Easy Guitar Strumming Patterns for Beginners

This first strumming pattern is going to consist of all down strums. We're going to align our strumming pattern on a count of 1, 2, 3, 4. First, count off and play a G chord with all down strums:

1. down strum,
2. down strum,
3. down strum,
4. down strum.

The photo shows how to do a G chord.

Now, I know that's simple, but as you feel more comfortable with that, try adding a chord switch. So for example switch from a G chord to a D chord while you are strumming (after one of the counts to 4).

Again, I know this is slow, but start off slow first. You can't play fast unless you are able to play slow at first. So work on being consistent.

Let's take a look at the next strumming pattern. For this one we're going to add some up strums with our down strums.

So the new pattern is going to be:

1. down strum,
2. down strum + up strum,
3. down strum,
4. down strum + up strum.

Play it over a G chord and count off again like you did last time.

The important thing to pay attention to and take note of - and this might be a little tricky - the up strums do not fall exactly on beats 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the measure. In fact they fall a little bit after beats 2 and 4 (this is called the back beats).

It is very essential that you are playing these patterns in time. You can count off by saying: "one, two and, three, four and, one, two and..."

After you feel a little more comfortable with this pattern, again, try and add a chord switch (see photo for a D chord).

In this final example we're going to look at how we can add even more substance to your strumming pattern. The count 1, 2, 3, 4 can actually be divided in half. If you o that, the count then becomes "one and two and three and four and".

Apply that to a G chord and do all down strums:

1. down strum + down strum,
2. down strum + down strum,
3. down strum + down strum,
4. down strum + down strum.

Try it at different speeds but count out loud, that will help you a lot to establish that sense of timing.

Now on a four beat count, like what we've been dealing with, we can accent certain beats. Good beats to accent in a 4-beat count are beats 2 and 4.

Play a G chord and on beat two and on beat four, accent it by strumming just a little bit harder. After a while, start switching chords again. Here are the basic chords you need to know:

Hopefully this gives you a good start with strumming. Remember, the most important thing is to keep time and be consistent in your time. Time and rhythm must function together.

Take it slow at first, count out loud, use a metronome.

Just keep good time!