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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Step 4
Now we're going to double up the number of strums again, which means 8 strums per bar. However, we're not going to double the number of downstrokes, we're just going to use the upstrokes. Up until now, the upstrokes have been silent, this time were going to let the pick brush through those strings on the way back up. Obviously, the strings will be brushed in reverse order now, starting with the thin strings. You really have to be holding the pick gently to allow it to flop over and contact the strings at the same, but reversed, angle as the downstrokes.
Keeping a steady flowing rhythm gets a little more difficult, at least it was for me, but don't worry too much because this is still not what the lesson is about. Practice away at this for a while so you can get a feel for these upstrokes, really come to grips with what the pick is doing in your fingers. Stay relaxed ... that really is paramount. Even if you were doing this to an up-tempo rock tune, you would still need to be relaxed about it all.
So, just before the last step, let's just summarize what we've done here. We started with one strum per chord, just to get the changes happening. We then doubled the strum frequency to 2 per bar, then doubled that to 4 per bar ... now we've allowed the pick to strum chords on the way back up, thus doubling the frequency again to eight strums per bar.We've also seen how to add dynamics to the part by accenting those first beats. We did that by making those slow strums and bringing the volume up a little bit by letting the pick dig in just a tad more. By doing so, we've breathed life into the part, dynamics, feel ... qualities that turn the mechanics of playing an instrument into real music.
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The movies in the paid downloadable versions come in Windows Media Video format with all the Start-Stop-Pause-RW-FF buttons. Click on the movie to find out what you'll get when you buy this lesson. |
Step 5
Now let's have another look at the original movie. This is the guitar part, the finished product. It's a combination of all the different steps we've taken. If you watch it now and analyze it, you'll see that all I'm doing is knitting together different combinations of strums. Underlying it all I'm hinting at four strums per bar, but by accenting certain strums, either down or upstrokes, I'm creating a living breathing rhythm part that would be a very appropriate accompaniment to anyone singing the tune. There is no one pattern established, so don't go looking for one. I allow the part to change pattern, to accent new beats, to leave out others ... I'm also thinking of the melody line that a singer might follow and strumming the words out. Of course, if you did want to set up a particular sequence and create a pattern that you could repeat forever ... go for it ... but music can also be free to adapt to the moment, especially if you are accompanying a singer. The song itself, its lyrics and sentiment, sometimes demand that the instruments reflect the vibe and change patterns accordingly.
So, once you can get your
left hand to handle those changes and your right hand to strum through them, experiment with as many patterns as you can come up with,
play with it.
Most of all, have fun with it ...
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