Chords for How To - Essential Bluegrass Strumming Pattern with Nate Savage Video
Tempo:
89.45 bpm
Chords used:
G
C
Em
D
F
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[F] [G] [C] [Em]
[C] [G]
[C] [D]
[G] [Em] [C]
[Em] [C]
[Em] [G] [C]
[G] [F]
[G] [Em] [G] [G]
[F] [G]
Let's start talking about bluegrass by learning the bluegrass strumming pattern that you need
to play bluegrass songs.
Let's make a G chord, just a regular G chord, not this one, not the four finger shape, but
the three finger shape.
That's traditionally the G shape that you're going to want to use in bluegrass music.
So come down here and just play the E string with a downstroke, just that one note.
After you play that, you're going to strum with a down up.
And that's the basic coordination you need to get down, just one bass note and then down
up with your strum.
Now, I was kind of over exaggerating the motions there.
When you do this, you're going to want to keep your motions really efficient, keep your
pick close to the string and use your wrist for most of the strumming because a lot of
bluegrass tunes are pretty fast and you're going to want to be really quick with your strumming.
There's no way you can do that if you're using your elbow for your strumming all the time.
So take some time, get used to that news pattern and then once you do that, you can go on to
the first example.
The only thing that really changes in the first example is your bass note.
You're going to play what we just did and [B] then you're going to come back this time and
play that bass note again, but you're going to alternate to the fifth string.
So play the fifth string with just a downstroke and then do your strumming again.
[G]
And that's what you have to get used to doing.
You have to play sixth string, strum, then go to the fifth string, strum and then alternate
back to the sixth string and so on.
Now that takes quite a bit of accuracy and good aim with your pick to hit those bass notes.
So what you want to do is just actually look at your bass strings that you're picking when
you first start out so you can kind of hone in your aim and get it to where you can hit
those strings that you intend to hit.
What we're going to do is take a C chord now instead of our G chord and apply our basic
bluegrass strumming pattern to a C chord because C is the IV chord in the key of G [C] and you're
going to be using those two open chords a lot in bluegrass.
Now same strumming pattern, but the bass notes we're going to play now are going to change.
We're going to start on the fifth string with our first note and then strum and then you're
going to go to your fourth [E] string and then [C] strum.
And you'll notice whenever I do my strumming on chords like this for bluegrass, I don't
necessarily hit all the [Abm] strings with my down up strum.
I kind of leave that bass note out to let it ring out.
[Db] So practice doing your bluegrass strumming pattern on the C chord right here.
[C]
[Gb] This next little exercise is just getting you used to using that standard bluegrass
[Ab] strumming pattern on a G chord and [Ab] then switching to a C chord.
So give this one a try slowly at first.
Once you have it clean, you can ramp it up a little bit.
[G]
[C]
[G]
[C]
Now let's throw in a D chord into the mix and when you play bluegrass, you're going
to hear a 1-4-5 progression over and over again in a lot of different bluegrass songs.
So for in the key of G, a [Eb] 1-4-5 progression would be G, C, D.
So that's what we're going to do.
We've already been playing a G and a C chord with our bluegrass strumming pattern.
Now let's switch to a [Ab] D chord and now we're going to hit the fourth string to start [D] our
pattern with, strum and [Gb] then we're going to go to the fifth string.
This one's a little bit different, fifth string open, [D] then a strum.
So practice that a little bit and [E] then see if you can throw it in with your G, C [Db] progression.
[G]
[C]
[D]
[A] So that's your basic bluegrass strumming pattern in a 1-4-5 progression in the key of G.
And if you can do that, you can show up to a bluegrass jam if you
[C] [G]
[C] [D]
[G] [Em] [C]
[Em] [C]
[Em] [G] [C]
[G] [F]
[G] [Em] [G] [G]
[F] [G]
Let's start talking about bluegrass by learning the bluegrass strumming pattern that you need
to play bluegrass songs.
Let's make a G chord, just a regular G chord, not this one, not the four finger shape, but
the three finger shape.
That's traditionally the G shape that you're going to want to use in bluegrass music.
So come down here and just play the E string with a downstroke, just that one note.
After you play that, you're going to strum with a down up.
And that's the basic coordination you need to get down, just one bass note and then down
up with your strum.
Now, I was kind of over exaggerating the motions there.
When you do this, you're going to want to keep your motions really efficient, keep your
pick close to the string and use your wrist for most of the strumming because a lot of
bluegrass tunes are pretty fast and you're going to want to be really quick with your strumming.
There's no way you can do that if you're using your elbow for your strumming all the time.
So take some time, get used to that news pattern and then once you do that, you can go on to
the first example.
The only thing that really changes in the first example is your bass note.
You're going to play what we just did and [B] then you're going to come back this time and
play that bass note again, but you're going to alternate to the fifth string.
So play the fifth string with just a downstroke and then do your strumming again.
[G]
And that's what you have to get used to doing.
You have to play sixth string, strum, then go to the fifth string, strum and then alternate
back to the sixth string and so on.
Now that takes quite a bit of accuracy and good aim with your pick to hit those bass notes.
So what you want to do is just actually look at your bass strings that you're picking when
you first start out so you can kind of hone in your aim and get it to where you can hit
those strings that you intend to hit.
What we're going to do is take a C chord now instead of our G chord and apply our basic
bluegrass strumming pattern to a C chord because C is the IV chord in the key of G [C] and you're
going to be using those two open chords a lot in bluegrass.
Now same strumming pattern, but the bass notes we're going to play now are going to change.
We're going to start on the fifth string with our first note and then strum and then you're
going to go to your fourth [E] string and then [C] strum.
And you'll notice whenever I do my strumming on chords like this for bluegrass, I don't
necessarily hit all the [Abm] strings with my down up strum.
I kind of leave that bass note out to let it ring out.
[Db] So practice doing your bluegrass strumming pattern on the C chord right here.
[C]
[Gb] This next little exercise is just getting you used to using that standard bluegrass
[Ab] strumming pattern on a G chord and [Ab] then switching to a C chord.
So give this one a try slowly at first.
Once you have it clean, you can ramp it up a little bit.
[G]
[C]
[G]
[C]
Now let's throw in a D chord into the mix and when you play bluegrass, you're going
to hear a 1-4-5 progression over and over again in a lot of different bluegrass songs.
So for in the key of G, a [Eb] 1-4-5 progression would be G, C, D.
So that's what we're going to do.
We've already been playing a G and a C chord with our bluegrass strumming pattern.
Now let's switch to a [Ab] D chord and now we're going to hit the fourth string to start [D] our
pattern with, strum and [Gb] then we're going to go to the fifth string.
This one's a little bit different, fifth string open, [D] then a strum.
So practice that a little bit and [E] then see if you can throw it in with your G, C [Db] progression.
[G]
[C]
[D]
[A] So that's your basic bluegrass strumming pattern in a 1-4-5 progression in the key of G.
And if you can do that, you can show up to a bluegrass jam if you
Key:
G
C
Em
D
F
G
C
Em
[F] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [C] _ _ [Em] _
[C] _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _ [D] _
[G] _ _ _ [Em] _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ _ [Em] _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ [Em] _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ [C] _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _ [F] _
_ [G] _ _ [Em] _ _ [G] _ _ [G] _
_ [F] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ Let's start talking about bluegrass by learning the bluegrass strumming pattern that you need
to play bluegrass songs.
Let's make a G chord, just a regular G chord, not this one, not the four finger shape, but
the three finger shape.
That's traditionally the G shape that you're going to want to use in bluegrass music.
So come down here and just play the E string with a downstroke, just that one note.
After you play that, you're going to strum with a down up. _ _
_ _ And that's the basic coordination you need to get down, just one bass note and then down
up with your strum. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ Now, I was kind of over exaggerating the motions there.
When you do this, you're going to want to keep your motions really efficient, keep your
pick close to the string and use your wrist for most of the strumming because a lot of
bluegrass tunes are pretty fast and you're going to want to be really quick with your strumming.
There's no way you can do that if you're using your elbow for your strumming all the time.
So take some time, get used to that news pattern and then once you do that, you can go on to
the first example.
The only thing that really changes in the first example is your bass note.
You're going to play what we just did _ _ and [B] then you're going to come back this time and
play that bass note again, but you're going to alternate to the fifth string.
So play the fifth string with just a downstroke and then do your strumming again.
[G] _ _ _
And that's what you have to get used to doing.
You have to play sixth string, strum, then go to the fifth string, strum and then alternate
back to the sixth string and so on. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Now that takes quite a bit of accuracy and good aim with your pick to hit those bass notes.
So what you want to do is just actually look at your bass strings that you're picking when _ _ _ _ _
you first start out so you can kind of hone in your aim and get it to where you can hit
those strings that you intend to hit. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
What we're going to do is take a C chord now instead of our G chord and apply our basic
bluegrass strumming pattern to a C chord because C is the IV chord in the key of G [C] and you're
going to be using those two open chords a lot in bluegrass.
Now same strumming pattern, but the bass notes we're going to play now are going to change.
We're going to start on the fifth string with our first note and then strum and then you're
going to go to your fourth [E] string and then [C] strum.
_ _ _ And you'll notice whenever I do my strumming on chords like this for bluegrass, I don't
necessarily hit all the [Abm] strings with my down up strum.
I kind of leave that bass note out to let it ring out. _ _
_ _ [Db] So practice doing your bluegrass strumming pattern on the C chord right here.
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Gb] This next little exercise is just getting you used to using that standard bluegrass
[Ab] strumming pattern on a G chord and [Ab] then switching to a C chord.
So give this one a try slowly at first.
Once you have it clean, you can ramp it up a little bit.
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ Now let's throw in a D chord into the mix and when you play bluegrass, you're going
to hear a 1-4-5 progression over and over again in a lot of different bluegrass songs.
So for in the key of G, a [Eb] 1-4-5 progression would be G, C, D.
So that's what we're going to do.
We've already been playing a G and a C chord with our bluegrass strumming pattern.
Now let's switch to a [Ab] D chord and now we're going to hit the fourth string to start [D] our
pattern with, strum and [Gb] then we're going to go to the fifth string.
This one's a little bit different, fifth string open, [D] then a strum. _ _
So practice that a little bit and _ _ _ _ _ [E] then see if you can throw it in with your G, C [Db] progression.
_ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [A] _ So that's your basic bluegrass strumming pattern in a 1-4-5 progression in the key of G.
And if you can do that, you can show up to a bluegrass jam if you
[C] _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _ [D] _
[G] _ _ _ [Em] _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ _ [Em] _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ [Em] _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ [C] _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _ [F] _
_ [G] _ _ [Em] _ _ [G] _ _ [G] _
_ [F] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ Let's start talking about bluegrass by learning the bluegrass strumming pattern that you need
to play bluegrass songs.
Let's make a G chord, just a regular G chord, not this one, not the four finger shape, but
the three finger shape.
That's traditionally the G shape that you're going to want to use in bluegrass music.
So come down here and just play the E string with a downstroke, just that one note.
After you play that, you're going to strum with a down up. _ _
_ _ And that's the basic coordination you need to get down, just one bass note and then down
up with your strum. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ Now, I was kind of over exaggerating the motions there.
When you do this, you're going to want to keep your motions really efficient, keep your
pick close to the string and use your wrist for most of the strumming because a lot of
bluegrass tunes are pretty fast and you're going to want to be really quick with your strumming.
There's no way you can do that if you're using your elbow for your strumming all the time.
So take some time, get used to that news pattern and then once you do that, you can go on to
the first example.
The only thing that really changes in the first example is your bass note.
You're going to play what we just did _ _ and [B] then you're going to come back this time and
play that bass note again, but you're going to alternate to the fifth string.
So play the fifth string with just a downstroke and then do your strumming again.
[G] _ _ _
And that's what you have to get used to doing.
You have to play sixth string, strum, then go to the fifth string, strum and then alternate
back to the sixth string and so on. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ Now that takes quite a bit of accuracy and good aim with your pick to hit those bass notes.
So what you want to do is just actually look at your bass strings that you're picking when _ _ _ _ _
you first start out so you can kind of hone in your aim and get it to where you can hit
those strings that you intend to hit. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
What we're going to do is take a C chord now instead of our G chord and apply our basic
bluegrass strumming pattern to a C chord because C is the IV chord in the key of G [C] and you're
going to be using those two open chords a lot in bluegrass.
Now same strumming pattern, but the bass notes we're going to play now are going to change.
We're going to start on the fifth string with our first note and then strum and then you're
going to go to your fourth [E] string and then [C] strum.
_ _ _ And you'll notice whenever I do my strumming on chords like this for bluegrass, I don't
necessarily hit all the [Abm] strings with my down up strum.
I kind of leave that bass note out to let it ring out. _ _
_ _ [Db] So practice doing your bluegrass strumming pattern on the C chord right here.
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Gb] This next little exercise is just getting you used to using that standard bluegrass
[Ab] strumming pattern on a G chord and [Ab] then switching to a C chord.
So give this one a try slowly at first.
Once you have it clean, you can ramp it up a little bit.
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ Now let's throw in a D chord into the mix and when you play bluegrass, you're going
to hear a 1-4-5 progression over and over again in a lot of different bluegrass songs.
So for in the key of G, a [Eb] 1-4-5 progression would be G, C, D.
So that's what we're going to do.
We've already been playing a G and a C chord with our bluegrass strumming pattern.
Now let's switch to a [Ab] D chord and now we're going to hit the fourth string to start [D] our
pattern with, strum and [Gb] then we're going to go to the fifth string.
This one's a little bit different, fifth string open, [D] then a strum. _ _
So practice that a little bit and _ _ _ _ _ [E] then see if you can throw it in with your G, C [Db] progression.
_ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [A] _ So that's your basic bluegrass strumming pattern in a 1-4-5 progression in the key of G.
And if you can do that, you can show up to a bluegrass jam if you