Smoothing out strumming?

Bennett...I will use the non-barred Bm when I get to that point. I wanted to get the strumming down first which I think is close just need to adjust the tempo a bit...I haven't had anymore than 1 1/2 hours a day to practice since work started up again...

I have fooled around a bit with the Bm (non-barre) and yes it will be challenging to get to...

Could someone please verify the strumming pattern of the verse/chorus for Eight Days A Week. I thought it was D D DUDU but now I am not sure...it's hard to hear the exact pattern...

The intro and outro is D UDU (not D DUD like I thought)...

Thanks

Hi Mike

D udu could work, it is a well known pattern with a peculiar sound that is unmistakable with other patterns (once you've heard it a few times). it is

D = 1 quarter note

udu: 1 octave and 2 sixtheens

so you have to play it twice to play a full measure.

Skid Row's "I remember your" or Iron Maiden's "Journeyman" or Thin Lizzy's "Borderline" use these pattern (D udu D udu). I included all of them in the easy song database. If you know any of these numbers listen to them and compare their structure with the Betales tune and you should be able to easily understand if it is the same pattern.

Matteo

Thanks matt...so basically the strumming pattern is the same for the intro/outro AND the verse but just a bit faster (sorry I don't understand all the music lingo yet!) I was going to try that but I didn't get around to it last night.

Thanks

If I may...one more question about this...What is a good setting to set the metronome at for this song?

Thanks

If I may...one more question about this...What is a good setting to set the metronome at for this song?

Thanks
According to Power Tab the setting is 140

According to Power Tab the setting is 140

OK so then that is fairly fast...now i am assuming it's more than one chord per measure as well?

I always get confused with that when I read tab that is only chords. I never know how long to play each chord...I can get some of it from listening to the song but not a lot...

EDIT

I forgot something...

For the metronome is it

D UDUD UDU
1&2&3&4&1&2&

Thanks

PS..Sorry it didn't come out right?

I am VERY confused now! I listened to the Powertab and the pattern sound like D D DUD (my original guess) and is sounds a HECK of a lot slower than 140. I set my metronome to 140 and I was off to the races (using matt's D UDU pattern)...plus I do recall Nils telling me to slow it down a bit when I posted my recording...

It does seem slower but the metronome in PT is definitely going at 140. There is in fact 8 beats per measure but only 4 or 5 actual notes/strums per measure. If you are trying to hit a note on every click of the metronome you would be speeding away. My guess from listening to the actual song it is more like 100 BPM. and yes, it does sound more like D D D U D

Nils, have you noticed on that PowerTab (I am assuming we have the same one?) that even though you hear the pattern D D DUDU the tab only shows 3 strums per measure? Do you think the author made a mistake or am I not hearing it right?

Thanks

Mike, the best I can figure is that the power tabs are build more on the melody than the strumming pattern. What seems to sound good for strumming is:

bass pick then down up up down up

or

down down up up down up

at 8 beats per measure, 6 strums per measure and around 100 BPM

Thanks again Nils! Sorry to be such apain on this...I really want to learn this song!

Sorry to be such apain on this...
Not a problem Mike

Hi Mike

premising that I do not know the Beatles song, reading Nils explanation it is clear that the pattern I gave you is totally wrong. Actually that pattern is based on sixhteen notes while Beatles song is based on eighth notes!

Nils suggested you two patterns

D D DU D

which means

1,2, 3&4

so you have to play two notes in beat 3 and one in the others

or the syncopated

D du u du

to play it you have to miss downstrum on beat three

Matteo

One of the things I have been having problems with is my strumming. To me they seem very robotic. I haven't been really working on them since my chord progressions were terrible at the time. They still need work but I can at least move the open chords consistantly. I decided to dedicate today's practice to working on strumming and I am using The Beatles Eight Days A Week from the Easy Song Database to help me.

I think the intro strumming pattern is D DUD and the verse is D D DUDU...

For chord progression I am using D E G D

Here are 2 recordings of the strumming. The first is the intro part:

Intro

And this part is the verse:

Verse

Could you please give me any advice to "smooth out" either the pattern or the chord progression? I think it may be a combination of both.

Thanks

Hi mike

I managed to listen to your recordings and, as other guitarist more experienced than me said, they're not bad. It seems you're playing a bit nervously and sometimes the timing is not metronomic but after all they're acceptable recordings considering that you've been playing for a couple of months. I did not record myself but i'm sure I was a lot worse after a couple of months :D

Anyway the suggestion is the same stick to a chord progression you like and play it over and over with different patterns until you can play it easily and then you'll be able to play some songs alongside the record.

i.e. the G-D-C progression is commonly used in a lot of song and if you learn to play it in a folk-strumming manner you can play the verses of Eagles "Take it easy" or "Already gone" just to give two examples of well known song. You can add A and Guns and Roses's "Patience" and "Sweet child o'mine" would be yours...

To me the folk strum is the first you should master

so try it:

1: D
2: du
3: u
4: du

Cheers

Matteo