The Great Guitar
Strumming Pattern Archive


Why don't chord charts show strumming patterns?

It's crazy. Knowing how to strum a song is just as important as knowing which chords to play, yet most chord charts do nothing to help beginning guitarists to strum.

I created this archive to help fill the gap left by sketchy chord charts. I hope it helps you strum the songs you love!

Each pattern has links to songs on my site that use the pattern, and a video of me playing the pattern slowly.


How to read the diagrams

Total beginners should check out Strumming 101: How to Strum the Guitar. It'll have you strumming correctly in about 15 minutes. But here's a quick explanation for those who know how to strum.

Strum patterns diagrams look something like this:

D   D U   U D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

The lower line shows the beats of a measure. The upper line shows when to strum. "D" means strum down and "U" means strum up. Remember to keep that right arm moving in a consistent up-down motion. Sometimes you're strumming the strings, sometimes your pick is passing over them, but the arm keeps moving.

Key:

D = Strum down
U = Strum up
B = Just play the bass string, which is the lowest note in a chord
d = Soft downstrum
X = "Scratch" strum. Whack the strings with your pick and the palm of your strumming hand simultaneously to get a percussive sound.
> = Accent. Play louder.

Easy Strumming Patterns


Pattern Songs Comment Video
 
1 B   D U B   D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
 I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab For Cutie (along with medium strum #_) Often played with alternating bass in country songs. Watch
2 D d D d D d D DU
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
 Hey Jude - Beatles   Watch
3 D   D U D   D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
 Wonderwall - Oasis (along with hard strum #_)   Watch
4       Watch
5       Watch
6       Watch


Medium Strumming Patterns


Pattern Songs Comment Video
 
1 D   D U   U D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +		 Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Leaving on a Jet Plane - John Denver 		This is what I call the Folk Strum.  Used in a ton of songs, not just folk songs. Watch
2 >           >
B   D U D U D   D U D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 +
 Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley In 6/8. Watch
3 B   D DUB   D DU
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
 When You Say Nothing At All - Ronan Keating   Watch
4 B   D U B U D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
 I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab For Cutie (along with easy strum #_) The tricky part is strumming up on the "and" of 3, right after you've hit a bass string. Watch
5       Watch
6       Watch


Hard Strumming Patterns


Pattern Songs Comment Video
 
2       Watch
3       Watch
4       Watch
1 D   B   D   D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

  U D   D   D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

  U D   D   D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

  U D   D   D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

 Wonderwall - Oasis (along with easy strum #_)

Only strumming on the downbeat (the first beat of the measure) once every four measures is disorienting.

Needs to be corrected--16th notes written as 8th notes.

 Watch
6       Watch