Beginner to advanced · play along
Guitar Strumming Patterns
15 guitar strumming patterns from the very first downstrokes to funk sixteenths — each one shown beat by beat and playable along with real chords. ↓ = down, ↑ = up, ✕ = mute the strings ("chuck"), · = miss the strings but keep your arm moving.
All downstrokes
4/4 · Beginner · D · D · D · D ·One strum on every beat. The very first pattern to learn — focus on clean, even chords and smooth changes. Any slow song; great for practising chord changes.
Steady eighths (down-up)
4/4 · Beginner · D U D U D U D UDown on every beat, up on every "and". Builds the constant down-up arm motion every other pattern is built on. Folk, pop and rock rhythm.
"Old faithful" pop strum
4/4 · Beginner · D · D U · U D UThe most useful pattern in pop and acoustic music: down, down-up, (miss), up, down-up. Keep your arm moving through the gap. Countless acoustic pop and campfire songs.
Down, down-up
4/4 · Beginner · D · D U D · D UA gentle, bouncy pattern — two halves that each go down, down-up. Folk and singer-songwriter songs.
Slow ballad
4/4 · Beginner · D · · · D · D UA long first chord that rings, then a little push into the next bar. Slow ballads and the end of a section.
Rock eighths (all downs)
4/4 · Intermediate · D D D D D D D DEight downstrokes per bar: driving and aggressive. Use palm muting for punk and rock rhythm. Punk, garage and rock rhythm guitar.
Backbeat chuck
4/4 · Intermediate · D U X U D U X UMute the strings with your fretting hand on beats 2 and 4 to get a snare-drum "chk". Instantly makes a solo guitar sound like a band. Acoustic pop, busking, funk-pop.
Syncopated push
4/4 · Intermediate · D · D U · U · UThe chords land just before the beat — energetic and modern. Upbeat pop and indie.
Reggae / ska off-beat
4/4 · Intermediate · · U · U · U · UOnly the off-beats ("and"), short and choppy — let go of the chord straight after each strum. Reggae, ska and dub.
Island strum
4/4 · Intermediate · swing · D · D U · U D UThe "old faithful" pattern with a swung, lilting feel. Shown here with swing on. Ukulele-style island songs and shuffles.
Funk sixteenths
4/4 · Advanced · D U D U X U D U D U D U X U D UConstant sixteenth-note motion with chucks on beats 2 and 4. Keep the wrist loose; most strums are light. Funk, disco and neo-soul rhythm.
Sixteenth push
4/4 · Advanced · D · D U · U D U · U D U · U D UBusy sixteenth-note pattern that pushes across the bar — a good workout for timing. Up-tempo pop and acoustic covers.
Waltz (3/4)
3/4 · Beginner · D · D · D ·Three beats per bar with the first one strongest: ONE-two-three. Waltzes, country and folk ballads in 3.
Waltz with ups (3/4)
3/4 · Intermediate · D · D U D UA busier 3/4: down, then down-up, down-up. Folk songs and ballads in 3/4.
Six-eight roll (6/8)
6/8 · Intermediate · D · U D · UTwo groups of three: DOWN-up-down, DOWN-up. Gives a rolling, rocking feel. Slow rock ballads and folk songs in 6/8.
How to practise strumming
- Keep your arm moving down and up in time — on every eighth note — even when you miss the strings. The pattern comes from which strums hit, not from changing the motion.
- Start slow (60–70 BPM) with one chord, then add the chord changes. The changes are usually the hard part.
- Downstrokes on the beat, upstrokes on the "and". Down strums are a little louder and hit more strings; up strums are lighter and catch mainly the top strings.
- Use a light pick (or the side of your thumb) and a loose wrist. Tension makes strumming sound stiff.
Need the chord shapes? See the guitar chord chart. Want just a click? Use the metronome. Ready for your own song? Load chords into the Looper and pick a pattern there.
Questions
What is the most common strumming pattern?
Down, down-up, up, down-up (D-DU-UDU), often called "old faithful". It fits a huge number of pop, rock and folk songs in 4/4.
Should I strum with a pick or fingers?
Either works. A thin pick (0.5–0.7 mm) is easiest for strumming; the side of the thumb gives a softer sound.
Why does my strumming sound uneven?
Usually the arm stops moving during the gaps. Keep a constant down-up motion and simply miss the strings where the pattern has a gap.