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I have been playing about 9-10 months and I understand that I'm suppose to sound terrible, but this is getting old. It seems I have a habit of strumming every song the same, sometimes it's ok and other times it is completely off beat or whatever. I'm doing mostly Hank Williams's old tunes and I think that should not be as difficult as I try and make it, gettin' frustrated,
Help me out, Sonny
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All Hank Williams songs are pretty much the same.
Pick something from a different genre, or put a Hank Williams song in a different genre. Jambalaya is almost a cajun song anyway. Go ahead and give it a full Zydeco rhythm treatment. Or do it as a Bo Diddly beat. Force yourself to break that habit.
Also, you can look up different generic strumming patterns. Force yourself to slow way, way, way down and learn three or four of them. Try strumming a song with only down strokes on the down beat. Then do the same song as down/up/down/up the whole way through.
The key is to force yourself to slow down, evaluate what you are doing rhythmically (but still within your ability) and do something different. You have to develop some pretty intense concentration to do it, but you need to be doing that anyway.
Good luck.
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I agree with Zurf, pick a diff genre. If you're playing the same type of music, especially from the same artist, it will sound the same and get old.
Maybe we can help, what other types of music or bands do you like?
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Try Willy or Cash,, but maybe step into a type that is not your norm or comfort zone? How bout the simple stuff like Luie Louie and wild thing? You can play to it, its easy and the beats change. Who do you love is most definatly a Bo Didly beat and fun to do. Melloncamp has a lot of good stuff that is very different song to song. ROCK in the USA has a good swoing to it and can be used also with What I like about you (slight variation of strum, same chords)and Cheri Cheri. Stepping stone by The Monkeeys is a really fun song to play and it has a up beat time sig. (E, G, A, C)
Ok hope that helps.
Last edited by beamer (2012-06-26 02:02:37)
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Break your songs down into smaller bits. Work on those bits and try to come up with a strum pattern that fits into the overall rhythm of the song. It may be a quick upstroke in between two down strokes or vice-versa. It may be a bit difficult at first but you will get the hang of it. Also try to loosen your wrist a bit more.
I was in the same rut until I played with my brother one time. He has always had a good ear for music and rhythm and strumming comes naturally to him. I tried the above and it has expanded my repertoire.
Another suggestion: Try picking or doing "lead" riffs to the lyrics. Just pick the lyric notes from a song and see what you can come up with.
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Hi Sonnya every level has its problems and I hope the frustrations not too bad. I would suggest a couple of things to go along with some of the suggestions already made. The slow things down and break into smaller parts are good advice. I would counting the beats if you don't already. I know its a bit boring and naff but counting one, two, three, four or just three depending gives you a base to work from. Buy a cheap metronome they help a lot with tightening up your timing. Most songs are on cd and if you use an electronic tuner you will be in tune with a cd once you know what chords they're playing and then play along with the song.
You don't say if you're singing along while playing but if you are then don't sing for a while but concentrate just on what you want to play and when that becomes a bit more established add your singing back in.
Hope this is helpful.
Nige 
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You might try too check out his songs that credance clearwater did,they copied several of them and did it in amore rock type style.
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Our Nige wrote:
Buy a cheap metronome they help a lot with tightening up your timing. Most songs are on cd and if you use an electronic tuner you will be in tune with a cd once you know what chords they're playing and then play along with the song.
Nige
You know I have to say, When people Have told me the same thing,,, it really grates me. Because you (dont take it personally, its a you as in whoever) assume that we can hit it without any instruction. I have tried to use it and a drum loop, yea I can play note for note on a scale and a dum dee dumm chord, and when I think Im on beat, I will have someone tell me im not in time. So to really have it be of benifit, someone, I think, needs to help you get started and understand what your supposed to really be doing.
This is mainly for stuff I try to write and play to drum loops, other wise I follow the song with the CD. (and make sure if the CD is in standard , half down or drop D / C to play too or that also can mess you up)
I asked my sons teacher to train him with a click track and he shrugged it off and said if really needed he might. I let it go, not to be a slave to the click, but it would help soooo much if I were taught how to maintain it, and I wanted my kid to not have the same problems as me. Maybe Im alone in this, but I dont think so,
ok off my soap box. Sorry to digress the thread.
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I have problems picking up on a strum pattern, also. I have no problem picking up on the beat of the song, but the pattern is a different animal. What does help me, though, is if I sing along with my playing. I think I'm developing a "sing strum" method, not good, I've been told. But it works for me and I enjoy playing. I make sure I work on songs I know well and can sing along with. I have not found anyone to give me a good method to work out a strum pattern for a song. If you find a good method of what to listen for, HELP ME, TOO!!!! Just Keep It Fun.
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