Taken from a seminar on strumming patterns taught at Breakforth 2013. For more great articles on worship guitar check out the Msuicademy website Sign up here for over 40 free lessons from Musicademy http://bit.ly/12S4iPP

1. HOW TO CONSTRUCT STRUMMING
PATTERNS
Do you end up going back to the same old
couple of familiar strumming patterns? In
this session you will learn about constructing
8 and 16th note patterns, how to listen out
for them in a song and how to find the right
pattern with or without a drummer
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2. About Musicademy
• The Musicademy team
DVDs
Guitar, Vocals, Keys
Drums, Bass, Orchestral
• Worship Backing band
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3. Three key things.
• One - ALWAYS keep your hand moving so that the
downs and ups naturally fall into place. If you stop
moving it will mess your downs and ups around.
• Two - if you’ve got more than one acoustic guitar, either
play exactly the same rhythm or perhaps split the pattern
up and both play some parts of it. Again don’t make it too
busy or you’ll eave no space for other instruments.
• Three - once you’ve found a strumming pattern that fits,
don’t go changing it randomly, as it forms part of the
rhythm section and if you are playing with anyone else
they need to fit what they are doing with your rhythm to
form a tight groove.
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4. Building a Groove
Let’s listen to some music and look
at how to find the groove.
grooves are made up of 8th or 16th notes
Most worship songs use 16th notes
Slow songs or fast songs above 120bpm use 8th notes
• Nothing But the Blood is…. Note groove
• Forever is… note groove
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5. Finding a strumming pattern
• Pick up on kick and snare drum
• Pick up on other rhythmic elements
• It all begins with vocal accents
• The key is LISTEN and try to fit in with
emphasis of the rhythm instruments, 75%
listening, 25% playing – Therefore don’t
play at 75% of your ability!
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6. How grooves are communicated
8th notes = 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
16th notes = 1 e & a 2e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Write the 16th note groove across your page
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7. Mighty to Save
Well used 16th note groove
Red arrows are optional to add to groove
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
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8. Holy is the Lord
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
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9. Beautiful One
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
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10. Faithful One
16th note slower groove
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Be Careful of the gallop!
Keep the groove consistent
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11. Consuming Fire
If a lot is going on you don’t need to play the down beats
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
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12. Hungry
With two guitars co-ordinate strumming
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
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13. Lead Me
Normally finger picked but still a consistent pattern
Kick drum (in red) pushed on 3 rd beat
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Play this for more movement
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14. In Christ Alone
Grooves in 3/4 time
Snare on beat 2 or 3
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a
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15. Rescuer
Grooves in 6/8
8th note groove
Different to 3/4 as Snare on beat 4
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &
The space in the pattern gives emphasis to beats 1 and 4
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16. Come Let Us Return
Adding to patterns to create dynamics
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Looks like 8ths but all played with down strokes
16th note possibilities create movement and dynamics
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
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17. What if you don’t coordinate strumming patterns?
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Pattern One
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Pattern Two
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Result
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18. 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Worse still if everyone’s timing is slightly out your pattern will
look like this!!
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19. Lets clap some patterns
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Groove is often changed on where you emphasis beat 3 (write and clap this)
e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
1
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
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20. 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
16th note Strumming Pattern- your love is amazing
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
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21. Two Bar Patterns
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Two bar pattern - Beautiful One
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
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22. For Further Information
• www.musicademy.com
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