Guitar Tricks Online Guitar Lessons

Strumming Exercise

 
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Now that we've explored a few ways to work on your single note technique, let's come up with an exercise that can help you work on your strumming technique.

A lot of guitar players love these kinds of exercises because it enables them to focus exclusively on the technical aspects of it all, meaning they don't have to worry about sounding good or making sense musically. For those players that's liberating and productive!

Other players need their exercises to sound good to find the motivation and that's okay too. There's nothing wrong with using actual scales or melodies to practice these things either, but it is helpful to remember that you always have the option of stripping away the need to sound good and purely giving your fingers a workout.

Personally, I love to use these kinds of exercises to warm up before a concert, or to simply get some extra practice time while I'm watching a movie or a TV show. Have fun with it!

Instructor Anders Mouridsen
Tutorial:
Fun Finger Exercises
Styles:
Any Style
Difficulty:
print notation download lesson open guitar tuner
Strumming Exercise song notation

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Questions & Answers

3 weeks ago
Can I send videos along the way to get feedback on technique? I want to make sure I am doing the right things so I don't have to break bad habits later.
Mike Olekshy 3 weeks ago

Hey there - thanks so much for your question! Yes we do offer video instructor feedback. Check out this page to get started: https://www.guitartricks.com/feedback

7 months ago
Any tips on holding the pick? I’m having trouble with it spinning in my fingers as I’m strumming.
Mike Olekshy 7 months ago

Hi there - thanks so much for your question! This is a common problem amongst guitarists! Make sure you aren't holding the pick too tight or too loose. Find a middle ground where the pick feels secure, but you still can strum with a relaxed feel. Textured picks can help keep the pick from slipping on your fingertips. Take a few minutes in your practice routine to strum a chord and be intentional about holding the pick with just the right amount of grip so it doesn't move around as you strum. Hope this helps!!