Chords for Beginner Bluegrass Strumming Pattern - Guitar Lesson

Tempo:
120.3 bpm
Chords used:

C

A

G

B

D

Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Show Tuner
Beginner Bluegrass Strumming Pattern - Guitar Lesson chords
Start Jamming...
Hey, welcome to GuitarLessons.com.
In this lesson we're going to be learning the basic bluegrass strumming pattern that
you're going to need to get started playing bluegrass music.
Now where I learned this pattern was my dad taught it to me after he had gone to a bluegrass
jam session and it's really cool if you can find a bluegrass jam session around your neck
of the woods because you don't really have to know a lot.
But if you know this strumming pattern and have a capo you can just show up, join a circle
of friends and start playing.
So let me show it to you, then you can use it to learn some bluegrass songs and maybe
even go to a jam with some friends.
[C]
[A] [G]
Okay it's not too hard but it can be hard depending upon the tempo of the song.
So I'll just take it really slow and I'll show you what's going on here.
First thing you're going to do is make a G chord, hit your bottom note on your 6th string
and then you're going to take and grab the first top 4 strings, strum down, then up,
so that whole little bit.
Then you're going to grab the A string, that B note right there with your middle [B] finger,
just that note and then you're going to do those same [G] strum patterns, down, up.
Then you're going to go back to the G and just repeat the whole thing over again.
[C] Move to the C chord and it's the same idea but instead of starting on the 6th string
you're going to start on the 5th string.
So hit the 5th string on the 3rd fret and [B] then same thing, strum the top 3 [C] strings,
down, up.
[E] Then you're going to grab the next string over, the 2nd fret with your ring finger,
D string, then the [C] same little strum, [A] back [C] down to the C note, [E] back up to the E note.
[C] Then to finish off this little lick you're going to play your D shape and you're going
to start on the D string [D] open, then hit the top 3 strings, do your down, up strum.
[A] Then instead of this time going to the next one up, you go to the next string down, which
is your A string open, [D] then do your strum, back to the D, strum, [A]
back to the A, [D] [G] and
then start the whole thing over on your G.
So take it slow and make sure those bass notes are really pronounced.
[B] [G]
Make sure your strum is really clean.
Before long you have this clean and fast enough story you can jam with just about anybody.
Key:  
C
3211
A
1231
G
2131
B
12341112
D
1321
C
3211
A
1231
G
2131
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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Hey, _ _ welcome to GuitarLessons.com.
In this lesson we're going to be learning the basic bluegrass strumming pattern that
you're going to need to get started playing bluegrass music.
Now where I learned this pattern was my dad taught it to me after he had gone to a bluegrass
jam session and it's really cool if you can find a bluegrass jam session around your neck
of the woods because you don't really have to know a lot.
But if you know this strumming pattern and have a capo you can just show up, join a circle
of friends and start playing.
So let me show it to you, then you can use it to learn some bluegrass songs and maybe
even go to a jam with some friends.
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ Okay it's not too hard but it can be hard depending upon the tempo of the song.
So I'll just take it really slow and I'll show you what's going on here.
First thing you're going to do is make a G chord, _ hit your bottom note _ _ on your 6th string
and then you're going to take and grab the first top 4 strings, _ strum down, _ _ _ then up,
so that whole little bit.
_ _ _ Then you're going to grab the A string, that B note right there with your middle [B] finger,
_ just that note and then you're going to do those same [G] strum patterns, down, up.
_ Then you're going to go back to the G and just repeat the whole thing over again. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [C] Move to the C chord and it's the same idea but instead of starting on the 6th string
you're going to start on the 5th string.
So hit the 5th string on the 3rd fret _ _ and [B] then same thing, strum the top 3 [C] strings,
down, _ up.
_ _ _ [E] Then you're going to grab the next string over, the 2nd fret with your ring finger,
D string, _ then the [C] same little strum, _ [A] back [C] down to the C note, _ _ [E] back up to the E note.
[C] _ _ _ Then to finish off this little lick you're going to play your D shape and you're going
to start on the D string [D] open, _ _ then hit the top 3 strings, do your down, up strum.
_ _ [A] Then instead of this time going to the next one up, you go to the next string down, which
is your A string open, _ _ _ [D] then do your strum, _ back to the D, _ _ strum, [A] _
back to the A, _ [D] _ _ [G] and
then start the whole thing over on your G. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ So take it slow and make sure those bass notes are really pronounced.
_ _ [B] _ _ [G] _ _
_ Make sure your strum is really clean. _ _ _
Before long you have this clean and fast enough story you can jam with just about anybody. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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