12 Basic Guitar Rhythm Patterns: Charts, Exercises and a Trainer

Rhythm trainer

Pick a pattern, turn on the metronome and swing the hand along with the chart. Below, every pattern is explained separately: how to play it, common mistakes and three exercises that start in this same trainer.

How to read the charts

Above every step is the count: the numbers are the beats, "and", "e", "a" are the gaps between them. The hand swings without stopping and only the marked steps sound: on the skipped ones the hand passes over the strings in the air. This way the rhythm is not lost even when part of the strokes do not sound.

The tempo in the trainer is changed with the slider, the arrow keys and the tap tempo button. Every pattern has a working BPM range: start at the lower edge and raise the tempo only when the pattern is even.

• ↓ - downstroke (D)
• ↑ - upstroke (U)
• × - muted stroke: the palm on the strings
• B - bass: one low string
• · - rest: the hand moves but does not touch the strings

1. Quarter notes

One downstroke on every beat. The simplest strum and the foundation for all the others. Where you hear it: ballads, slow rock, campfire songs.

How to play it: Strum down on "one, two, three, four". Between strokes the hand lifts up but does not touch the strings. Keep it even: all four strokes at the same volume, only the first beat a little stronger. Strum all the strings of the chord, keep the wrist relaxed and move from the wrist.

Common mistakes: A tense wrist: the hand tires quickly and the sound gets hard. Rushing: with a simple rhythm it is easy to run ahead. Stay with the metronome. The hand stops between strokes instead of swinging all the time.

• Exercise 1. A silent hand: Mute the strings with the left palm and play the pattern for 4 bars in a row at 60 BPM. Goal: even volume and not one slipped beat.
• Exercise 2. One chord: Em or Am: 16 bars at 70 BPM without stopping. Listen that all strings sound equally.
• Exercise 3. Changing chords: Am - F - C - G, a bar per chord, at 80 BPM. The change must be done before the first beat of the next bar.

2. Eighth notes, down-up

The hand swings without stopping: down on the count, up on the "and". Most other patterns grow out of this one. Where you hear it: pop, folk, rock ballads.

How to play it: Count aloud "one-and two-and three-and four-and": down on the numbers, up on the "and". The upstroke is lighter and takes only the top 2-3 strings, not all six. Accent the first and third beats a little louder.

Common mistakes: The upstroke is as heavy as the downstroke: the strum sounds "thumping". The hand "breaks" between down and up: swing it in one motion of the wrist. No counting of the "and": without it the rhythm soon drifts apart.

• Exercise 1. A silent hand with counting: Play on muted strings and count "one-and two-and..." aloud. 4 bars at 60 BPM.
• Exercise 2. One chord: Am: 16 bars at 70 BPM, then raise the tempo by 5 BPM and repeat.
• Exercise 3. Changing chords: Em - C - G - D, a bar each, 80 BPM. The left hand prepares the next chord on the last "and".

3. The "six" (all-round strum)

Six strokes per bar: down, down-up, up, down-up. The most common strum for accompaniment. Where you hear it: pop, folk, rock, campfire songs: fits almost any song in 4/4.

How to play it: The hand swings as in eighth notes, but two of the eight strokes are skipped: the "and" after one and the beat three itself. The hand passes them in the air. Count "one (and) two-and (three) and four-and": down on 1, 2 and 4, up on the "and" after two, three and four. It is the same eighth-note pattern with two strokes removed. Learn the eighth notes first.

Common mistakes: The hand stops on the skipped beats: it must swing without a break. The wrong skip: the first rest falls on the "and" of beat one, the second on the count "three". Upstrokes that are too loud.

• Exercise 1. Eighth notes with gaps: Play down-up eighth notes and lift the hand past the strings on the skipped places. 4 bars at 60 BPM.
• Exercise 2. One chord: Am or G: 16 bars at 70 BPM. Make sure the gaps are clean.
• Exercise 3. Verse and chorus: Am - F - C - G, a bar per chord, at 90 BPM. Then play any familiar song in 4/4.

4. Rock eighth notes with muting

Eighth notes, down only, with the palm muting at the bridge. A dense, "woody" rhythm. Where you hear it: punk, hard rock, metal, rock and roll.

How to play it: The edge of the right palm lightly touches the strings at the bridge (palm mute): the sound is short and dry. Play down only, on one or two low strings (a power chord). The hand moves from the wrist. Accent the beats "one", "two", "three", "four": they are a little stronger than the "and".

Common mistakes: Muting too hard: the pitch disappears. Touch only lightly. Uneven volume: the "and" must not be quieter than the beats. A tense forearm. Relaxation matters more than speed.

• Exercise 1. An open string: Play the open 6th string with muting, 8 bars at 80 BPM. Find the pressure of the palm.
• Exercise 2. Power chords: E5 - G5 - A5, a bar each, at 100 BPM. The left hand changes fast, the right one does not change.
• Exercise 3. Endurance: 2 minutes without stopping at 120 BPM, then rest. Watch for relaxation.

5. Boom-chick (bass and chord)

The bass on the strong beats, the chord on the weak ones: "boom-chick-boom-chick". Where you hear it: country, folk, bluegrass, traditional songs.

How to play it: On "one" and "three" play only the bass string of the chord (the root), on "two" and "four" the top 3-4 strings. Take the bass note with the thumb or the pick, the chord with a light downstroke. For a C chord put the bass on the 5th string, for G on the 6th, for D on the 4th.

Common mistakes: The bass and the chord are equally loud: the bass should be deeper and softer. Strumming all the strings on the bass beat. An uneven tempo: keep the metronome on "two" and "four".

• Exercise 1. Bass only: Play only the bass notes on beats 1 and 3 for C - G - Am - F. 4 bars at 70 BPM.
• Exercise 2. Bass and chord: Add the chord on beats 2 and 4. G - C - D, a bar per chord, 80 BPM.
• Exercise 3. Alternating bass: Alternate the bass strings (for G: the 6th and the 4th). 8 bars at 90 BPM.

6. Strum with muting on "two" and "four"

The chord rings on "one" and "three", and on "two" and "four" the strings are muted by the palm and give a short "chick". Where you hear it: blues, rock and roll, funk rock, acoustic rock.

How to play it: On the first and third beats strum the chord down. On the second and fourth beats: mute the strings with the left hand (ease the pressure) and strike them with the right. You get a dry click, "chick". The right hand swings all the time: down-up-down-up, only the marked strokes sound.

Common mistakes: The "chick" is too loud and ringing: ease the left-hand pressure but do not let the strings go completely. Forgetting that the hand must never stop. The muted stroke lasts too long.

• Exercise 1. Only the "chicks": The left hand eases the strings, the right plays only on "two" and "four". 4 bars at 60 BPM.
• Exercise 2. Chord and "chick": E - A - B7 (a blues turnaround), a bar each, 70 BPM.
• Exercise 3. Add eighth notes: Between the strokes make light upstrokes on the top strings. 80 BPM, 8 bars.

7. Reggae / ska (off-beat)

The chord is played only on the "and": upstrokes, short and dry. The strong beats are left empty. Where you hear it: reggae, ska, pop punk.

How to play it: The hand swings down-up, but on the down you miss the strings and on the up you hit the top 3-4 strings briefly. The sound is dry: the right palm or the left hand mutes the strings right after the stroke. The bass guitar or the drums fill the empty beats, which creates the typical swaying pulse.

Common mistakes: Strumming down on the count: the off-beat is lost. The chord rings on: the sound must be short, "staccato". Too many strings: three or four top ones are enough.

• Exercise 1. Count the "and": Clap only on the "and" with the metronome: one-CLAP, two-CLAP... 2 minutes at 70 BPM.
• Exercise 2. One chord: Am, only the top strings on the "and", dry. 16 bars at 80 BPM.
• Exercise 3. Changing chords: Am - D - G - C, a bar each, 90 BPM. The left hand releases the chord right after the stroke.

8. Waltz (3/4)

Three beats in a bar: bass, chord, chord. Counted "one-two-three, one-two-three". Where you hear it: waltzes, folk songs, ballads in three-four.

How to play it: On "one" play the bass, on "two" and "three" the chord down (top strings). The first beat is the strongest, it "pulls" the waltz forward. The fingers hold the same position as in boom-chick, only the count goes in three.

Common mistakes: Counting in four: the pulse of the waltz is lost. Beats "two" and "three" too loud: they must be softer than the bass. The bass is cut short: hold it a little longer than the chord.

• Exercise 1. Counting in three: Clap "one-two-three" with the accent on "one", 16 bars at 90 BPM.
• Exercise 2. One chord: Am: the bass on "one", the chord on "two" and "three". 16 bars at 90 BPM.
• Exercise 3. A chord loop: Am - Dm - E - Am, a bar each, 100 BPM.

9. 6/8 rhythm

Two swings of three eighth notes: "one-and-a, two-and-a". The tempo is counted by the two big beats. Where you hear it: Irish songs, ballads, many rock ballads in 6/8.

How to play it: Divide the bar into two groups of three: "one-and-a two-and-a". The strong beats are "one" and "two" (steps 1 and 4), strum down on them. The upstroke falls on the "a" before the next strong beat, and the middle step of each group the hand passes without sound. Play softly and smoothly, like a rocking boat.

Common mistakes: Playing it as 4/4: you need an even count of six eighth notes. A tempo that is too fast: the BPM here means the big beats. All strokes the same: the first beat of each group must be stronger.

• Exercise 1. Counting in six: Say "one-and-a two-and-a" at 50 BPM and swing the hand.
• Exercise 2. One chord: Em: 16 bars at 60 BPM.
• Exercise 3. Changing chords: Em - C - D - Em, a bar each, 60 BPM.

10. Shuffle (triplet rhythm)

A "swinging" rhythm: every beat is split in three parts, and the first and the third are played. Where you hear it: blues, rock and roll, jump blues.

How to play it: Count "one-and-a two-and-a three-and-a four-and-a": play on "one" and "a", skip the middle sound. The first eighth is longer than the second, hence the "swing" feel. Blues chords in a shuffle are often played with palm muting on the bass strings.

Common mistakes: Playing straight eighth notes: there is no swing. The wrong skip: it is exactly the middle of the triplet ("and") that is skipped. A tempo that is too fast: start a shuffle at 70 BPM.

• Exercise 1. Clapping triplets: Clap on "one" and "a" with the metronome at 60 BPM, 4 bars.
• Exercise 2. One string: Play the shuffle on the 5th string with muting, 8 bars at 70 BPM.
• Exercise 3. 12-bar blues: A - D - E in the classic form, 80 BPM.

11. Funk sixteenth notes

A continuous motion of the hand in sixteenth notes where some of the strokes are muted. It sounds rhythmic and "clean". Where you hear it: funk, disco, soul, pop funk.

How to play it: The hand swings in sixteenth notes without stopping: count "one-e-and-a two-e-and-a...". The left hand slightly releases the chord when a muted stroke (x) is needed: you get a dry click. The chords are short, often 2-3 top strings; the main strokes fall on "one" and "and".

Common mistakes: All the strokes ring: the "cleanness" of funk is lost. Too big a motion of the hand: the amplitude must be small. Starting at a high tempo. You need a low BPM and absolute evenness.

• Exercise 1. Empty sixteenth notes: Play sixteenth notes on muted strings, 4 bars at 60 BPM.
• Exercise 2. One chord: Am7 (or Am): add the chords on the marked strokes. 16 bars at 70 BPM.
• Exercise 3. A two-chord vamp: Am7 - D7, a bar each, 80 BPM, then 90.

12. Gallop (metal)

An eighth and two sixteenths on every beat, like the gallop of a horse: "da-da-dum". Where you hear it: hard rock, metal, heavy metal.

How to play it: The first sixteenth and the next two: you play the first down, skip, then down-down. Mute the strings with the palm at the bridge (palm mute) and play on the low strings. Start slowly: the gallop technique rests on the evenness of the downstrokes.

Common mistakes: The third stroke "falls over": count "one-(e)-and-a". Too much tension in the forearm at a high tempo. No accent on the first stroke of each group.

• Exercise 1. An open string: Play the gallop on the open 6th string, 4 bars at 70 BPM.
• Exercise 2. Changing power chords: E5 - G5 - A5, a bar each at 90 BPM.
• Exercise 3. A speed ladder: Turn on the tempo trainer: 80 BPM, +5 every 4 bars up to 130.

How to hold the hand so the rhythm is not lost

The strum is done with the wrist and the forearm, not only with the fingers. The hand swings evenly like a pendulum: the downstroke falls on the count, the upstroke on the "and", and the skipped strokes the hand passes in the air.

When the pattern works on one chord, move on to changing chords: how to change chords without stopping the strum. If your strum sounds mechanical, read how to improve your strumming.