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A Guide to Ukulele Strums
Learn a variety of strums and rhythmic patterns in wide range of musical styles.

Category: Strums Instrument: Strums Subjects(s): Rhythm • Strums • Ukulele

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A Guide to Ukulele Strums
Learn a variety of strums and rhythmic patterns in wide range of musical styles.
Product Info

Product Code: UKESTRUM1
Author(s): Curt Sheller
Publisher(s): Curt Sheller Publications
Published: Jul 12, 2008
Updated: Aug 26, 2024
ISBN-13: 78-1-60321-019-5
Size*: Book ANSI A (8.5 x 11 in), PDF A4 (210 x 297 mm)
Pages: 26
Hard Copy Price: $15.95
PDF Price: $7

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Learn a variety of strums and rhythmic patterns in wide range of musical styles.

One of the first skills a ukulele player learns is the art and craft of strumming, playing rhythm. This refers to an accompaniment technique suitable for the singer, singer - songwriter or someone who plays a support role for another instrument.

Strumming requires a specific set of skills:

  • Memorization of chords
  • The ability to switch chords smoothly
  • The ability to choose and execute a suitable rhythmic strum

It's this 3rd skill that is our focus in A Guide to Ukulele Strums and Rhythmic Patterns.

Though strumming looks natural to the casual observer, it is anything but natural to the beginning ukulele player. Even experienced players have difficulty in identifying and executing certain strums. Though this is one of those topics that is typically taken for granted, there is much to learn about rhythmic feels, accents, dynamics, strum direction, feel, percussive accents, idiomatic styles and tempo variation.

First and foremost, the subject of strumming is inseparably linked to rhythm. Though an ability to read rhythm is helpful, it's not necessary to profit from this material.

Each strum is identified with a term that differentiates it from every other strum. This term is typically called a feel. Drummers learn these terms early in their studies so learning this language is not only helpful to learning the strums, it's also helpful with communications among musicians in general and drummers in particular.

The strums in this book work in any tuning or instrument. Chord examples shown for ukuleles in C tuning.

One strum is different from another based on the stroke direction, the stroke density, the subdivision of the beat and the accent pattern.

Strums covered include: Quarter Note, Sustain, Rock, Light Rock, 12/8, Shuffle, Power Shuffle, Double Time, Gallop, Flowing 3/4, Ska, Bass Note Patterns, 3/4, Reggae and Broken Patterns.

Table of Contents
A Guide to Ukulele Strums
  • Introduction 7
  • Some Fundamentals 8
  • Preliminary Exercises 8
  • Symbols 9
  • Quarter Note Strum 13
  • Sustain Strum 13
  • Rock Strum 14
  • Light Rock Strum 15
  • 12/8 Strum 15
  • Shuffle Strum 16
  • Power Shuffle Strum 16
  • Double Time Strum 16
  • Gallop Strum 17
  • Flowing 3/4 Strum 17
  • Ska Strum 18
  • Bass Note Strum Patterns 19
  • 3/4 Strum 20
  • Reggae Strum 22
  • Broken Patterns 23
  • Variations 25
  • Modular Phonetic Rhythm 26
  • Conclusion 27
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Errata
A Guide to Ukulele Strums

No Errata available for: A Guide to Ukulele Strums

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Get The Latest Version

The current, latest PDF or e-book always has the latest changes and errata incorporated for the most up-to-date version of the file. If you downloaded the book from LearningUkulele.com, you're most likely eligible to get the NEW version of the book FREE, or just let me know if you need the latest version.

Related Lessons
Related Lessons for A Guide to Ukulele Strums.
UL126
`Ukulele Strums - Getting Started

One of the first skills a ukulele player learns is the art and craft of strumming – playing rhythm. This refers to an accompaniment technique suitable for the singer, singer/songwriter or someone who plays a support role for another instrument.

Related Lesson Series
Related Lessons Series for A Guide to Ukulele Strums.
Building Your Core Strums for Ukulele

Rhythm are in-separately linked to strums. Using the Modular Phonetic Rhythm System developed by Chuck Anderson this series of lessons start with the core four strums all ukulele players use and throughly digs in to the many variations possible.

Modular Phonetic Rhythm by Chuck Anderson

Modular Phonetic Rhythm represents a significant advance in the teaching and application of rhythm. Eliminating many inefficient aspects of rhythm education, Modular Phonetic Rhythm streamlines the traditional educational approach, resulting in a reflexive reaction to rhythm.

Ukulele Strums - Getting Started

Strums are in-separately linked to rhythm. Using the Modular Phonetic Rhythm System developed by Chuck Anderson this series of lessons starts with the core four strums all ukulele players use, need to know and throughly digs into the many variations possible.

A Guide to Ukulele Strums

Learn a variety of strums and rhythmic patterns in wide range of musical styles. A strum refers to an accompaniment technique suitable for the singer, singer - songwriter or someone who plays a support role for another instrument.

Related Books & Charts
Related Books for A Guide to Ukulele Strums.
MPRS-FW1
Modular Phonetic Rhythm, The Foundation and Workbook 1

Modular Phonetic Rhythm represents a significant advance in the teaching and application of rhythm. Eliminating many inefficient aspects of rhythm education, Modular Phonetic Rhythm streamlines the traditional educational approach, resulting in a reflexive reaction to rhythm.

A Selection of Books & Reference Charts that are recommended for creating a solid foundation with your chosen instrument and music in general.
These are books & reference charts that apply to a majority of all lessons on LearningUkulele.com / Learning Ukulele with Curt.
Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard – C Tuning

Finally, learn the names of the notes of the fingerboard.

Six Secrets of the Ukulele Fingerboard – C Tuning

Learn the six fingering principles to navigating the ukulele fingerboard. Fingering is one of the most universal topics.

Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution

Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition.

Ukulele – Reading Music Series – Primer

Learn to read single note melodies in the first/open position is a lot easier than you might think.

Daily Practice Material for the Contemporary Ukulele

An organized collection of daily practice and reference material for the contemporary ukulele player for developing the vocabulary and knowledge necessary for single note playing.

Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.

Reference Charts
Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G - G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G – G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

Circle of Fourths and Fifths – ANSI A & A4 sizes

A handy reference chart of all 15 major and relative minor key signatures. US Letter 8.5 x 11 sized (ANSI-A), A4

Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.

Related Songs
Related Songs for A Guide to Ukulele Strums.
ANYSONG
Any Song Will Do

This is not really a song, but simply saying that for the purposes of a lot of the lessons and lesson series on this site ANY song will do for exploring the lesson's material and concepts presented in the lesson.

Related Book Files, Resources and Assets
Related Assets for A Guide to Ukulele Strums.
WEB_CONTENT_ONLY
Learning Strums, Quarter Note Strum [video]

One of the most basic strumming patterns you can do, and the foundation for ALL future strumming, a.k.a rhythmic patterns where the underlying beat is quarter note based - is the Quarter Note Strum.

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On the web since 1992 and a Mac since 1987 (Mac II) • Serving up Ukulele content since 2003 ( 22 years ago )Lets Kanikapila!!! v12.13.0 (8.2.23) • And, since Sept 2020, happily on Pop!_OS Linux and a System76 Thelio. Half the cost of the iMac and a real treat to use. I use it for ALL development work. Only wish the Affinity Suite of apps by serif where available on Linux (and I do know you can run them in Wine with a few hacks).
This sit has ben profesionaly red. awl tpyos aree free and no aditonal chrge • I'm blaming it on “jazz” fingers. “Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
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