Ch. 13: Learning 3/4 Guitar Strumming

Learning how to strum is one of the most basic steps in guitar playing. After a beginner learns how to do the basic 4/4 strumming, he can then move on into learning the ¾ strumming technique.

If you wants to play a 3/4 song using a guitar, you must first know what 3/4 means. 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 are what musicians call time signatures. In musical notation, the time signatures are usually placed right beside the clef sign. The upper number or the numerator indicates the number of beats per measure, the lower number or the denominator indicates what kind of note will receive one beat.

3/4Chord pattern
In playing a 3/4 guitar riff, you have to count 1-2-3 and use this count as a guide in strumming the guitar. In practicing the 3/4 guitar strumming, you can use the chord pattern: D- A7- G.

This is a variation of the 4/4 chord pattern D-A-G-A. Again, this pattern is recommended because of the playability of the chords. This allows the player to be able to concentrate on strumming and chord formation simultaneously without prioritizing one above the other.

The strokes in practicing the 3/4 strumming pattern can be varied, depending on the player’s preferences. He can practice the pattern using only downward strokes, or upwards strokes. He can then use both alternately to get the feel of the guitar.

The traditional song “Down in the Valley” can be used by beginners to be able to practice strumming the guitar on a 3/4 time measure. Another song which can also be used in 3/4 strumming is the song “Time is on my Side” by Jerry Ragovoy.

Chord Shifting
One of the most important thing that a beginner must learn in 4/4 strumming is chord shifting. This becomes an even harder thing to do in 3/4 strumming but it is not impossible to learn. It just takes time and patience. Don’t let frustration get into the learning process.

Let’s go back and review some of the important basic things one has to know in guitar strumming.

Playing position
When a beginner first holds the guitar and tries out some chords, he usually does these things in awkward looking positions. This is acceptable because beginners will always look at the fretboard; put their heads closer to the left hand, etc. But when he wants to get serious about learning further things about guitar playing, he needs to be able to play the instrument in the right position.

Here are some few tips on how to play the guitar in the right position:

position the body, legs and arms in such a way that tension is avoided
if tension is present, reassess the playing position
tilt the neck of the guitar upwards and never tilt it downwards
keep the body of the guitar as vertical as possible
avoid slanting the top of the guitar so that you an see better

Holding the pick
If you are using a pick to strum the guitar strings, you must hold the pick in such a way that the hand is stress-free. You should not hold it too tight nor too loose. The pick should have good contact with the strings but this should be done in a moderate way.

Reading tablatures
When you are comfortable with playing some chords and chord patterns, you can then shift into reading guitar tablatures. Tablatures or tabs are great tools in learning how to play the guitar. They translate the musical notation into readable symbols that reflect the way how to play a musical piece using a guitar. The lines that are in guitar tabs represent the strings of the guitar. If you are to place the guitar adjacent to the tabs, you can see what this is all about. The numbers in the lines represent the fret number which is to be pressed by the player. This is basically all one has to know to be able to start reading tabs. Tabs, however, are comprised of symbols and signs other than lines and numbers. More advanced tabs also indicate the type of plucking or string bending technique that should be used for striking each note.

Learning how to play the guitar is an arduous process, but it’s also fun. One must take it step-by-step and should not rush in learning more techniques if he still can’t master the preceding technique. Have fun!

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