I'm new at guitar, and I'd like some tips on how to stroke?

Question

I started playing guitar this summer, and the only stroke I know is:

down, down, up up down up

I know that's the basic stroke and I shouldn't go too fast since I'm just learning, but are there any common strokes that are used in songs like, let's say,
"Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd? (i'm playing that song right now and i just can't figure out how to play the rhythm right!!!)
Thank you SOOOO MUCH!!! :)

Answer 1

Well, there is the downstroke, which is standard. The upstroke, which is the opposite. Tremolo picking is when you have a slight palm mute and picking one string at a time all the way down during a chord.

There's fingerpicking, where some people either grow out their nails and use them as picks, or they get those picks that wrap around the fingers in order to get the dual-sounding picking normally associated with guitar gurus like Eric Clapton, Esteban and bluegrass banjo players.

You have a wide spectrum of varieties and maybe you could make one particular style yours.


Remember, playing an instrument will provide a lifetime of enjoyment.

Answer 2

All you really need, as far as learning "Wish You Were Here", is practice. Just keep practicing until you get the hang of it. It really helps to play along with the song too -- that's how generations of guitarists have learned to play guitar.

Anyway, as for picking. There are honestly tons of ways to pick. Since you're a beginner, stick with alternate picking. Alternate picking is when you alternate between up and down strokes -- up one note, down another -- and it's important that you keep practicing at it until it becomes second nature. At first it might be a challenge because sometimes notes played in upstrokes will sound wrong, but once you get the hang of it it'll sound and feel more natural. It'll help you play faster. Which, even if you're only into slow songs, knowing how to play fast helps because it means you can play slow songs with more accuracy.

Then after that, try other picking styles: Hybrid picking (where you pick with your thumb/thumb-pick and fingers), sweep picking (where you play arpeggios in up and down strokes) and then economy picking, which honestly is the hardest to learn and is more of an advanced technique. Economy picking requires you to think about how the entire song should be picked, but it's very rewarding (and difficult to explain in detail). These are a bit more advanced, so don't worry about them too much right now.

Like I said though, it all comes down to practice. You can learn anything on guitar with enough practice. The trick is to enjoy it and not get frustrated.

Answer 3

*snickers* Sorry, that's just the immature me. Here's the more mature (not by much, mind you) me.

What my guitar teacher taught me many moons ago is to play in 4/4 time with the strumming pattern you've described while changing chords. If you screw up, KEEP PLAYING. Just keep practicing this for a day or two and you'll get the hang of it. That's how I learned all my songs in my repertoire.

Answer 4

get someone to give u a shock