My Strumming Sounds Funny

[RedRival]

I just started learning the guitar not too long ago.
I got a few lessons from a teacher who taught mostly picking, patterns but whenever it comes to strumming, he wouldn't specify and say unless stated always strum from the top E string to the lower E string at the bottom.

I looked up guides on the internet and they state the same thing, now I found this christian guitar tab site (was looking for some worship songs for my youth group that I wanted to play when I came over the lesson page).

They have a strumming lesson with a mp3 compilation, just what I need. I've long felt that my strumming had sounded weird one way or another. Because my friend would be strumming off to a song or tune really well, apart from the timing of course, they had the right sound.

So I accessed this site here, http://www.christianguitar.org/lessons/lesson.php?id=32.

I tried playing the first example:
http://www.christianguitar.org/lessons/mp3/gtr31.mp3

And immediately it sounded totally different, my guitar could be out of tuned but that wasn't the problem. When I strummed the similar note in the way intended, it sounded really deep and unalike the mp3.

the mp3 could've used an amp or something to make the sound better. But the sound my guitar made sounded entirely different in a sense that it wasn't very clear unlike the mp3 sound (also very similar to that of my friends') which was very clear and the chord u strummed could be heard strikingly.

I tried strumming in different patterns, but I realised the closest I can get to getting a clear, clean sound is when strumming the sharper strings (E,B,G,D).
But they are wrong because the chord doesn't sound right anymore.

any suggestions???
And I can't strum for shit for some reason, everything I stry strumming turns out to be a disaster. I hope there can be some 'physical' sugggestions and not based on too much theory because I got guitar books, lotsa them but they don't help...

[Adster]

I know how you feel being a newbie guitarest I was once

try to devide the stings into different sections I found learing crowded House songs was huge to me and eventully it just comes natually also it could be possible that the mp3 is an ovtive higher then you playing

oh yeah Bar chords!! if your new I don't know if you have had to play them yet

there a killer for the first time!!

alittle tip believe it or not it works cross your legs!!

anyway nice post to maybe have in musicworld I reckon

[dwightfry]

But the sound my guitar made sounded entirely different in a sense that it wasn't very clear unlike the mp3 sound

Do you mean it buzzes when you hit the lower strings?

[JONNO_CELEBS]

Originally posted by RedRival@12 October 2003 - 12:55
he wouldn't specify and say unless stated always strum from the top E string to the lower E string at the bottom.


No, thats wrong, you strum all stings only on certain chords eg E Em G, on chords such as A Am C you start on the A string and don't play the low E (the thickest one) and on D Dm Dm7 F you start from the D string and don't play the E or A string, it will sound cleaner when you do this :)

Jonno B)

[Adster]

yep if you play a C chord and happen to strum that E string it is then known as C/E which means c chord with a E bass

[JONNO_CELEBS]

Yeah but that souns crap when played clean and it's a little advanced if he only just started :)

Stick with basic open chords for now until your fingers get used to playing, also when changing chords, try to move all fingers together in one movement :)

Jonno B)

[Lamsey]

I don't know if you're using a plectrum or not, but if you're not (ie using the thumb), using the soft pad on the thumb to strum down and then using the thumbnail to strum up creates a better strumming noise, as it creates accents on the upstrokes.

[Adster]

I rememebr usign my thumb first learning

man it had this huge kalis blister sixe of a 20 cent coin and I chewed on it it bursted and tasted some nice salt

also let me point out this Nilon stings or steal??? what do you have Steel strings may be the mp3 (i havn't heard it) and you could have Nilon


Stick with basic open chords for now until your fingers get used to playing, also when changing chords, try to move all fingers together in one movement 


yep thats exatly right

[Yogi]

My technique is flawless since i use:

http://www.biggagiggas.com/About%20Jacaranda%20Guitar.htm


:P Yogi

:lol: :lol: :D :lol: :D :lol: :D

[RedRival]

Originally posted by Lamsey@12 October 2003 - 15:56
I don't know if you're using a plectrum or not, but if you're not (ie using the thumb), using the soft pad on the thumb to strum down and then using the thumbnail to strum up creates a better strumming noise, as it creates accents on the upstrokes.
i tried it with my thumbs, it actually came out cleaner.
Only thign is that it's too soft. I think the basic problem with my strumming is the higher strings, E A D etc...Because they sound exceptionally loud compared to the lower strings, which IMO bring out the essence of the guitar sound betta.

And I kinda think i miss strumming some parts ... but now i keep my eyes on the strings when I strum them and sometimes I still hate it when some horrendous sound comes out.

And , one thing, I'm no good at listening so I can hardly tune my guitar, I think that's just part of the problem.

thanks for the help guys, I appreciated it. more tips is gooD!!

edit:

btw regarding the thumbnail part...lol...i have bad habit of biting my fingernails, they are bascially all gnawed till there's not much of the strumming nail left (u ne the long fingernail)...so maybe that's what happens when I try strumming with my fingers but thing is, I use a pick and it still sounds almost as bad...

maybe the pick is a bit too hard/thick for me. :(

[RedRival]

Originally posted by Adster@12 October 2003 - 15:58
I rememebr usign my thumb first learning

man it had this huge kalis blister sixe of a 20 cent coin and I chewed on it it bursted and tasted some nice salt

also let me point out this Nilon stings or steal??? what do you have Steel strings may be the mp3 (i havn't heard it) and you could have Nilon


Stick with basic open chords for now until your fingers get used to playing, also when changing chords, try to move all fingers together in one movement


yep thats exatly right
yep i think i have steel strings.