Matt

9 Cheap Guitar Accessories That Make Life Easy For A Complete Novice!

So, you’ve just decided to begin learning the guitar! Congratulations on choosing a gratifying hobby, past-time, career, etc…

That’s right, guitar playing can become whatever you make of it. There are some guitar accessories that you will need to get started. We’ll let you know exactly what those essential accessories are.

They are just a few things necessary to play the guitar and a few things that make the whole getting started process so much easier. Learning to play the guitar can be tough and frustrating.

That’s why I’ve compiled this list of items that help along that process so you don’t have to worry about what you need to do to get started.

Now, let’s get to that list!

Accessory #1 (King of all guitar accessories) – Get Yourself A Tuner

The very first thing any guitarist should do before actually playing the guitar is to tune the thing. Playing an out-of-tune guitar is simply unacceptable to an audience.

The truth is any instrument that is out of tune is unpleasant to the ear. Your listeners will run away or possibly throw things at you if you are badly out of tune.

It can’t be assumed that a novice will begin with a good sense of pitch or the ability to tune the guitar by ear so it is a  must that you purchase a small tuner. It is one of the most essential guitar accessories!

Yes, there are of course other ways to tune a guitar than using a tuner, such as a tuning fork or a piano, but for the novice. it’s simply easier and faster to purchase a reliable tuner.

Here are the top three tuners I would suggest for a beginner:

  1. Korg CA-1 Chromatic Tuner
  2. Korg PitchCrow-G Clip-On Tuner
  3. BOSS TU-2 Chromatic Tuner Pedal

Let’s discuss them some more!

First Choice – Korg CA-1 Chromatic Tuner 

This is a great little tuner that is reliable and allows for tuning of acoustic and electric guitars. You can pick various tunings easily such as Standard, E Flat, or any number of other tunings since it is chromatic. Very portable, accurate, and dependable.

Korg Chromatic Tuner

Second Choice – Korg PitchCrow-G Clip-On Tuner 

I was amazed at this little guy from the first time I used it. It’s easy to use, easy to see, and it’s accurate. In short, it works great and does what it’s supposed to do. Lets you tune in silence, or while playing.

Third Choice – Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner Pedal

If you are learning on an electric guitar, a floor tuner might be the best for you. The Boss TU-2 is built like a tank and it will not let you down.

Accessory #2-Picks

Picks are such an essential part of playing guitar that some may not consider them guitar accessories at all as they are a key necessity for playing guitar. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to guitar picks. It is truly up to you what feels the most comfortable. There are various thicknesses and sizes you should try out though.

They range from heavy to thin generally speaking. Heavy being the thickest and stiffest, and thin being the lightest. You should buy and experiment with all kinds of picks.

Guitar pick thickness:

  • Heavy
  • Medium
  • Thin

You should at least purchase two of each thickness heavy, medium, and thin. And then there are different grips offered as well. I like the Dunlap nylon grip picks myself.

I like to use Fender medium picks often. I find them to be thin enough for strumming and thick enough for picking.

Don’t bother ordering off the internet until you know what you like. Just stop in at your local pawn shop or guitar shop and chances are you find a decent selection

Accessory #3-Strap

There are many options to choose from here. It’s safe to say you don’t have to start with anything fancy. just pick something that is the right size and a comfortable fit.

The only real requirement for a strap is that it holds onto your guitar and does not let it drop to the floor. Straps are only necessary if you will be playing while you stand.

In many cases, complete beginners will mostly sit while they are learning to play. It is a good idea occasionally to switch things up and attempt to get used to playing while standing.

Later down the road, when performing, in most cases people will expect you to be standing. One suggestion I have here is to not let the guitar hang down low when you play standing up.

Adjust the strap to where the guitar is in the same position, relative to your body, as it would be when you are sitting and playing.

Accessory #4-Finger Ease

This is just a product that you spray on the strings that helps lubricate them. It also helps condition and protects the strings and fretboard. This product will cut down on friction to the fingers enabling you to play longer before the fingers get sore.

When you are just starting to play, your fingers will become very tender. Anything that can help your fingers slide across the strings with less friction is a plus. There are of course other brands and products that do the same thing so you can pick the one you like.

If you do this, along with wiping your strings with a cloth after playing, you will get a lot more life from your strings, and your instrument will stay cleaner.

Accessory #5-Capo

A capo is a  device that you put on the neck of the guitar to raise the pitch of the guitar(shorten the length of the neck). It is often used for players to put a song into a key that is more vocal-friendly for guitarists.

You just squeeze and put it where you want it. There are other styles but complicated is not what we are going for here.

Kyser Capo is a very reliable and popular capo that will not let you down. They come in all kinds of different colors so you can pick one that suits you with no problems. They are inexpensive (usually between $15-$20) and will last for ages.

Accessory #6-Polish Clothes/wipes

You’ll need to wipe off the strings after you play. The oil and dirt from your fingers will rust steel strings. Plus, dead skin cells and dirt from your fingertips are gross.

For this, I mostly use a plain washcloth (dry). Do not wet the washcloth or put water on your instrument for any reason. During string changes, I will give the entire fretboard a good wipe-down while the strings are off, giving a lot of attention to the frets themselves.

To remove fingerprints and smudges from the body and back of the neck you will want to use a less abrasive polish cloth. Walmart is a cheap place to find these.

Or often you may find them at your local pawn shop or music store. Gently polish away fingerprints and smudges using a circular motion and elbow grease.

Take your time and be patient. This is a time to pamper your guitar and admire it.

Accessory #7-Method Book

Honestly, I don’t tell people to trust the internet to teach them how to play the guitar. You need a simple tried and true method book. I consider a good method book one of the most essential guitar accessories. These method books teach you the basics about your instrument and the rudiments of music.

Some experienced players may disagree and exclaim that a method book is unnecessary and that you don’t need it. 

While they may have some points, I will still disagree and recommend that you start with one anyways.

Here’s why:

Reason 1: Great method books that are used in college curriculums like the ones I’m about to recommend to you, use tried and true pedagogy. This means, although they might be tough to get through, and perhaps a bit dry and boring, if you follow the method to the end, you will learn to play.

Reason 2: Method books present the basics and what some people refer to as the mundane and boring part of learning your instrument.

So if you find learning the essential parts of playing your instrument and music as a whole for that matter to be boring, then perhaps playing the guitar is not actually for you.

Better to find this out early in the process instead of spending many hours watching youtube videos only to realize you need to go back to basics and who wants to do that?

I recommend the following method books:

  • “Hal Leonard Guitar Method”
  • “Modern Guitar Method” Mel Bay
  • “Mastering The Guitar” Mel Bay
  • “A Modern Method For Guitar” by William Leavitt

Let’s talk about them some more!

Easiest – For the hobbyist

Hal Leonard Guitar Method – This is a three-book series that is probably the easiest for a complete beginner. No need to complete all three books right now though. Learn Book 1 thoroughly and you will be off to a great start!

Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method – This is a seven-book series that is quite popular. It is a little more challenging than the Hal Leonard method. No need to worry about completing all 7 books. Do book 1 for now and your cooking with gas.

A Bit More Challenging – For serious students/college level

“Mel Bay Mastering The Guitar” series – There are six books in this guitar method. It is used as the standard method at some colleges. This series is very thorough and can be quite challenging.

It contains a vast amount of material. Beginners should try to complete Books 1a and 1b. 

William Levitt’s “A Modern Method For Guitar” by Berkely Press – This is another standard method used in some college curriculums including the Berkely School of music.

It is a three-book series that will challenge players of all levels. What makes this one so challenging is the original material used to explain the concepts. You will not find folk and spiritual tunes that have been around for 60 years in this method as you would in the Mel Bay and Hal Leonard books. 

Accessory #8-Chord Book

A good chord book is a necessity for guitar players of any level. In the beginning, a focus on learning chords is a must. You need to at least learn the most common major and minor chords played in guitar music.

“Mel Bay Guitar Chords” – This is probably the best-selling guitar chord book of all time. You will learn major, minor, 6th, 7th, and 9th chords, as well as movable rhythm (barre) chords.

Another solid option is “The Guitarists Chord Book” by Peter Vogl.

Whichever book you decide on, dive into it and try to learn and use as many chords as possible. Learning chords is an essential part of being a rhythm guitar player.

It would be best if you practiced the technique and correct fingerings first and foremost. Then practice switching between different chords, starting with the most common major and minor chords first. This is where a good strumming technique is developed.

If you can get good with chords and strumming patterns, and later picking patterns, you will always be valuable in a musical setting with other musicians.

Accessory #9-Metronome

Counting is a big part of playing music. Not that you have to be great at math or anything like that, because you certainly don’t. Being able to count to ten is about the gist of it.

That’s where metronomes come in. They help us count with a steady meter.

When you’re learning to play, it helps tremendously to have the metronome provide the meter for you while you count along with it.

Many people think they have great timing and rhythm when they are speeding up and slowing down without realizing it. This is where the metronome helps most. 

If you ever plan on making a recording, you should try to get used to playing along with a metronome and learning to count internally while you play. It’s generally true that a metronome needs to be involved if you want to make a great recording. 

You don’t have to spend much money on these. You may already have one on an app for free on your smartphone. If you own a digital piano, you may find that it has a programmable metronome. You could even download one for free from the App Store.

Whichever you decide to do, get one and use it constantly. You won’t use it when performing live (unless recording), but you should always use it when practicing and learning new material and recording in your home studio, or any recordings you make.

Conclusion

So, there you have a list of nine essential guitar accessories that a beginner should have. These are not all the things a guitarist will ever need, just a starting point.

As your skills and interest increase, you will pick up many accessories and learning resources. Many guitar players, including myself, have a large library of learning materials.

But for now, you should be able to use the recommended guitar accessories to speed up your initial learning process. Another resource that can help speed up your learning process is our 12 guitar chords for beginners post. The classical guitarist may find this classical guitar accessory page helpful as well.

Go ahead and bookmark this post for your reference, and share it if you found it useful!

Don’t forget to join our mailing list!

See you in the next post!

The 7 Minor Guitar Chords Guaranteed To Improve Your Playing [Plus Free Chord Chart]

image of person playing guitar we text that reads 7 minor chords to learn first

Need to add some flavor to your guitar playing? Well, I’m super happy to tell you that minor guitar chords can add mountains of taste to the sound of your guitar playing.

But which minor chords should you learn first? Don’t worry, I’ve done all that work for you and listed the most important minor guitar chords all beginners should learn!

This article from justinguitar can give you a quick rundown of what a minor chord is.

image of post checklist

Read to the end and you’ll find a very usable chart with all the chords mentioned for free!

Learn The Following Minor Guitar Chords First!

Chord 1 – A minor 

First up is the A minor guitar chord. The chord produces a very familiar sound that often brings to mind a classical guitar sound.

The chord is very popular in just about all genres of music. The fifth string is played open(unfretted) as is the first string.

If you are familiar with the E major chord then this should present no problems for you as the shapes are identical.

You must have notes A, C, and E to make an A minor chord.

A minor guitar chord diagram

Chord 2 – B minor

Next up is B minor. If you ever hope to play “Hotel California”, go ahead and get this one locked down.

And that is only one of many many songs that make good with this chord. The chord is endlessly useful so mastering it now is well worth the effort!

You must have B, D, and F# notes to make a B minor chord.

B minor guitar chord diagram

It is also very common to play the barre chord version of this chord. The barre chord looks like this:

B Minor Barre Chord Diagram

Chord 3 – C minor

C minor is our next chord on the list.

While it may not be as instantly recognizable as A minor, it is certainly used often in pop music as well as other genres.

The shape is the same as B minor but with all fingers moving up the fretboard one fret.

You must have notes C, Eb, and G to make a C minor chord.

C minor guitar chord diagram

You may also play the barre chord version just as before with Bm. Just move all fingers up the neck one fret.

C Minor Barre Chord Diagram

Chord 4 – D minor

The fingering for D minor chord is a little different from what you might be used to. 

This one may play tricks on you when transitioning from other chords.

But, with practice, I have no doubt that you will be able to transition to and from this chord.

You must have D, F, and A notes to make a D minor chord.

D minor guitar chord diagram

Chord 5 – E minor

E minor chord is refreshingly easy! Only two notes to fret and all other strings are allowed to ring openly.

It’s just a great-sounding chord that lends itself nicely to the natural sound of the acoustic guitar.

You must have notes E, G, and B to make an E minor chord.

E minor guitar chord diagram

Chord 6 – F minor

The F minor chord is very common in modern music.

First, use your index finger as a barre and place it flat over the first three strings at the first fret.

Make sure to apply enough pressure to sound the notes clearly.

Then use your ring finger to fret the fourth string at the third fret.

Yes, it requires some strength in the index finger while requiring a moderate stretch over to the third fret.

But don’t worry.

As always, consistent practice will get you there.

You must have notes F, Ab, and C to make an F minor chord.

F minor guitar chord diagram

Chord 7 – G minor

G minor is the last but not least chord on our list today!

It has the same shape as the previous F Minor Chord. Just move all those fingers up the neck two frets and bingo.

Gm and Fm have the same shape and fingerings so if you know one you can play the other.

This is similar to Am and E major. Same fingering and shapes, just in different spots on the neck.

You must have G, Bb, and D to make a G minor chord.

g minor guitar chord diagram

Conclusion

And those are the foundational minor guitar chords a beginner should master first!

Are they flashy? No sir.

Are they effective? You bet!

Now try learning some other easy guitar chords for beginners.

How Can I Get Better With These Minor Guitar Chords?

image of checklist of things to do after reading this post

So go ahead and share this post with a player you know who needs it, and we will see you in the next post!

Get My Chord Poster Now

9 Super Easy Guitar Songs For Beginners – Plus Free Chord Poster

private guitar class chalkboard

Struggling to learn guitar? As a beginner guitar player, you want to learn some songs! You need super easy guitar songs for beginners!

But knowing which songs to start with can be difficult.

Here’s the deal:

I’m going to give you 9 songs that will please your audience and get you strumming!

How This Post Is Different

You may have read a similar post to this in the past and came away disappointed.

Many lists like this include songs that are too difficult for an absolute beginner, or they may even include songs that you wouldn’t want to hear yourself! 

I get it.

We’re not going to do you that way. 

Before we get started there are a few things you should know:

Getting Started

You’ve probably already figured out by now that learning to play the guitar is hard.

You can read here about why some beginner guitar players get discouraged and how you can find ways to move forward.  

To learn any song you will need to know some basic open chords.

If you don’t know all your basic chords yet then go ahead and read 12 beginner guitar chords

You might be wondering:

Why did I choose these songs?

What Makes A Good Song For A Beginner?

A beginner needs a song with basic chords that are easier on the hands. That’s why you’ll only find songs here that use the most basic chords.  

It also helps to choose songs that only use a small number of chords. For this article, I’ve chosen only to give you songs that use four chords or fewer.

And finally, you’ll need songs that have simple rhythms and that are not difficult to sing.

Good rhythm guitar is deceptively difficult. So for this post, we’re going to stick with songs that have a manageable and straightforward rhythm.

And because we like you so much we’ve also chosen to leave out songs that require a demanding vocal performance. 

For your convenience, I’ve included the following chord poster which contains all the chords needed for the songs on this list.

Stick around to the end of the post to get the poster to your inbox!



Now:

Let’s get to that list of super easy guitar songs for beginners

“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” – Bob Dylan 

From Bob Dylan to Eric Clapton to Guns N Roses. Everyone has heard this song.

It’s a testament to the quality of Dylan’s songwriting.

Truly great songs endure the test of time and can translate through different genres. Here, we’ll stick to the Bob Dylan version.

Chords used:  G,D,Am,C

This song follows a consistent chord rotation to the end.

The rotation goes like this:

G, D, Am

G, D, C

The same rotation is used for verses and chorus. There is no bridge in this tune!

“Can’t Ya See” Marshall Tucker Band

Although this song was originally brought to life in 1977 by The Marshall Tucker Band, it too has been covered by several artists including Waylon Jennings and Zac Brown Band.

Even though the song contains melody lines played by other instruments, the song still works well in a standalone acoustic performance.

Chords used: G,C,D

G, C, and D are all you need to play the verses and the chorus for this song. Listen closely to mimic the strumming pattern and you are good to go with this classic tune.

“Walk of Life”Dire Straits

First released in 1985, “Walk of Life” was the band’s biggest hit in the UK. The song was wildly successful in the US as well peaking in the top ten on the charts.

Chords used: E,B,A,B7

There is a little more going on in this one than a beginner may be used to.

But don’t be discouraged, the song lends itself to being stripped down to a single guitar performance.

“Let Her Cry” Hootie and the Blowfish

You may want to muster up a little gravel in your voice when trying this one.

The guitar work is quite manageable but keep in mind that separating this song from Darius Rucker’s voice and unique singing style will be the hardest part of performing this song.

Chords used: G,D,C,Em

“A Long December”Counting Crows

A good song to play at the end of a show, or even at the end of a set before an intermission.

Even though the song is melancholy, it has the sing-along effect which makes it a good choice for a new performer.

Chords used: D,G,Em,A 

“Ring of Fire” Johnny Cash

Any bar or Honky Tonk will expect you to know this one. Chances are, even your friends around your campfire feel the same way. You can’t lose with these strait-forward lyrics and easy chord progression.

Chords used: G,C,D

“Heroes” Wallflowers

David Bowies’ “Heroes” had new life given to it in the nineties by the alternative rock band Wallflowers.

While the original was a popular song, the Wallflowers managed to put their gloomy and nostalgic feel on it.

Chords used: D,G,C

“Learning to Fly” Tom Petty

It’s funny that the first time I heard this song was in 1991 from a Chicago Bulls basketball documentary that carries the same name.

It’s no wonder that for most of my childhood, and still to this day when I hear the song I think about Michael Jordan.

Chords used: F,C,Am, G

This is feel-good rock and roll at its best. Nobody does feel good better than Top Petty.

“Bad Moon Rising” – CCR

I have so much respect for John Fogerty and the music that Creedence Clearwater Revival produced throughout their active years.

This may be their most well-known tune, right up there beside Proud Mary.

It’s infectious and swampy. The epitome of Rock and Roll.

Chords used: D,A,G

Conclusion

And that concludes our list of super easy guitar songs for beginners but you don’t have to stop here!

Now that you have some songs under your belt, you can move forward with tunes that have more chords and more intricate rhythms. 

You can get your free chord poster here.

Just always remember that more complex doesn’t always equate to a better song. More often than not, the less complex…the more memorable! 

Now, would you help us make this post more memorable and share it with a friend? 

And feel free to leave us a comment letting us know what you thought about the article and what type of post you would like to see in the future, 

Cheers!

 

Guitar String Names 101 – A Comprehensive Guide You Must Read Now

Have you just begun your journey with the guitar? Need to learn the guitar string names?

As a beginner guitar player, learning the names of the guitar strings should be at the top of your list of things to do.

Learning the names of the open(unfretted) strings is one of the most important things you can do! Completing this task will set you up for future success with the guitar.

Many of the things you will learn as you progress will build upon you knowing the names of the open strings.

So, “How do I learn the guitar string names?” you might ask. There’s no need to look elsewhere. This guide has what you need!

In this post, you will learn the string letter name as well as the number name. Yes, you can name them in two different ways.

But don’t worry, it’s not complicated. We will assume going forward that your guitar is tuned to standard (A440) tuning. If you don’t know what A440 is, then have a look at this

We will also assume that you are using a standard six-string guitar. 

The naming convention will be the same for a twelve-string guitar. 

A Little Refresher Before We Start

Before we get started with guitar string names, we will go back to look at some basics. We name notes after the first seven letters of the alphabet. A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.

On the keyboard, these would be the white keys.

These seven notes are called Natural Notes. Natural notes are notes that contain no “accidentals”.

That’s a fancy way of saying they don’t contain any sharps or flats. We only use natural notes to name the open guitar strings.

The guitar has only six strings. No accidentals are used in naming the open strings in standard tuning.

If you have never heard the term “accidental”, then you might consider reading up on this article.

Two of the guitar strings have the same letter name…E. So we only need five letters (E, A, D, G, and B) to name all the strings on a guitar.

Guitar String Names: A Number and a Letter

The guitar strings themselves have two names. They have a number name and a letter name. To get started let’s begin with the number names of the strings.

The guitar strings are numbered 1-6. They start with the bottom (skinniest) string going up to the sixth (fattest) string. 

Now that you’ve got the number names in your head, let’s move on to the letter names. 

We use the first seven letters of the alphabet(A, B, C, D, E, F, and G)to name notes. For the open strings of the guitar, only five of the letters are needed…A, B, D, E, and G.

guitar letter names on fretboard, guitar string names

There are some things to know that can help you remember the string names.

Notice that string 1 and string 6 have the same letter name. They are both E. We call string 1 the high E. It is higher in pitch.

We refer to string 6 as the low E. It is lower in pitch.

The fifth string is A. 

Consider the following phrase. Ed-Guh- Buh. Where Ed = EAD, Guh = G, and Buh = BE.

Ed Guh Buh = EADGBE

String 1. E (High E)

String 2. B

String 3. G

String 4. D

String 5. A

String 6. E (Low E)

Memorizing the Names

It is very important to memorize the letter names and number names as quickly as you can.

A good way to do this is to pick one string at a time and say its name aloud as you play each string. 

Start from the top string (low E) and play each string. Say the letter name out loud as you play each string.

Next, try starting from the bottom string (high E) and going up through the strings similarly.

Do this every time you pick up your guitar. Continue the exercise until you are comfortable with the names of all the strings.

In addition to the previous exercise, think about the following phrases. They may prove helpful in memorizing the names.

Pick your favorite and say it over and over!

  • Edgar And Donna Got Busted Eloping
  • Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
  • Every Adult Dog Growls Barks Eats

Conclusion

Most of the time, when learning guitar, you will likely refer to the string by its number.

The number names are just faster to pick up on. They are also more useful if you are learning Tablature.

I would encourage you to put just as much emphasis on the letter names as well, especially if you intend to learn music notation at any time.

After learning the guitar string names, the next step is to learn the notes all over the fingerboard.

Check out Guitar Notes in First Position – The Best Quick Guide.

I hope this article helps you increase your understanding of guitar string names.

Many people learn these basics of the guitar faster through a structured method book.

Younger students may find “Guitar Method” book 1 by Hal Leonard the most helpful. If you are looking for a college-level method book “Mastering The Guitar” by Mel Bay is among the best.

For helpful tips on how to make your guitar practice more productive, check out this blog post.

Bookmark this page for easy future reference. And don’t forget to share this article or leave a comment. I can’t wait to hear from you!

8 Quick And Easy Guitar Strumming Patterns Beginners Need To Know

Learning the guitar can be a struggle! Knowing what to learn as a beginner can be an even bigger struggle. 

The good news is that I’ve made this task of knowing what to learn easy for you with this guide. Here you will find the essential guitar strumming patterns all beginners should know.

Learning strumming patterns requires you to know some chords so go ahead and read 12 guitar chords you need to know, as these chords will be a useful companion to this guide.

Now, the guitar rhythms in this guide may not be the most complex you have ever heard, but that doesn’t mean they are not useful.

In fact, you will find that these simple patterns have been widely used throughout popular music for many years.

You may easily incorporate these strumming patterns into your playing right away, and I encourage you to do so.

Contents (Jump to easy guitar strumming patterns!)

Getting Started (Intro)

Straight Quarter Notes

Add an Up-Stroke on Beat 4

Up-Strokes on 2 & 4

Add Up-Strokes on 3 & 4

Straight Eighth Notes

3/4 Add Up-Stroke on Beat 3

In 3/4 Add Up-Stroke on Beat 2

In 3/4 Add Up-Stroke on Beat 2 &3

Getting Started (Introduction)

Before getting started with the strum patterns, let’s get familiar with a few symbols and terms that will be helpful throughout the guide. Check out basic music notation for more in-depth reading.

In this guide, we will focus on two of the most common time signatures: 4/4 and 3/4.

4.4 time signature

4/4 Time Signature – Gets four quarter notes per measure, quarter note gets the beat. 4/4 time is very popular in all types of music.

See another way to write a 4/4 time signature below.

Common Time – A shorthand for 4/4 time. Another way to write the 4/4 time signature.

3/4 Time Signature – Gets three-quarter notes per measure, quarter note gets the beat.

down-stroke symbol

Down-stroke symbol

up-stroke symbol

Up-stroke symbol

Quarter Note – any note that has one-quarter value of a whole note. In 4/4 time it gets one beat per measure.

Eighth note – any note that gets half value of a quarter note.

Pattern 1: Straight Quarter Notes  – Down-strokes Only

This is the most straightforward strum pattern of all. Using simple 4/4 time it gets four down-strokes (quarter notes) per measure. 

Playing in 3/4 time gets 3 down-strokes (quarter notes) per measure. In 4/4 the pattern looks like this.

In 3/4

Try strumming down-strokes slowly in the previous time signatures. Use the following chord progression: G, C, G, D.

Pattern 2: Adding an Upstroke on Beat 4

To make the previous pattern a little more interesting we can add an upstroke on beat 4.

This means you will now have three-quarter notes and one-eighth note (down/upstroke) within the bar in 4/4 time. 

Playing in 3/4 you would have two-quarter notes and one-eighth note.

The pattern looks like this.

In 3/4

Try strumming the pattern slowly in the previous time signatures. Use the following chord progression: G, C, G, D.

Pattern 3: Add Upstrokes on beats 2 &4

For our next pattern, we will add upstrokes on beats 2 &4. This now gives you two down strokes and two down/up strokes within each bar. The pattern looks like this in 4/4.

Try strumming the pattern slowly in 4/4 time. Use the following chord progression: G, Em, G, Em

Pattern 4: Add Upstrokes on beats 3 &4

A very common pattern in 4/4 is made when we add upstrokes on beats 3 &4.

The pattern would like like this.

Try strumming the pattern slowly in 4\4 time. Use the following chord progression: G, C, G, D.

Pattern 5: Straight Eighth Notes (Down/Up Strokes)

Another very common pattern in 4/4 is to play four eighth notes per bar.


The pattern looks like this.

Try strumming the pattern slowly in 4/4. Use the following chord progression: G, C, G, D.

Pattern 6: Using 3/4 Add Up-Stroke on Beat 3

The 3/4 time signature has a waltz sound. It gets three-quarter notes per measure. 

We can spice this up a little by adding an eight-note (down/up stoke) on the third beat.

The pattern looks like this.

Try strumming the pattern slowly in 3\4 time. Use the following chord progression: G, C, G, D.

Pattern 7: For 3/4 Add Up-Stroke on Beat 2 

Now let’s switch up and ad the down/upstroke on beat 2. Like this.

Try strumming the pattern slowly in 3\4 time. Use the following chord progression: G, C, G, D.

Pattern 8: With 3/4 Add Up-Stroke on Beat 2 &3

For the final pattern, let’s combine the previous two patterns and play one-quarter note followed by two eighth notes. The pattern looks like this.

Try strumming the pattern slowly in 3\4 time. Use the following chord progression: G, C, G, D.

Now you have 8 simple strumming patterns that every beginner player can get started with.

When you look at songs closely, you will find many of these patterns used very often. 

Take this lesson a step further and learn 12 beginner guitar chords to use with these strumming patterns.