songbook with strumming patterns

Hmmm, good question. Don't think I've ever seen one - I've got songbooks with standard notation AND tab, but I don't think I've ever seen one with actual strumming patterns. Perhaps we'll have to buy Mr Hodge's new book? He's always included strum patterns in his lessons.....

:D :D :D

Vic

he has a new book ? Cool, what's it called? If it's like his lessons, then thats exactly what I'm looking for.

If you just want to work on developing a variety of strumming patterns, you can create your own - just write them out on a piece of paper (you can do this e.g. while on the train or waiting to meet a friend for lunch or something, to kill time) then try play what you've written.

If you want to learn the specific strumming patterns for specific songs, I mostly found I had to do this by ear, but I vaguely recall seeing one book with pop songs from the 60s and 70s (Simon and Garfunkel, Beatles, etc) that had strum patterns in it. I'll dig it out later to check and post the name it I'm right about that.

As people always say, if you find a strumming pattern and it sounds good to you and if you stay within the timing of the song, it's probably right. I've been working on Ain't No Sunshine. Easy song, huh? Yes it is. Look up on YT how Bill Withers plays it. He picks the bass and the high strings; other covers do the same, but a zillion others do a zillion other strumming patterns. They all sound pretty good. My trying to copy BW sounds like crap, but if I strum it in the same time he picks, I am getting to sound OK, with practice.

Btw, I'm "in" for David's book too. :D

Many of the songs in Acoustic Guitar magazine have strumming patterns... but, for the most part, the songs listed in the magazine are Intermediate and above. Good magazine anyway.

Does the magazine have a good selection of songs? I haven't seen it (obviously, if I'm asking the question :P). I'll hit my B&N to check it out.

I personally just look at chords and invent a strumming pattern of my own, whatever sounds good to me and is still like the song. Most people don't really know songs aside from the singing and a few famous riffs they recognise. I find this leaves a bit more room for creativity, we're making music after all!

Does the magazine have a good selection of songs? I haven't seen it (obviously, if I'm asking the question :P). I'll hit my B&N to check it out.

You can check out the covers/table of contents for back issues to get a good idea of the songs.
http://www.acousticguitar.com/issues/pastissues/

Does the magazine have a good selection of songs? I haven't seen it (obviously, if I'm asking the question :P). I'll hit my B&N to check it out.

You can check out the covers/table of contents for back issues to get a good idea of the songs.
http://www.acousticguitar.com/issues/pastissues/

Thanks. I'll do that. I also picked up the current issue.

I really like the magazine. There are lots of theory lessons, and enough songs that interest me. I have discovered many new techniques, songs and artists since reading it. It is pretty much the only guitar magazine I like. Their online material is great too (check it out now that you have the magazine)... most of it accessible using the monthly password.

My only complaint about the magazine is their equipment reviews. They never seem to give a bad review... maybe they are scared of losing advertisers? When they compare head to head, they never really say definitively what their best recommendations are. For example, I was in the market for a new tuner, so I was excited when they reviewed 5 of them recently. They ended up listing specs and description and really never got around to a recommendation. They ended the article by basically saying "they are all good... buy whichever one you want".

I have heard good things about Fingerstyle Magazine... but I just can't justify paying $10 for a mag the size of a pamphlet.

I really like the magazine. There are lots of theory lessons, and enough songs that interest me. I have discovered many new techniques, songs and artists since reading it. It is pretty much the only guitar magazine I like. Their online material is great too (check it out now that you have the magazine)... most of it accessible using the monthly password.

Oh yeah... I've already bookmarked the website. It's like a candy store. :D I'm probably going to subscribe, it really does look good. Thanks for the tips. :wink:

They never seem to give a bad review....

that's true of quite a lot of music and recording magazines, in my experience. I mostly read them for specs when looking for something in particular, beyond that and it's a waste of time.

I've not tried this myself, but I read somewhere on the 'net (maybe here, maybe somewhere else) that drummers' rhythm books can really help you get a handle on playing different strumming patterns. I'm not sure whether there are songs that go with them or whether they are just a collection of rhythms, but next time your in a music store, you could flip through one and see what you think.

I've not tried this myself, but I read somewhere on the 'net (maybe here, maybe somewhere else) that drummers' rhythm books can really help you get a handle on playing different strumming patterns. I'm not sure whether there are songs that go with them or whether they are just a collection of rhythms, but next time your in a music store, you could flip through one and see what you think.

I've had a guitar teacher do this before. We used the book Understanding Rhythm and worked through a couple of pages a week. We used it for strumming rhythms and he pre-assigned chords to go with the rhythms. It was a good exercise to work through.