Guitar tabs...stumming....help!!...
Question: when im looking at guitar tabs, how do i know when to strum up and when to strum down. do i just have to know the song, or is there a way to know by looking at the tabs.
acoustic guitar btw.
Answers: when im looking at guitar tabs, how do i know when to strum up and when to strum down. do i just have to know the song, or is there a way to know by looking at the tabs.
acoustic guitar btw.
There is actually a method that tells you when to use downstrokes and when to use upstrokes. It works nearly all the time but you need to know where the beats fall in the song.
It goes like this: Strum down on the beat (1, 2, 3, 4) and strum up in between the beat. Say for example your rhythm pattern goes 1 2& 3 4. Then your strumming pattern would be down, down, up down down.
In general your pick should be moving down and up at a constant speed. Sometimes it will strum the strings and sometimes it won't depending on your rhythm pattern.
If the tab lists the beats below the strum pattern then you are good to go. Just follow the rule I wrote out above. Otherwise you need to try to count along with the song on your own in order to try and figure out the beat.
If you want more info on this idea I cover it quite a bit in my Beginning Guitar Podcast. Its free and you can find it here: http://www.MyOnlineGuitar.com/wordpress
Hope this helps,
Brian
There is no right way. You can get by strumming just down or just up, but alternate strumming (up and down) is more effective for most. You just have to go with what feels right. I generally strum down on solos and alternate strum for quick chords.
i try to play the song without tabs first but if its to mush, i will go to tabs. listen to the song the try to see it played on paper with the tabs. then just practice. take little pieces of the song at a time to learn it. you will find the easies way to play the song after playing it a few times. . good luck and gowylde!