Mid bar chord changes are tricky as you’re only playing two strum on each. Somewhere along your journey to learn guitar it wont be a problem and you’ll be able to play a strumming pattern and switch chords without noticing it…however until then I’d play a strumming pattern like old faithful for most of the bars and then just for the bar where you have two chords switch back to down strums. It should work fine.
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Hey Rossco…great advice! I’ll give that a go.
Cheers, Paul
QUESTION
I feel like I’m always in need of some kind of help. So - From the song library, I typically check the suggested strumming pattern. However, it often won’t match the pattern of the chord buttons when the song is played. For example, there may be several measures syncopated and then the song display may switch to playing chords only on the downbeat. I’m just not sure what I should switch to.
To provide a simple example, in What I like about You, the suggested strum pattern is D DU UD. But some of the chord changes are clearly on the first and third beats as the song moves along before switching back.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
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Dennis @dblinden
This query has come up before and also confused me when I first came across it.
For OF the full arm movements where a dash means the strings are missed is D-DU-UD-
So if the change is in the middle then
First chord has D-DU and the second chord uses
-UD- so you are changing on the missed down strum.
Sounds easy, I certainly didn’t when I first tried to do it.
Hope that helps.
Michael
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Michael thanks for trying to help me. I understand the pattern, but the chord rhythm when the song is playing sometimes has the chord change on the downbeat and sometimes on the upbeat. Thus, it’s not consistent with the strumming pattern suggested.
Dennis @dblinden
I presume this is on the app which I no longer have.
Can you post a screen shot?
Michael
@dblinden
Dennis, this question comes up frequently so you are not alone.
Does Old Faithful work when there are two chords per bsr?
It can.
But beginners are much better adopting a different strumming pattern in such cases.
Old Faithful is widely applicable.
But widely is not the same as universal
You need to make judicious choices based in the context of the so g abd its chord progression.
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Thanks. That’s pretty much what I had to conclude and that’s fine. I guess my question then is really about the strumming pattern recommendations included with each song. I’m learning that they don’t have to be rigidly followed if at all. Just the fact that they are there can be confusing to someone new at this. I keep thinking that there must be some ideal pattern associated with each song. I have to stop thinking this way.
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agreed….they should just delete the recommended strumming pattern as its almost never followed or accurate. all it does is cause confusion.
Can you please create anew topic in this section: Feature Requests - JustinGuitar Community
and tag both @larynejg and @MusopiaApps
Done.
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QUESTION
Hello everybody. I am a beginner fighting my way through lessons. Currently starting Grade 3 and also Strumming Dynamics course, but I can’t remember if there was a lesson or any tips about doing chord changes inside a bar, like there is a lot of examples on begginer app songs (hope you see the attached image). Should you try keeping the same strumming pattern and just do the chord change with left hand somewhere at the middle of the pattern? I find it rather simple where strumming pattern is all downs, but how to do it with old faithful?
It’s a bit simplistic but when your changes are quick enough and clean enough you’ll be able to change mid pattern without thinking about it too much…if you aren’t there yet then keep it simple and just switch to downstrums when you hit a mid bar chord change…it wont be noticed by anyone listening.
Thnx.
Good advice.
For example, I would probably play the first line in the example with two OFs.
EDIT: actually, I wouldn’t! See update downthread.
Second line - one OF, and two downstrums on each of the last two chords.
Your strumming hand should keep moving in a steady rhythm when you do this. Slow the app playback as much as you need to, till it feels smooth and automatic.
Then gradually bring up the tempo back to performance speed.
If OF refers to the Old Faithful strumming pattern.
Bar 1 would be 1 OF bar 2 would be 1/2 of and 2 down strums Old Faithful has 4 beats so is 1 bar long
First look at where the beats are in your strumming pattern, e.g old faithful is
D Du uD
1 2+ +4
Your song example shows a chord change on beat 3, so you have to decide what sounds best: change chord on the + after 2 or on the + before 4. Personally I think the + before 4 is more accurate as well as easier at speed as you can make the chord change with your fretting hand during the non strummed 3rd beat.
Am Am Am C C
D D u u D
1 2 + +4
D7 D7 D7 C D7
D D u u D
1 2 + + 4
Or don’t use old faithful for this song!
You could always check out the song lesson on the website. For example https://www.justinguitar.com/songs/elvis-presley-always-on-my-mind-chords-tabs-guitar-lesson-bs-921
Yes, Old Faithful.
I often play two OFs in one bar…depends on the song tempo and what sounds good.
No idea what song they are referring to…I just imagined how I would play those chords, and that’s what felt right.
I consider it a strumming pattern…a specific sequence of down and upstrums. I don’t think there’s any rule that says it can only be played over one bar.
That said, for a beginner, playing one OF per bar is probably easier in most cases. Though in this particular example, maybe it would actually be more difficult?
OK, now that I know the song is Always On My Mind, I was able to play it on the app, so…
…please disregard my previous advice…for this song at least!
The App suggests playing four downs per bar, and I think that is a good suggestion. OF does indeed work for a LOT of songs…but I found it difficult to play on THIS one - and it didn’t sound good.
Perhaps there is another song you are trying to play with OF, that might be a better example we could help you with?