Time
Let some hand movements pass silently
The pattern is a selection of movements, not a new clock for each strum.
Take the guided lessonOne moving hand, two decisions
| Count | Hand direction | Sound? |
|---|---|---|
| Numbered eighth-note position | Down | Only if the pattern asks for an attack |
| The halfway & position | Up | Only if the pattern asks for an attack |
This down/up convention belongs to a continuous eighth-note strumming motion. Other techniques can use different directions.
The hand continues through the missing strum
The familiar pattern leaves beat 3 without a fresh attack. Your downstroke still passes the strings there; the upstroke on & of 3 arrives in time.
● attack · — hold · · silence. The quiet high click is the pulse.
Build the pattern without stopping the hand
Attack on 1, 2, & of 2, & of 3, 4, and & of 4. Leave & of 1 and beat 3 unstruck.
Separate the motion from the sound
Practice the whole down/up motion first with the strings muted. Then let only the selected movements touch the strings. A silent movement is sometimes called a ghost stroke.
If the instruction asks for a rest, stop the ringing strings. If it asks for a held note, let them ring. Skipping a strum alone does not decide whether the previous chord sustains.
You skip the downstroke on beat 3. Which motion comes next?
Takeaways
- Keep motion, count, and sounding attacks as separate decisions.