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Written strumming patterns

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(@minotaur)
Noble Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1089
Topic starter  

When I see something like this:

DUx / UUx / U

I learned that the x is a mute.

Here's one without the x:
D / DU / UDU

And then I see DDD UDU UDU

What are the slashes in the others; why do some write slashes and others don't?

It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.


   
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(@dalboy)
Eminent Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 29
 

Possibly to indicate a slight pause.


   
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(@minotaur)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1089
Topic starter  

That's the only thing I could think of. Thanks.

It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.


   
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(@fretsource)
Prominent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 973
 

Not just a slight pause but exactly a half beat pause. Assuming 4/4 time, then your strums are quarter note followed by two eighth note strums followed by a quarter note strum and finally three eighth note strums.
Count it as ONE (&) TWO & (THREE) & FOUR &. The half beats (eighth notes) in brackets aren't strummed meaning the previous strum will be twice as long.


   
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(@matteo)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 557
 

hi mate

first thing: do not focus on written patterns but try to understand them by listening to the song. Secondarily always remember that, even if you can not understand the guitar pattern, as long as you can replicate drums rhythm, your pattern, even if not exactly the same of the original recording, will at least be compatible with it.
third thing: when i write a pattern (check some songs i posted in the easy song Db) i use the slashes to divide each beat from another but other people may use them to indicate a pause, so again it is better to develop your own pattern from listening to the song

cheers

Matteo


   
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(@minotaur)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1089
Topic starter  

Not just a slight pause but exactly a half beat pause. Assuming 4/4 time, then your strums are quarter note followed by two eighth note strums followed by a quarter note strum and finally three eighth note strums.
Count it as ONE (&) TWO & (THREE) & FOUR &. The half beats (eighth notes) in brackets aren't strummed meaning the previous strum will be twice as long.

OK, the "1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +" and wherever the "accent" happens to fall (my terminology leaves something to be desired :oops: ). I see that all the time.

It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.


   
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(@minotaur)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1089
Topic starter  

hi mate

first thing: do not focus on written patterns but try to understand them by listening to the song. ... so again it is better to develop your own pattern from listening to the song

cheers

Matteo

Thanks. Yes, I guess that's why everyone has their own way of playing something. Not that I try to play a song exactly as it was written, or was getting at that. I don't think you can. I'm just seeing all kinds of different things and saying "hey, I wonder what that means". 8)

It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.


   
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(@davidhodge)
Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 4472
 

The way someone writes out a strumming pattern is hardly universal, so the use of slashes can mean different things. Some folks use slashes to show the division of beats, as Matteo does. Some, as has been written here, for slight pauses. I've even seen some used to indicate the end of a line of music. Then, of course, they are also used for slide notation in tablature.

The bottom line is that you truly can't know what the slashes stand for unless the author sets down a key or index as to what it's supposed to mean. I know that I'm going to sound like a broken record, but it all comes down to counting it out, not to whether or not it's an "up" or a "down."

Silly as it sounds, you might just want to ignore the slashes unless you see an obvious reason for them by listening and counting along to the song in question while reading the pattern.

Sorry this doesn't help all that much.

Peace


   
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(@minotaur)
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Topic starter  

No, actually it does help. I was getting caught up in the idea that people stick to "industry standards", and they don't. I should have realized that having seen enough video lessons to prove it. :lol: There could be five lessons or covers of one song and not one of them doesn't get a "what the hell was that? That sounds stupid, even to me!"

It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.


   
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(@joehempel)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2415
 

I was getting caught up in the idea that people stick to "industry standards", and they don't

I didn't think that there were "industry standards" when writing out strumming patterns.

In Space, no one can hear me sing!


   
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(@kent_eh)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1882
 

I was getting caught up in the idea that people stick to "industry standards", and they don't

I didn't think that there were "industry standards" when writing out strumming patterns.

There's even a certain amount of variability in "standard" notation :?

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
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