Blues Guitar Strumming
Today’s guitar lesson is on the art of strumming, specifically, blues guitar strumming.
As you’ll see, I initially started this strumming lesson using G C and D chords. Which of course works fine, and is highly relevant for teaching the strum pattern, however then I realized just how much this strumming pattern is used in the blues, so the last part of the lesson is really just a demonstration of how you can use 7th chords and make that exact same strumming pattern sound great in the blues.
7th chords are probably among the most common chords you’ll find in the blues, so if you ever want to make a song a little more bluesy, try swapping the major chords for their 7th counterparts. For instance, E goes to E7.
So without further ado, let’s get into the lesson!
Video Trouble? Watch Blues Guitar Strumming On Youtube
There are many different patterns you can use for blues guitar strumming, and this is just one of them.
Support My Free Guitar Videos!
If you’d like to help support my website and the work I do, please consider giving a donation and help keep the free lessons coming.
Johnathan, have not had a chance to review new e mails yet. I will today when I get off from work.. Thanks for sending them. I am practicing them all.
[Reply]
Thanks for all the tips man. It’s going to take a while to work on them all but it is really helping my playing
[Reply]
The timing on this strumming pattern is actually a dotted eight note followed by a sixteenth note. If you count straight eighth notes you will not be playing the rhythm that Jonathan is demonstrating. To count a dotted eight note followed by sixteenth note it is helpful to think of counting each group of four sixteenth notes that is associated with each quarter note of each measure. Four quarter notes are counted as 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4- and so on.
Sixteenth notes are counted as 1e&a 2e&a 3e&a 4e&a
What Jonathan is playing is the down beats for each quarter note and the last sixteenth note of each group of four and it would be counted as 1-a 2-a 3-a 4-a but along with this counting you need to swing the feel so it fits into a shuffle style rhythm. You would play on the count of each quarter note and also on the last sixteenth note of each group of four.
[Reply]
Jonathan Reply:
March 18th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Hi Rahn, thanks for clarifying that. I started out to do a lesson on eighth notes, but it turned into this instead. Thanks for writing that out nice and clearly though.
[Reply]
Jonathan
I just got the use of my right hand back and starting my practiceing all over your a great help, keep it up
[Reply]
hi johnathan kirk here i am having a hard time finding a good strun and my timing sucks lol plz help me i like to do old country stuff
[Reply]
Hi Jo i have improve my guitar skills since i join you so i wish to say thaks a lot hope to get more soon
[Reply]
Thanks Jonathan, When I practice I have a hard time thinking of new rythyms. This will help me break out of my routine. Great stuff!
[Reply]