strum pattern [Ukulele.Space]

LEXIS

strum pattern
strumming pattern

Strum patterns are used when the ukulele is used as an accompaniment instrument. They consist of a fixed, repeating sequence of downstrokes, upstrokes and silent strokes to express rhythm and harmony of a piece.

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Ukulele strum patterns

d = downstroke (read „down“); u = upstroke (read „up“)

Straight

A regular pattern of one downstrum followed by one upstrum.
The first beat is accentuated.
4/4 time: The four quarter notes are basically played as eight eighth notes.
3/4 time: The three quarter notes are basically played as six eighth notes.
For Slow Straight, the upstrokes are left out.

Straight (4/4)
dudududu

Straight (3/4)
dududu

Slow Straight (4/4)
d-d-d-d-

Slow Straight (3/4)
d-d-d-

Swing und Shuffle

Each measure is divided into triplets with one quarter and one eighth note each.
The quarter note is played as a downstroke, the eighth as an upstroke.
4/4 time: Each bar has four triplets.
3/4 time: Each bar has three triplets.
For Shuffle, beats 2 and 4 are accentuated instead of beats 1 and 3 (backbeats).

Stuart Fuchs: Shuffle Strum (2018)

Stuart Fuchs: Shuffle and Straight (2018)

Swing 4/4
d-ud-ud-ud-u

Swing 3/4
d-u d-u d-u

Shuffle 4/4
d-ud-ud-ud-u

Shuffle 4/4

Church Lick

4/4 time: The second and third upstrokes are left out.
3/4 time: The second upstroke is left out.
Variants are Boom-chicka, Slow Lick and Crazy Lick.

Boom-chicka

This variant of the Church Lick is popular in Bluegrass music (a Country music style). The G string is played with the thumb („boom“), followed by a downstroke and an upstroke („chicka“).