[taivlys]

hello!i'm kinda new here and i'm having some problems playing the guitar,strumming,actually.

whenever i strum w/o a pick i get this really muted backward sound,and when i try to use a pick to try to obtain a clearer sound,i end up getting this really painful jangly sound,which may be due to the fact that i play an acoustic.however when i use a classical with a pick it sounds better but the sound of the pick on the strings is really loud as in you can like hear the strings getting strummed.i'm not sure if i make sense to you but i don't really know how to describe it.

and even when i strum w/o a pick i can't really seem to apply an equal amount of pressure on each string so i get some strange sounds here and there all the time,and i'm srsly annoyed.any tips?can someone help me?thanks!

[Matty22]

Id say its just that the nylon strings are more forgiving than steel strings with strumming....

Try muting the strings, and just count out four beats, and down strum on each beat.

1-d 2-d 3-d 4-d 1-d etc

Then try Up strumming on every second bear.... so

1-d 2-u 3-d 4-u -1d

Then count out
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1

and play downs on the whole beats, and ups on the ands. Then try it with some chords. To get your right arm in the swing of playing smoothly and fluently.

Do a search on the forums, theres a few posts about this floating round

[cshude]

Also, if you're going to use a pick for strumming, make sure it's a light gauge. That will cut down tremendously on the "jangle" sound you get with a heavier pick.

[karcey]

I don't strum very well either, but when I've watched other people I've seen some strum with the fleshy part of their thumbs, some with thumbnails, some with fingers, and even some using the tops of their fingernails. Apparently you are supposed to use whatever part of your hand gives you the sound you like! Keep experimenting.

[Lcjones]

taivlys,

Be sure to read Kirks --> http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/strum.html



**
Les

[taivlys]

thanks for the feedback,i really appreciate the help. (: thanks! i'll try it out.

[taivlys]

Originally Posted by cshude

Also, if you're going to use a pick for strumming, make sure it's a light gauge. That will cut down tremendously on the "jangle" sound you get with a heavier pick.

when i do use a pick i use a .5 or .6 mm pick,do you think it's light enough?thanks for the help! (:

[Matty22]

Chyeah, thats light enough...
For light strumming i use a .7, for everything else i use .9s

[cshude]

You might be holding the pick too tightly- you want to hold it firmly enough where it won't slip out of your hand, but not too stiff where you're attacking the strings every time you strum.

For me, I typically just use a combination of my thumb and my fingernails for strumming. I got tired of looking for picks- I'm constantly losing them.

[LeeB]

another consideration I do not think anyone has mentioned is getting your fretting fingers as close to the fret bar as possible....my instructor calls it getting into the tone zone...

[jimmyzowens]

mabye just try letting the pic relax a little in your hand dont kee it so perpandicular to the guitar kind of let it lay down a lttl on the up stroke let it lay the other way i use 9s and i can either make it twangy or soft and smooth
dont go to lite on the pic then it makes to much noise kind of like a card in the spoke of your bike when u were little