-= Building a Guitar from Scratch with Absolutely No Woodworking Experience =-

How can I tell if i'm strumming correctly? I don't know if I strum correctly or either wrong. Does it matter how the way you strum the guitar or hold a pick??? 

If it feels right, then it probably is. There's not much ideal solution for everyone one.

 

Note that lessons in game can help you answer some question regarding positioning too and don't be afraid to look around youtube too to find different point of view regarding that subject.

And listen to how it sounds!!!!!!!

 

Lower the volume of the music or mute it even, and keep the guitar vol at 100, then play and listen.

 

You might even find recording of your playing and listening to it useful - if you don´t wanna miss with recording settings and audio exclusivity, just use your cellphone to audiorecord!!!!

YouTube is your friend. There is no right way, there is more efficient techniques you can use but it's mostly based on what feels fluid and comfortable to you. The pick should be held between your thumb and side of your pointer finger, and your hand and wrist should be relaxed and comfortable. Picking was actually the biggest struggle for me starting out. Only 2 rules are strum with your wrist, not elbow and your wrist should move fluidly with little tension. Tension causes your picking to be stiff and therefore slower. Just play around with it and muscle memory will find out what's comfortable over time. 

Strumming is far more complicated, of course not if you are into headbanger.

There are a dozen of patterns you should train and be able to play with or without change of cords.

 

Most easy are 1/8 patterns, when it comes to 1/16 patterns, it gets tough, it's not without reason we find so few country songs here.

They know how to strum, these cowboys. ;)

 

Why not start with the 

Bo Diddley Beat

 

 

 

Study the strum patterns in official RS songs in groups of 4.

 

If you have 2 Strums, and the first starts on a main beat, or a change of chord,

its most surely a downstrum.

 

If after the 2nd Strum you have a pause, a single gap, ( a downstrum is left out)

next strum is an Upstrum

If you have 2 gaps, next is a Downstrum.

 

If after the 3rd Strum you have a gap, (an upstrum is left out)

next strum is downstrum

 

If its a double gap, its an upstrum

 

Simply put in a 1/8 pattern:

 

Downstrums are uneven 1, 3, 5 ...

Upstrums are even 2,4,6

 

2Strums with 1 Gap = 3, next strum is 4th (upstrum)

3Strums with 2 Gaps = 5, next strum is 6th (upstrum)

3Strums with 1 Gap =4, next strum is 5th (downstrum)

 

Questions is always how to strum after a gap.

And more often it is difficult to see the number of gaps (left out strums) in RS

The ting goes skrrrahh, pap, pap, ka-ka-ka. Skibiki-pap-pap, and a pu-pu-pudrrrr-boom. Skya, du-du-ku-ku-dun-dun. Poom, poom.