up once the pattern feels relaxed. Keep your strumming arm loose, brush lightly across the strings, and let the moving playhead and the count guide you so the rhythm stays even as you add speed.
