How To: Thumb & Finger Strums Lesson on JustinGuitar

Beginner Grade 3 Module 17: Finger Strums, Triads & The Musician
21

Hi everyone, I’d like to know how you got around to performing the slap or percussive hit on an electric guitar?

22

Yep, kept practising, and as I did it got more relaxed, and came together. :slight_smile:

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23

This helped…I think. Still just starting on this - but agree, it seems to be using a bit different arm and hand position. You can see Justin is hitting just the E and A (maybe) with the fleshy part of his palm near the thumb, after leading with his strumming finger. Easier to do that with the hand doing more of an up / down motion, from what I can tell, as opposed to a wrist flick like with a percussive strum. Initially I tried doing it more like a regular percussive strum but that seems all wrong as the strings won’t ring out…so instead of leading with the palm/side of hand with a chop like on a percussive strum, it is leading with the finger, then chopping the E with the fleshy base of the thumb…I think.

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24

Short nails + electric guitar xd Not the best combo for this lesson. But it’s good, keep it interesting!

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25

I didn’t understand why G to D is a Fifth…shouldn’t be a C instead of D?

26

yeah this is a really useful tecnique for acoustic/classic guitar, not electric ahhaah

27

G - A - B - C - D - E - F#

D is the fifth note of the G major scale, so G to D makes a fifth interval.

28

It would be worth mentioning that the position of your hand is important when you’re trying to get that percussive flick. If you’re strumming with your hand nearer the bridge, then it’s going to be difficult to get that fret impact on the flick. If you bring your hand closer to the neck, over the soundhole, then it becomes much easier to get the percussive effect with the strings hitting the frets.

29

Really trying to get the hang of this, but struggling with the upstroke on the second ‘and’, particularly if I try and do the percussive hit.
My index finger usually just stays pointing out, so it ends up as a silent second ‘and’…!!
Sometimes my thumb will do the upstroke, which I guess is OK, but I’m finding it really tricky to get the index finger to return before the next bass hit.
Not sure if it’s just about relaxation. Any suggestions welcome! Thanks

30

Go back and watch the video from the 12:40 mark. There is a close up of Justin’s hand and what he is doing with his fingers. Practice it really slow, make your finger do what it’s suppose to

31

Thanks Stitch (though I think you mean the 2:40 mark) and I can now see that Justin doesn’t flick his finger out straight, as I’m currently doing. I’m probably trying to rush the percussive hit before I’ve really nailed the main technique, so I’ll slow things down, as you suggest, and hope that the ‘hit’ becomes more natural in time. :smile: Thanks

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32

I don’t know how correct it is but I can only achieve the percussive sound when hitting the thickest string. If I try to hit all the strings, I then cannot get the fret impact sound, nor can I get the finger strum.

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33

Interesting observation that in the demo half way in (5:20) Justin does not play the F chord as a barre but uses his thumb on the low string. I wonder if this is the first occasion in the learning journey where Justin abandons the F barre chord?

34

love this, and since i dont normally use a pick, its quite familiar for me, however:

  1. i’m worried im gonna break my guitar i have to hit the strings SO hard to get the strings to slap like that.

  2. good lord strumming with my nail is noisey.