The Old Faithful Strumming Pattern

If you only wanted to learn one single strumming pattern in your entire guitar journey, it'd be this one!

If you're a beginner guitar player, you need this strumming pattern. On the other hand, if you're a more advanced player and already play some popular songs, you probably know this strumming pattern. :) In that case, breaking it down can understand what you're playing, and you might end up sounding better!

I call it the old faithful because bands have been playing it so much and for so long! So that means that this pattern is way likely to work for that song you love and want to play!

The old faithful is not tricky to play, but it does require some practice. We'll break it down in easy steps, so you'll be playing it in no time.

🎸 This is a practical class, so grab your guitar and let's get playing.

Strumming for Beginners: Step-by-Step

If you're following my Beginner Guitar Course, you know we're learning how to strum the guitar step-by-step. I've figured that the best way to help beginner guitar players that struggle with rhythm is to break it down, so you build a strong foundation. When you get the strumming basics down, you become more comfortable with your instrument. Your playing will feel - and sound! - much better. :)

In our previous module, we learned a basic strumming pattern with up strums. This pattern is a slight variation on that one, but we'll be skipping a bit. That means you won't play Beat 3.

And now it's time for the life-changing trick: you should keep your strumming hand moving, even if you don't hit any strings. You'll skip a down strum, but your hand will still move consistently, just like a pendulum.

You might have heard it before - I say it a lot, especially when explaining why strumming is so hard for some of you.

If you look at most guitar players, they always keep their hands moving even when not strumming. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, and sometimes you'll opt for not moving your hand. But for now, while learning guitar and building your foundation, keep your hand moving even when you don't need to strum the guitar.

And don't forget: aim to move your arm as evenly and smoothly as possible, and you might consider using a metronome. The JustinGuitar Time Trainer is also fantastic for developing your rhythm skills! ;)

Now it's time for some playing. Ready?

How to Practice A Strumming Pattern

Grab your guitar and play along with me! In this lesson, we'll learn the old faithful strumming pattern until we get it sounding great. We'll follow these three easy steps:

Strumming Pattern Step 1

Start off with a simple pattern of four down-strums per bar. Then, while you strum, you should count aloud – 1, 2, 3, 4…

Strumming Pattern Step 2

Now, it's time to add some up strums. We'll play the backbeat after beats 2 and 3. Take a look:

1 2+ 3+ 4

D DU DU D

Strumming Pattern Step 3

Finally, skip the down strum on beat 3, keeping the up strum after it. Continue to count aloud!

1 2+ + 4

D Du u D

Skipping a down strum might be easier said than done. :) If you have a hard time, know you're not alone, and many students struggle with rhythm in the early guitar stages. So just stick with it - we'll be working on strumming patterns through the entire course!

🚨 Don't forget: the best way to practice a new strumming pattern is by focusing only on that. Don't add any chords before you're comfortable playing the strumming pattern.

Now check out a few extra tips to get this all down!

Using a Metronome

When you’re practicing this on your own, it’s a good idea to use a metronome. Set it somewhere between 80 and 100 BPM - a good practice is not too fast, but not too slow.

If you don't already have a metronome app, don't forget to check out the JustinGuitar Time Trainer Metronome - available for Apple and Android devices. If you don't want to download anything, check out this online metronome.

Let's Play Some Songs!

With a couple of open chords and this strumming pattern in your pocket, you can play and sing along with thousands of popular songs! And guess what? That's the best thing you can do to improve your guitar skills and develop your musicianship.

There are a few things you can try! Check out my songbooks and try to figure out the songs you like on your own. You'll have the chords and lyrics right in front of you, and then you can even play along with the original recording. That's ace!

If you'd like more help, you can explore my song tutorials. You can choose from over 600 free lessons - but at this stage, stick with the ones from the Beginner Guitar Course (Grades 1, 2, and 3.) Right now, we're in Grade 1, and playing slightly harder songs can be a fun challenge to try. By you don't want to get into bad habits or get unmotivated, so don't give a step that's bigger than your legs. :)

Choose wisely, and you'll be a pro in no time.

Now let's learn how to read guitar tabs so we can nail that Eric Clapton riff by the end of this module!