One easy motion to answer the question: “How do I strum?”

If you’re just picking up the guitar, or learning how to strum, there are plenty of methods from which to work. However, there’s one that is simple and quite universal.

 

I was thinking of the best way to deliver a performance on this technique, so I wrote and recorded a song about it on the spot that you get to watch and use in this post.

 

Meet the Pendulum

The beauty of the pendulum is how visual and simple it is. To put it into words, your arm is constantly moving in a down and up motion that hovers above the strings unless you’re striking them. An easy way to think of this is that your arm is always moving in 8th notes (2 notes per beat in 4/4, 3/4, whatever/4 time) where the downward motion is the down beat and the upward motion is the upbeat.

 

Let’s just show you what I mean with this track I wrote and recorded on the spot for you. Let’s call it, “Like a Pendulum.”

 

“Like a Pendulum”

Notice how (aside from muting the strings at 0:05) my arm is always moving even if I’m not strumming on that exact note.

 

The times I’m actually strumming are – keeping in mind that I’m always going down up down up down up – down up, up, down up, up, down up, up, etc. etc. etc. This is a commonly used strumming pattern on punk rock songs (Insert literally any punk band here) but isn’t limited strictly to that genre. This is just what happened to come out when I was sitting down to show you something.

 

The lyrics fit the method:

 

When you swing your arm
Think of it as a pendulum
Works like a charm
For most songs that you strum

 

Down on the down beat
Up on the off
Make sure to repeat
So it’s hard to get lost

 

This is an example of how you can both make up a song on the spot – with practice and a busy mind – that both serves you, and hopefully gives a little laugh of two.

 

Now, that song is quite up-tempo, so start very slowly with a metronome. Set it to 60 BPM (check how to practice with a metronome here) and use every click as your down beat. Practice strumming only down beats with downstrokes, then only off beats with upstrokes. Then practice down, down up, down, down up. Then practice up, up down, up, up down and any other permutations you can think of. Remember, the strumming pattern I used for this little song is down up, up, down up, up, down up, up, down up, up, etc. etc. etc.

Parting Words 

As always, take your time, have fun, be kind to yourself, and take breaks when you feel you’ve had enough or you’re getting frustrated and then come back to it either later in the day or another day when you feel like you can approach with self compassion. You won’t become John Petrucci overnight, or possibly even in any less than 13 lifetimes, or possibly ever. But you will become yourself and let your inner voice out if you show yourself compassion, patience, and persistently practice with that in mind.

 

If you have any questions then feel free to contact me for a lesson. I’m always happy to reply to comments and messages either on the blog or personal messages as well, so don’t be afraid to ask.

 

Thank you again for your time, take care of yourself, and have fun in the practice room!

 

All the best,

 

– Matt

PS: Check out the studio version of that song I just recorded below!