I am trying to learn a song called "Johnny Jump Up" but the strumming of the song is really tricking me up. Maybe cause its kind of up tempo and I am used to playing slow country love songs. LOL Would someone take a listen and see if you can explain to me what my right hand needs to be doing?
I have trouble with all of it, but particularly where he says "The day it was hot, the sun it was long"
Thanks
Jim
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
There's actually a lot of constant strumming in this - up and down in eighth notes. The tricky part is that whoever's playing is doing a lot of accenting on the upstrokes. The guitarist is missing a number of downstrokes as well, but it's more of a muting on the down and letting up enough to make the upstrokes ring out so that it sounds like all upstrokes.
This is a simplified version that should get you started: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U U U D U
I've only given this a quick listen, but it also sounds like there's a lot of "chord shifting" during the strumming. Especially on the first beat. It sounds like there'll be some open strings on the down and then the chord finally falls into place on the up. Easy enough to do with many open position chords (like Am and C and E and D), not to mention with various barre chords.
The rhythm also, as I'm sure you're aware, occasionally stressed both the up and down at certain points in the lyrics. But that is something I think you'll get a feel for after a few run throughs.
I know this isn't the most detailed answer. Sorry about that. But I do hope it gets you going.
Fun song, by the way... :wink:
Peace
Thanks as always David. I am glad I am not the only one that thinks its tricky. I'll give what you say a try tonight when I get home.
Jim
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
