Rhythm
Strumming pattern
A strumming pattern is a repeated sequence of downstrokes (D) and upstrokes (U) across the strings, placed on the beats and offbeats of each bar.
What is a strumming pattern?
It is how your picking hand makes the chords sound in time. It is written with D (downstroke, from the low strings towards the high ones) and U (upstroke), under the count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.
The rule that unlocks everything: your hand never stops moving, down on every beat, up on every and. To leave a gap, it keeps moving but passes just above the strings without touching them. That way you never lose the pulse.
How do you play the D DU UDU pattern?
This is the most widely used pattern in pop and folk. Here is where each stroke lands:
| 1 | and | 2 | and | 3 | and | 4 | and |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | D | U | U | D | U |
On beat 3 your hand swings down through the air, then comes back up to hit the strings on the and. That upstroke with no downstroke before it creates the syncopation that gives the pattern its lift. Say down, down-up, up-down-up out loud as you play.
Which strumming patterns should you learn first?
- D D D D: four quarter-note downstrokes. The starting point, and very rock.
- D U D U D U D U: steady eighth notes for energetic sections.
- D DU UDU: the all-purpose pattern above.
- D X U D U X U: X is a muted chuck (palm or fretting hand kills the sound) on beats 2 and 4, like a snare drum.
- D DU DU in 3/4: down on 1, down-up on 2 and 3. The pattern length always follows the time signature.
For reggae, keep only short strokes on the offbeats while your hand swings through the air on the beats.
How do you learn a strumming pattern without frustration?
- Mute the strings with your fretting hand and play the rhythm alone at 60 BPM with a metronome.
- Add one chord, say G, and repeat four bars without stopping.
- Switch between two open chords, G and C, changing on the last and of the bar: that upstroke may ring on open strings, which is perfectly normal.
- Raise the tempo by 4 BPM once four bars go by cleanly.
The metronome in the guitar toolbox covers everything this routine needs.
Key takeaways
- D = down on the beats, U = up on the ands.
- Your hand keeps moving even when it does not touch the strings.
- D DU UDU covers a huge share of pop and folk songs in 4/4.
- Practise the rhythm alone with muted strings before adding chords.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best strumming pattern for beginners?
Start with four downstrokes per bar, then move to eighth notes, D U D U D U D U. Once the constant motion feels natural, learn D DU UDU: it is enough to accompany hundreds of songs in 4/4.
How do you work out the strumming pattern of a song?
Listen to the drums and the original guitar: find where the accents fall and whether the eighth notes are straight or swung. Tap your foot on the beats, then copy the accents with D and U. A simple version that keeps the accents beats a complicated pattern played loosely.
What pick is best for strumming?
A thin to medium pick, around 0.5 to 0.7 mm, glides across the strings and softens the attack. Hold it fairly loosely and strum from the wrist rather than the elbow, staying relaxed.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.