The folk strumming pattern (D DU UDU)
The most common acoustic strumming pattern: down, down-up, up-down-up. It works for most pop, folk and singer-songwriter songs in 4/4.
Live: G, D, Em, C in the Folk / Pop style. Slow it to 0.5× to follow the hand.
How to count it
↓·↓↑·↑↓↑
Count 1 2 & 3 & 4 &. Strum down on 1, 2 and 4, up on the &s, and skip the down on 3. The hand still moves down on 3, it just misses the strings.
Meter 4/4, typical tempo around 96 BPM
Tips
- Keep the hand moving down and up all the time, like a pendulum. Missing the strings on 3 is what makes the groove.
- Accent beat 2 and 4 lightly to lock in with a singer or a drum beat.
- Start at 60–70 BPM with one chord, then add chord changes on beat 1.
Use this pattern on your own song
Paste or snap any chord sheet, pick “Folk / Pop” as the style, and the hands play your song with it.
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