[dawson59]

Hi all

I'm new to this guitar playing and I am wondering if anyone can assist with a query.

I want to know how to strum according to the notation I see in guitar songbooks.
It isn't explained anywhere in the songbook, so the assumption is that we know what it all means.

I don't read music so I don't understand a lot of what's in the songbooks except for the chords and the tab.

The markings that show the strumming are single slashes like this / in bold along the staff. Some of these slashes have a kind of join one to another, and some have double bold horizontal lines above them. Clear as mud huh?

Sorry I can't describe them better, but if anyone can shed light on this for me I would be grateful, coz it's driving me mad trying to figure it out. Or if there's a lesson on strumming on this site please let me know.

thanks a lot

[garfield65]

Each slash represent a strum. A single slash is equivalent to a crotchet, or a 'beat' if you like. Slashes that are joined with a single line represent quavers, or 'half beats', while those joined with a double line represent semi-quavers, or 'quarter beats'. The theory behind it is a purely mathematical concept - two quavers add up to a crotchet and two semi-quavers add up to a quaver. Every piece of music has what is called a 'time signature', which basically tells you how many beats in each bar. So if a piece of music is in 4/4 time (ie 4 beats to a bar), you may see 4 crotchets (4 single slashes), or 8 quavers (8 slashes joined by single lines, or 16 semi-quavers (16 slashes joined by double lines) in any bar. Or you may see a combination (eg 2 crotchets, and 4 quavers - as long as the total number of beats adds up to 4). It's a bit hard to explain without being able to show you. But here's the simple explanation for the notation: when you see single slashes, strum once on each beat. When you see slashes joined by single lines, strum twice for each beat, and when you see slashes joined by double lines, strum 4 times for each beat. Hope this makes some sense, but if it doesn't, maybe someone else can explain it better!!!

[coldethyl]

Hi there dawson59

I can't help but notice your from good ol' Adelaide. Well, guess what? I live there too!
Small world 'eh!

Anyway, welcome to the site. You will find most if not all users friendly and helpful, and if your into the guitar, this is the best place to be bar none.

Neil

[allthumbs]

Some strumming lessons.
Strumming

[danthelion]

Hi dawson59

I threw this together this morning, I take it this is what you were talking about. The slashes show when & where to strum, I've put a D & U to show where you strum down & up, along with the example of an A chord being strummed. Below I've put some pick strokes which appear in older guitar music, the n = down & the v = up & the dotted line---- means do the same kind of strum as last time.
In bar one there is a 1/2 note strum & two 1/4 note strums, bar two 1/8 note strums, bar three a combination with a tie, bar four has 1/16 note strums, & finally it finishes on a whole note strum.

Hope that is helpful

Dan

[dawson59]

Hi everyone

Thanks to all of you who helped with my query.

It's now starting to make sense. Speaking as a beginner, it really does feel like having to learn a new language. But also learning a new language which involves maths and physical contortions at the same time!

Having said that, I'm addicted and just want to improve my playing. I went to a gig on Saturday night and was very close to the front of the stage. I don't know about the rest of you, but I always find myself transfixed on what the guitarist is doing - how they play certain chords, how do they fingerpick, what funny gizmo is that attached to the soundhole etc. I suppose I ought to get a life!

The guitar I covet at the moment is a small Martin (I think it's called a parlour guitar).
The ones I actually own are an old Yamaha on which I experiment with altered tunings, and a Canadian guitar made by Simon and Patrick Luthiers which I love to bits.

Oh well, enough about me. No doubt I'll be a regular poster on this forum.
Thanks again everyone.