A Guide to Ukulele Strums

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

Published: 12 Jul 2008 Updated: 26 Aug 2024Visits: 589Code: UKESTRUM1

Category: StrumsInstrument: Strums Subjects: 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.

Book/Chart 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

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

Updated: 06 Apr 2020

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

Updated: 31 Jul 2023

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

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

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

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

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

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

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

Updated: 08 Dec 2021

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.

Books

Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard – C Tuning

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

Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering

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 ALL available books.

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

Key Signatures — 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

Updated: 07 Dec 2015

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]

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

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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