Strumming

Hey im relatively new when it comes to playing the guitar, but one of the major challenges I've come across so far is strumming. The down strum I find easy, it's just coming back up thats the problem. If anyone could tell me some tips on how to hold the pick (at a certain angle perhaps?), or how I should be moving my elbow or wrist while strumming, i would really appreciate it. Thanks!

I try to minimize elbow movement and concentrate on the wrist motion. Try not to keep a straight wrist, it helps to loosen it to get a fluid movement.

When I do a strumming upstroke, I lead with my hand and drag the pick a little bit. Using a lighter pick also helps.

So, loose wrist, minimize excessive elbows movement and lead with the hand, never with the pick.

Alright, definately will try that, thanks.

I had the same problem, strumming down was easy but coming back up I just kept catching the bottom string or missing the strings entirely. I found it was down to my wrist position, because I had only ever strummed downwards I had got into the habit of holding my wrist at a really strange angle where the plectrum was almost aiming at the ceiling, this made strumming down easy but strumming up impossible.

Now I have my strumming hand a lot more neutral if you like, it stays in pretty much the same position for strumming up as well as down with only a slight natural bending of the wrist.

I think it's an area that is really overlooked, you almost take it for granted. Because you can strum down you just assume that you can strum upwards. It took a while to sort out but now it's just automatic.

I had the very same problem with the up-stroke. Relaxing my right hand helped a lot as well as trying to focus more on wrist motion. Once I got that to be a little more natural, I found that it's a little easier to start with alternative picking too. Keep after it. It'll come. :)

Like with so many things in guitar, you need to start slow, and then go faster and faster and faster. When you get up to speed everything should be happening naturally. Another thing I have noticed when people pick up and strum a guitar is that they strum it really hard. There's no need to apply much pressure, with you right hand, on the strings as you strum slowly. Everything is about accuracy rather than about speed because no matter how hard and fast you play, if you're not accurate it sounds bad.

When you strum upwards, do not try to strum all the strings. Even if you are playing an open position G chord which spans all six strings, you would only really catch 3 or maybe four strings on the way up.

I would also recommend using a stiff pick and try to achieve a nice sound. This will help you to develop a relaxed and controlled strumming action, even if it sounds terrible at first. Too often beginners reach for the really thin pick to compensate for a lack of technique, and continue to bash at the strings.

I hope this helps.

John

Try practicing a single down stroke followed by the upstroke, and just do this a bit and try to isolate what it is that is troubling you. You can also do the reverse.