strumming - want to know everything

Hey

I would like to know how to strum. Can anyone tell me? I want to know everything. For example, I've been hearing that when you strum you keep Your strumming arm swinging like a pendulum even if you don't hit the strings. Is this true?

I'm hoping someone would care to tell me all or most of the aspects of strumming. I've been looking on the net for strumming, but each site seems to tell me something new so could someone please tell me from the basics to the advanced stuff, just so i can understand everything.

Eric

If someone were to tell you everything there is to know about strumming, then firstly they wouldn't be able to tell you everything because I don't think anyone can know everything about anything.. there is always something new to learn. And secondly, it would fill up an entire book. It can't be done in a simple forum post reply. People can give you pointers and common rules that they follow but really it's a matter of seeing how other people do it and copying them.. then after a while you learn your own way to strum. There's no right or wrong way; there are certainly ways to maximise endurance and ways to strum certain styles that are unique to each style.. but there are no hard and fast rules.

You should look for things like "how to hold your pick" and "correct posture" as well as look for rhythm techniques that you are interested in. There's little point learning how to strum (play rhythm) the technique of country/western music if you have no interest in it.. to a certain degree of course. You can always learn something from anything you practise of course. What you are asking is too broad of a topic to sum up in a single or even multiple post response. The reason you keep finding new methods on different sites, is because everyone has a certain way of doing things.

Yeah, that's not an easy questions to answer...

Here's a link that would be a good place to start:

http://www.guitar-lessons-central.com/guitar-strumming-patterns.html

Hi Eric,

I have a set of tutorials here on Guitar Tricks that lead you through the basics of strumming. It starts right at the very beginning, and moves through several sets of lessons, building on the skills as you go. It's targeted at acoustic players, but the theory and techniques will apply to electric guitar as well. If it starts out too easy for you, feel free to jump ahead until you find your skill level. Either way, it should get you off on the right foot as far as proper technique goes.

Here's the first tutorial:
Acoustic Strumming I: Getting Started
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=486

Keep us posted - have fun!
-Lisa McCormick

I learned a lot from http://www.easystrummers.com
Just learned wanted dead or alive which has cool strumming in it and some embellishments that are good for learners.