Hi, apologies if this isn’t the right place for this question. I’m using the Beginner Song app and am sometimes at a loss when trying to figure out what strumming pattern to apply to a particular song. In this case I’m practicing Neil Young’s Heart of Gold and there are chord changes at different beats within the measure. Using a “basic” strum doesn’t really work.
I’ve figured out how to modify my strum to line up with the chord changes within the measure but just wondering if anyone has any advice about a better way to do that.
In other words, is there a good way to figure out what strumming pattern I should use when playing a song on the app for the first time?
Thanks all!
Ive just run up against this with the Neil Young song.
What strumming pattern did you choose for it. I’ve only watched the song in the app once, but there are several places with the chord starting on the ‘and’. havent watched justins video lesson on it yet, maybe its explained in there?
By the same token, Edwins Starrs ‘Never Met a Girl like you’ foxed me, until I watched justins video lesson at which point I kicked myself as it was so obvious. Hope this happens with Neil Young too.
In split measures I just switch to all down strums and try to match up my strums to the beats or half beats where the chord change falls. It’s not perfect but it was the best I could figure out.
Also I discovered in the app, after you’ve selected a song and when you can select the song tempo, there’s a chord box in the top right. If you tap that it’ll suggest a strum pattern (this still doesn’t solve the split measure issue though, but is a nice feature). It also shows you how to place your fingers for all of the chords in the song.
It never occurred to me to watch Justin’s video tutorial for a specific song, I’ll give that a shot. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hi, Rahul, did you see this small square in the upper right corner, right above the “practice” “band” and “vocals” option? Touch it and you will find a suggested strumming pattern example for each song. I’m working on this song too, I’m also struggling a little bit with the “ands” and the chord changes within the measure. In the beginning, I tried only down strums and tried to get the right timing for the divergent chord changes, but with the strum 4/4, it’s always too late. Didn’t use this suggested strumming pattern for the song so far, which fills the “ands”, think it’s called the “All Down 8th Note”(?) In the excercising area, it seems to be only a part of Module 8.
Perhaps anybody else has an idea how to play correctly?
I just watched the song lesson - to get the right feel you need to strum the ands, and change fast!
The lesson is labelled as grade 3, so dont sweat that we cant do it yet. Maybe its included here as a little stretch target
@Helen0609 I did finally stumble over that chord box, but thanks for pointing it out.
@soggyboggard Yes I think this one might be beyond my current capabilities to do properly, but it’s still fun to play! I love Neil Young.
Thanks to you both for your thoughts/suggestions/help. It’s appreciated!
I’ve been playing this song and the offbeat strum that you are asking about I’m doing as a push strum(upstrum on the D to Em). I think that is the correct pattern at least is sounds good to me. Hope that helps