Article Tags: tip practice strum strumming pick picking

Was working with someone and the topic of strumming came up. The situation was, they were having a problem smoothing out their picking. The strumming movement was not fluid, but jerky. Here was a suggestion I gave them, there are some finger styled versions at the bottom. Keep in mind to practice toward a goal even if the goal is long term.

Take a chord based song you know or some chord progression you like. With an almost windshield wiper motion with the wrist, strum at a normal volume or intensity. After a couple repeats strum where you can hear the pick scrape across the strings louder than the strings ring. After a couple repeats, return to normal volume. After a couple repeats play loud. Through each change, concentrate on the movement of the hand, wrist, and forearm. What you are achieving is a sort of muscle memory for your picking hand and arm.

Another achievement you are working toward is getting your hand to do what you want your ears to hear. That is a bigger goal of being a musician. You want to create the mental expectation you have.

Back the strumming...

Another idea, again with a known song or progression, is the slowly arpeggiate the chords. For example, down pick through the bottom 4 strings of the chord as eighth notes then up pick through the same strings. Of course you can mix this up for 5 and 6 string chords, like bottom 4 notes and top 4 notes, etc.

For us nail filing pluckers, you can mimic strumming with raseguedos or you can use an up and down i strumming or use free strokes, tirrandos. With varied arpeggio patterns, a la the 120 Giuliani studies, this practice tip can become a nice right hand warm up.

Added on: 2008 04 17