What are strumming patterns?
Strumming patterns help keep up with the rhythm of the song. The BMP (Beats Per Minute) shows how fast your strokes should be. For some chord tabs, you can find the strumming patterns below the chord diagrams.
Note: Strumming patterns are not present in all tabs but we are gradually adding them.
Symbols in the strumming patterns
To play a pattern correctly, you must recognize the symbols that dictate your hand's movement and dynamics.
Here are the symbols you can see in the strumming patterns:
↑ and ↓ - are the most basic components of a strumming pattern - they are arrows showing the direction of your hand's movement. But simple up-and-down-strokes can be marked with additional symbols
Little X above the arrow means that it's muted
Big X in place of an arrow stands for the palm mute
> above the arrow means the accent, i.e. the note is stressed
You can also see empty spaces, they mean that no strums are made, you leave the strings ring for a number of beats
Many prefer to continue the hand movements without actually plucking the strings in order to keep the rhythm going.
Strumming Pattern Example (156 BPM)
At a beat rate of 156 BPM, the rhythm moves quickly and requires a loose, consistent motion. A common high-energy pattern follows this sequence.
Downstroke, rest, downstroke, upstroke, downstroke, upstroke, downstroke, rest, downstroke, upstroke, downstroke, upstroke.
This pattern repeats from the beginning without a pause at the end, creating a continuous rhythmic loop.
How to find strumming patterns on the website for official chords.
To find strumming patterns on the website.
• Open an official tab
• Switch the tab view from Tab to Chords
• On the lower right side, locate the strumming patter
If you find the strumming pattern hard to interpret visually, press the "Play" button above the pattern. This will play the rhythm with open strings, allowing you to hear the correct strumming sound.
How to find strumming patterns on the website for non-official chords
• Open a chords tab
• Scroll down the page using the scrollbar to view the strumming pattern included in the tab content.
If you find the strumming pattern hard to interpret visually, press the "Play" button above the pattern. This will play the rhythm with open strings, allowing you to hear the correct strumming sound.
How to find strumming patterns in the app for official chords.
• Open an official tab
• Switch the view to chords
• Strumming pattern will be displayed below the song and artist name under strumming.
How to find strumming patterns in the app for non-official chords:
• Open Chords
• At the top of the tab, locate the song title and artist name
• Directly below the song title and song information section, locate the strumming pattern displayed in the tab header area under strumming.
Important:
Not every chord version includes a strumming pattern. The strumming pattern is displayed in this section when it is available for the selected tab.