Printable Guitar Strumming Patterns Chart
Most songs use one of a handful of strumming patterns. This chart shows twelve of the most useful, from steady downstrokes to the folk strum, waltz, boom-chick country and reggae, with the count under every strum. Down arrows in black, up arrows in green, dots for a missed strum.
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What’s inside
- 12 patterns in 4/4 and 3/4
- Arrows for down and up strums, with the beat count
- Bass-and-strum patterns for country and waltz
- Tips for keeping time
How to use it
- Print it and keep it with your practice notes.
- Read one section at a time and try each idea on the guitar straight away.
- Use it as a quick reference whenever you learn a new song.
Learn it step by step, free
Fretwork turns sheets like this into short daily lessons with audio, a play-along and a quick check for every skill. Stages 0 and 1 are free.
Questions
What is the most common strumming pattern?
Down, down-up, up-down-up (D DU UDU), often called the folk strum or the "old faithful". It fits a huge number of pop, rock and folk songs in 4/4.
Why does my strumming sound uneven?
Keep your hand moving down and up all the time, like a pendulum, even when you miss the strings. The hand keeps the time; you just choose when to touch the strings.
Is this printable really free?
Yes. Enter your first name and email once and every Fretwork printable unlocks on your device. There is nothing to pay and no card needed.
Can I share it with students or friends?
Yes, for personal and classroom use. Please share the link to this page rather than the PDF file, so everyone gets the latest version.
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