1) Groove Basics (made simple)
Pulse → Subdivision → Accent → Feel
- Pulse: the steady heartbeat (e.g., 4 beats in 4/4). Count: 1 2 3 4.
- Subdivision: how you slice each beat (e.g., eighths 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &; triplets 1-trip-let; sixteenths 1 e & a).
- Accent: which strums you play louder. Accents create the groove shape.
- Feel: straight (even spacing), swing/shuffle (triplet tilt), or laid‑back/on‑top (tiny timing shifts).
Backbeat = instant groove. In most pop/rock, the snare hits on 2 & 4. If your strum pops a bit louder on 2 and 4, your playing gels with the band.
2) The Strumming Engine
- Downstrokes (D) naturally land on the numbers (1,2,3,4).
- Upstrokes (U) naturally land on the &’s (the spaces between numbers).
- Ghost strums ( ): silent motion so your hand keeps time.
- Mutes (x): deaden strings with your fretting or strumming hand for a percussive chick.
- Accents (>): play that stroke a bit harder.
Key habit: Keep your hand moving like a pendulum. Even when you skip a sound, your hand still swings—this locks time.
3) Reading Strum Grids
We’ll show: count | D/U pattern (with accents, mutes, ghosts).
- Count: 4/4 → 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &; 6/8 → 1 la li 2 la li; 12/8 → 1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a; 3/4 → 1 & 2 & 3 &.
- Notation key: (d)/(u) ghost, x mute, > accent, ~ tie/hold.
4) Core Patterns (4/4)
(A) Absolute Beginner – steady eighths
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Pattern: D U D U D U D U
(B) Pop Staple – miss the 3 down
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Pattern: D D U (u) D U
Feel: hand keeps moving; don’t play the 3 downstroke (ghost it). Instant pop feel.
(C) Backbeat Lift
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Pattern: D (u) >D U D (u) >D U
Accent downstrokes on 2 and 4.
(D) Folk/Rock Workhorse
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Pattern: D D U (u) D U (accent 1 lightly, keep it flowing)
(E) Funk Lite (with mutes)
Count: 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Pattern: D x U x D x U x D x U x D x U x
Tiny wrist, light strings, percussive chicks on xs.
(F) Rock Push (anticipate the 4)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Pattern: **D D U (u) D **>U
Hit an up right before 1 of the next bar—feels like a push.
5) Triple‑Feel Patterns (3/4, 6/8, 12/8)
(G) 3/4 Waltz
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 &
Pattern: D D U D U
Accent 1 softly.
(H) 6/8 Ballad
Count: 1 la li 2 la li
Pattern: D (u) U D (u) U
Think two groups of three; flowing arm.
(I) 12/8 Shuffle (blues/R&B)
Count: 1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a
Pattern: D (u) U D (u) U D (u) U D (u) U
Keep it loping, not stiff.
6) Feel Variations (Straight vs Swing)
- Straight eighths: perfectly even 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.
- Swing/shuffle: the & is delayed (think 1‑trip‑let; you play on 1 and let). Same pattern, different spacing = different vibe.
Try Pattern (B) straight, then with a shuffle. Night and day.
7) Groove Builders (micro‑skills)
- Accents: Slightly louder on 2 & 4 (backbeat) or on chosen upstrokes to “dance.”
- Dynamics: Play verses soft, choruses bigger—same pattern, new energy.
- Ghosts: Keep the hand moving; lightly brush or miss the strings to preserve flow.
- Mutes: Right‑hand palm or left‑hand release for percussive hits.
- Anticipations: Hit an upstroke & of 4 to launch the next bar.
- Tie/Hold: Let a chord ring instead of re‑strumming to create space.
8) Map Your Strum to Drums (instant tightness)
- Kick (boom): Downstroke on 1 (and sometimes 3).
- Snare (crack): Slight accent on 2 & 4 downstrokes.
- Hi‑hat (tick): Your upstrokes—keep them light and even.
Recording with a beat? Think D = kick/snare backbone, U = hi‑hat shimmer.
9) Common Styles in One Pattern Each
- Folk/Pop: Pattern (D) – D D U (u) D U
- Rock: Pattern (F) – push on & of 4
- Reggae/Ska: Light upstroke accents; mute most downs (try (u) U (d) U loop)
- Country: Add boom‑chick: alternate bass on beats 1/3, light strum on 2/4
- Funk: Sixteenth grid with mutes (Pattern E)
10) 10‑Minute Daily Groove Plan
Minute 0–2: Pendulum hand (no sound). Count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &; add light foot tap on 2 & 4.
Minute 2–4: Pattern (A) at 70–80 BPM. Even volume.
Minute 4–6: Pattern (B). Keep the ghost on 3 silent but the hand moving.
Minute 6–8: Switch between straight and shuffle on the same pattern.
Minute 8–10: Add mutes to make a funkier version (Pattern E). Record 30 seconds.
Progression ideas: Em – C – G – D (pop), or G – D – Em – C. Loop and cycle patterns.
11) Troubleshooting
- It feels choppy: You’re stopping the hand. Ghost the skipped strokes.
- Uneven timing: Count out loud; use a metronome. Start slow.
- Mushy sound: Lighten your grip; strum more with wrist than elbow.
- No dynamics: Choose 1–2 accents per bar and exaggerate them.
12) Quick Theory: Why Patterns Work
- Patterns are accent blueprints laid on a subdivision grid.
- Backbeat (2 & 4) = shared language with drummers → instant tightness.
- Syncopation = placing accents off the big beats (often on **&**s). That surprise is what makes grooves bounce.
- Microtiming (advanced): tiny pushes/pulls around the beat create feel—focus on consistency first, then flavor.
13) Strum Library (copy, paste, practice)
4/4 Basic
- D U D U D U D U
- D D U (u) D U
- D (u) >D U D (u) >D U
- D x U x D x U x (16ths lite)
3/4
5) D D U D U
6/8 / 12/8
6) D (u) U D (u) U
7) D (u) U D (u) U D (u) U D (u) U
Style Hints
8) Reggae lite: (d) U (d) U (accent ups)
9) Country boom‑chick: D (bass) (u) U D (bass) (u) U
10) Rock push: D D U (u) D >U
14) Next Steps
- Add per‑chord accents (e.g., accent the chord that matches the melody peak).
- Combine muting and ghosts for funk textures.
- Practice with backing tracks to learn where your strum fits in the band.
Conclusion
Great rhythm is mostly consistency + intention: keep the hand moving, choose where to be louder/softer, and decide if your feel is straight or shuffly. Start with one or two patterns, lock a steady pendulum, and add accents or mutes to sculpt the groove. The difference between “chords in time” and a musical performance is your strumming.
Level Up with the Fretello App
Make groove second nature with:
- Interactive strum trainers (straight vs shuffle, accents on 2 & 4)
- Metronome + backing tracks that emphasize kick/snare so you can lock in
- Video drills for mutes, ghost strokes, and dynamic control
- Progress tracking (tempo ramps, consistency scores)
Open Fretello, select the Strumming & Groove path, and turn your chord changes into music.