Learning to play on guitar is an easy thing most of the times. Even if it’s not that easy,  it still can be a fun ride, if you allow it. And sometimes it can be such a hard ride, that it causes a lot of beginners to simply quit and throw the guitar in the trashbin.

But what determines where you end up? Surely it can’t be that it’s so boring to play guitar? It may be the case for a few, but I think not in general. What I do think is that one big reason for people to give up after a few weeks is that the teacher’s put too much weight on their shoulders.

What I mean by that is: Teachers are sometimes stuck with the “Doing it the right way”-filosofy. And they make you believe that it should be hard to learn.

What’s wrong with that? you ask.

The fun of playing

Well, I’m glad you’re asking, because in my opinion it only spoils the fun of learning! And all it gives me is a feeling of “oh dear…I’m a bad person if I can’t learn this anytime soon….”

So learning the “proper” strumming patterns for guitar is just not that essential for me as a guitarist. I have been a guitar player for many years now, and I can’t say that I know the strumming pattern for any song at all.

Of course I use them. But I never study them.It doesn’t bother me if this song’s verse 1 should be played in the up up down up down down… pattern. When I play a song, I kind of try to “breathe” in the rhythm of it. If the original strum is up or down – who cares?

When I play a song I use strumming patterns similar to the original song. I try to give it the same “feeling”. However, I don’t believe I played the exact same strumming pattern twice

I think it is a huge mistake to stare yourself blind at the strumming patterns. For guitar players who want to play a song with true passion, I believe it’s instead important to feel the song and the rhythm. I remember being so impressed by Michael Jackson’s dancing. He once said that he never writes down the steps or counts them. He just danced.

He was the dance.

The music’s soul

The chords and the rhythm is the soul of just about all songs. And the strumming is of course a part of that rhythm. But I would not wish to ruin it all by counting “One and Two and Three and Twelve and…” Well, you get the point.

But!

If I haven’t convinced you and you still want to dive into the world of strumming patterns – do yourself a favor and learn it the entertaining way. And so far the funniest guy I ever saw teaching guitar is a guy named Marty Schwartz. The man with the hat.And hear what he has to say about strumming patterns… Watch this video of Marty: http://pellesguitarstuff.com/articles/how-to-play-bad-moon-rising-on-guitar

So get back to your guitar. And absorb the music! Don’t count it. Don’t patternize it.

If you are just beginning to play guitar, try som online guitar lessons at Pelle’s Guitar Stuff. Welcome!

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