The Up-Strum

Lesson 2/52 | Study Time: 5 Min
Course: Rock Guitar Method
The Up-Strum

The Up-Strum

In this lesson you will learn how to use the up-strum. This means that the strings are strummed with an upward motion from the first string towards the sixth string. The up-strum is played exactly halfway between the down-strums. The word "and" is used to count an up-strum.

The following example shows the A chord being strummed down-up, down-up. down-up, down-up. The rhythm is counted 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.

Going Uptown is based upon a twelve bar blues progression and uses the rhythm shown above. The symbol & is used as an abbreviation for the up-strum count "and".

As with the previous examples the riff or lead guitar part to Going Uptown is mainly played on the bass strings.

Pick Motion: Up-Stroke

An up-stroke of the pick is also introduced in Going Uptown. This means that a note must be played with an upward motion of the pick. The symbol y will indicate when a note must be played with an up-stroke.

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Brett Duncan

Brett Duncan

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Class Sessions

1- Major Seventh Chords 2- Rhythm Patterns 3- Minor Chords 4- Seventh Chords 5- More Seventh Chords 6- Syncopated Rhythm 7- Triplet Rhythm 8- Minor Seventh Chords 9- Suspended Chords 10- LESSON ONE 11- Major Sixth Chords 12- Sixteenth Note Rhythm 13- Fifth Chords 14- Shuffle Rhythm 15- Combining Notes and Chords 16- Tuning to the Cassette or CD 17- The Staff 18- Notes in the Open Position 19- Rhythm and Lead Guitar 20- INTRODUCTION 21- LESSON TWO 22- LESSON FOUR 23- Basic Rock Progressions 24- The Up-Strum 25- Chord Diagrams 26- Sharps and Flats 27- Notes 28- The Parts of the Guitar 29- Electronic Guitar Tuner 30- Right Hand Damping 31- Right Hand Technique 32- Swing Rhythm 33- Two Bar Rhythms 34- Changing Chords on Up-Strums 35- Long and Short Strums 36- Notation 37- Right Hand Movement 38- Two Bar Rhythms 39- Tablature 40- The Chromatic Scale 41- Note Values 42- Tuning the Guitar to Itself 43- Strumming 44- Holding the Guitar 45- Three Quarter Time 46- Left Hand Fingering 47- Right Hand Technique 48- The Tie 49- Chord Progressions 50- Left Hand Technique 51- Time Signatures 52- Pick Motion: Down-Stroke

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