"Take it easy" strum/timing questions

"Trying to change the chords in the middle of the strum pattern and then continue the same pattern without messing up is like hard and stuff . I'm not a coordinated person anyway. I can barely pat my stomach while rubbing my head at the same time "

My Guitar teacher has been teaching me different fingerpicking songs, and he will make me work the fingerpicking pattern over and over without changing any chords, this is to teach my fight hand what to do, once I'm okay with the picking pattern then we move on to the chord changes, and timing.

It might help if you first work on the strumming pattern without chord changes, it really helps me, sort of training my two hands to work independent of one another.

Hope this help, stick with it........

It takes a lot of practice (the "P" word) but it's doable pretty quickly if you stick with it and just concentrate on it for awhile.

What I did was pick a strum pattern I was real comfortable with like D_DU_UDU and two easy chords to switch like E and Am or A and D and started to strum and switch randomly. You could actually just keep strumming for awhile without switching and just envision when you would change until you are doing the strumming without thinking about it. Then after awhile I got it where I could keep going and switch when I wanted to.

Your rhythm playing will get better, but it's a hard thing to teach. Just keeping playing along with the song to cop a feel for it, and pretty soon you'll have it. Some tunes are easier then others, some I still have a mental block on.

Just keep trying to emulate the feel of the song, the more successful you are at it the more like the original recording it will sound.

Hey if it was easy we'd all be rock stars!

Ok let me now confuse you a bit.
Quarter note
eighth note
quarter note
eighth note
eight note
eighth note
AND
D_DU_UDU
Are the same patterns.
First off. Typically strums ON the beat are strummed down. Off beat are up. (typically but not always)
Quarter notes are 1 beat long. Eighth notes are 1/2 beat long (in 4/4 time)
1&2&2&4&
Numbers are on the beat & are off beat.
So lets count out the above pattern.
Quarter note = beat 1 (on the beat so it is down strummed)
(note the underscore _ because the quarter note last a full beat and the pattern is set up for every half beat)
Eight note = 2 (because the previous quarter note lasted a full beat, that eighth note starts on beat 2 and is also a down strum)
Quarter note = & (the eighth note only lasted 1/2 beat so this quarter note starts on the & after the 2 and is UP strummed because it is off beat)
(Note, again an underscore, same reason as above)
Eighth note = & (because the previous quarter note last a full beat and started on an off beat this note starts on the next off beat , the & after 3 and is UP strummed)
Eighth note =4 (the previous eighth note started on an off beat and is only half a beat long so this one starts on the 4th beat and since it is ON the beat it is down strummed)
Eighth note = & (same reason as the above eighth note this time it falls on an OFF beat and is UP strummed)
So if counting it would be counted like this.
1,2 ,and,and,4,and
Well like I said maybe that will confuse you but I hope not.

Wow Jim. That was so nice of you to take the time to break that down like that. I really appreciate it; and everyone else's advice too. I'm going to have to read it a couple more times to make sure I got it good, but I have some understanding of it now. I will get it down and I will follow everyones advice. I'm saving your breakdown. :D :D :D :D Shannon

missleman, you may have answered a question I was wondering about.....if your strumming full chords to a song would it then be the same principal as if you were playing the song one note at a time? I mean as far as 1/4 notes 1/8 notes, half notes, whole notes. One strum would be the same as plucking one note? for how long you ring it out?

Also using this principal is it more important if your playing rhythm in a band as opposed to just playing and singing alone. In other words just playing alone could you strum more as you please instead of following a strict pattern?

Shannon

I agree with much of what's been put here, but particularly the bit about FEELING what is going on in your strumming.

I used to be just like you.....if it said D D uu D then i could do it, no problem. But recently i feel like a fog has lifted and I can strum most things just by feeling the rhythm of the song.

Try playing in a dark room - and i mean dark, no lights at all.

It makes your ears really hear what's going on. Sounds a bit mad, but try it. And loosen right up and just have some fun with it.

All the best

Matt