"Take it easy" strum/timing questions

shannon, i"m with you on this one. what does the _ mean (space)?? :oops: ..TIM

If you count out the measures it goes
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Now substitute the strums in place of the beats. Where you see a "_" dont strum

so you would strum only on the eighth notes that have a strum indicated

Does that make sense

Learn how to play this one first:

https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=36

It was the first one I played, and it teaches you a basic strumming pattern.

You said,
"so you would strum only on the eighth notes that have a strum indicated."

How do you know if they have a strum indicated? If you strum on every eighth note, is it one strum in one direction (which direction) and then do nothing until the next eighth note? What do you do on a quarter note?.........Nothing?

Can this: (since it's supposed to represent a strum pattern)

Quarter note
eighth note
quarter note
eighth note
eight note
eighth note

be translated into "d-du-dud?" < (This is much easier to process)

I thought all that "eighth note, quarter note, whole note, and so on" stuff was just how long a note lasted and would be something to learn later if I wanted to be exactly perfect when playing. My first goal is to just become a decent "playing in my living room kinda player without running people out" Is it still imperative to learn this stuff now?

Here's an example of my main problem when struming.
When I'm struming a pattern, won't the pattern have to change in some places in order to accomodate the chord change? Like say I'm struming a pattern in the "G" chord for a while, I need to change to "D", and then right away to "C". Do I maintain the same pattern through it? If so, I could be starting the next chord on an up stroke, down stroke, or a dead beat right? I naturally want to strum down for my first strum on each new chord and that changes the pattern and messes me up. :? Shannon

I think I gave myself a headache. I hope I didn't give anyone else one.

Welcome to the world of the novice guitar player. I wen through exactly the same thing.

The best advice I can offer without making things complicated is to listen to the song and count along. Count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Once youre comfortable with that count the strum direction.

1 = down

& = nothing

2 = down

& = up

3 = nothing

& = up

4 = down

& = up

once you have that count comfortable practice strumming the pattern only..mute the strings so you don't get distracted.

When you're comfortable with that play one measure for each chord using the strum pattern.

When you're comfortable with that you're ready to change chords in mid measure.

It sounds a lot more difficult than it actually is. You'll be doing sooner than you think.

the nice thing about the strum pattern that you mentioned is that it can be used for dozens of songs, so once you learn it you'll be set for a while

Maybe try it like this, which is written above....

1&2&3&4&

D_DU_UDU

down, up but miss the strings, down, up, down but miss the strings, up, down, up.

This way your strum pattern is all even and fluid but you hit the strings where you are supposed to. :D

Hey Dude, I learned "The Horse With no Name" already. It had a step by step lesson plan with arrows showing the strum pattern, examples to listen to, and more. It was easy for me. I also learned "wish you were here" off of that lesson page. I know I could learn "Take it easy" too, if it had all those step by step instructions. I guess I'm just missing whatever it is that enables you to move forward on your own with just a tab in front of you. :? Perfect suggestion though, Thanks Shannon :)

Joseph and Jbehar,
Thanks for breaking that down for me. I can complete the strum pattern, switch to the next chord, complete the same strum pattern again on that 2nd chord, and then do it on the 3rd chord and so on. I can do that because each chord is being played the exact same amount of time as the next.
The problem is: When I'm trying to follow the tab properly.
Like say I'm struming the pattern in the "G" chord for a while, I need to change to "D", and then right away to "C"(because the tab says so). Do I maintain the same pattern through it? If so, I could be starting the next chord on an up stroke, down stroke, or a dead beat, right? Maybe I'm supposed to start the pattern over again with each chord change. If I did that, then the pattern would actually change. I would be playing half of the pattern, then starting the pattern over again because the chord changed. Like when the chord changes are so close I would strum once, change chords, and then what? Do I do the exact same strum over again on that next chord because I'm supposed to start the pattern over again with each new chord change? Or do I continue the originald pattern even though the chord changed. Which seems too hard. :?

By the way, I don't know how long a measure is. :oops:

I think I understand what you're asking.

The answer is........

Keep strumming the pattern even through chord changes. If, for example you change from a G to a D after only doing the D_DU part of the pattern you would finish the the pattern doing the UDU part on the D chord

As far as what a measure is...in this case its four beats, because the song is in 4:4 time. that means each measure is four beats long and each quarter note is one beat.

I know it might seem like a waste of time right now but I would urge you to study just a little bit of basic music theory. Just enough so you can figure out a time signature, know the basics of chords keys and scales..nothing too heavy if you don't want it.

I know very little theory, which is probably why I have such a hard time figuring out songs on my own. I need some sort of tab to get started.

It's the same strum pattern as in David's for what it's worth lesson.

Ahh thank you. You guys are so helpful :D :D :D Shannon

Most of the time you just gotta "feel" it. I use to ask the same questions of other guitar playing friends, and their answer use to piss me off... but they were right! I mean the actual correct strum as heard on the recording may work great when there's all these other instruments being played along with it, but what if it's stripped down to it's bare bones? How would you want it to sound if if was just you and your voice?

Feel it - play it - it's yours!

Actually jonnyT, I like that answer its something that doesn't involve theory. I get confused trying to just hear the strums with everything else going on in a song. If your playing with just you and you have the chords and chord changes right won't it sound like the song if you strum it the way you like?

Trying to change the chords in the middle of the strum pattern and then continue the same pattern without messing up is like hard and stuff :? :x :( . I'm not a coordinated person anyway. I can barely pat my stomach while rubbing my head at the same time :lol:
I hope it doesn't take too long to get going with it, because if it does, I know I'll try to start on something else. I can play some of lots of songs and no entire songs.
I'll try to make myself learn some basic thory too. :roll: I have been relying on those "up" and "down" arrows that teach the strum patterns along with the mp3s to listen to on the song lesson page. Thats why I didn't know what anyone was talking about when I saw all that eighth note, quarter note stuff. I could do it, but couldn't read it.
Everybody here sure is great :) :) :) Shannon