Learning to hold and use a pick seems too easy for an entire KZfaq video right?? WRONG!! This is WELL worth the time and provides a great foundation. Thanks so much for producing a video that will get so many beginners and probably some experienced players on the right path.

Thanks so much. Fixed my strumming. Flick the wrist. I could not figure it out. Thin picks. Great lesson. Much appreciated.

Definitely the best plectrum tutorial I've found. It's answered all my frustrations.

I haven’t used a pick the whole year I’ve been playing, I could just never pick it up but since this video I’ve really improved

You are right, I've been concentrating too much on finding chords instead of getting the strumming down but I'm getting there. Great video 👍

This is, by far, the best video I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen many) about holding a pick and how to strum with it.

Thanks Drue - I have had multiple attempts at guitar over the years and am currently trying again - I've always found the nuances of strumming difficult to grasp but your video goes through some very important concepts in a clear, well paced manner. Just watching once has boosted my confidence and eagerness to persist :-)

after two months of frustration with bad sounding upstrokes, i realised using a 0.85 pick was the issue after watching the video.switching to a just a 0.75 was enough of a difference to have no more issues with them and im gonna get a .5 too. THANKS ALOT,I REALLY WAS GETTING FRUSTRATED AND U SAVED ME

I'm a 20+ year player getting back to fundamentals. This dude's videos are some of the better options here on KZfaq. Kudos, my man.

This is an excellent vid Drue, thank you. Years ago I played acoustic using thumb and fingers, but having taken up the guitar again a couple of years ago - this time electric - I finally realised I needed to start using a pick. I'm really pleased with my progress at picking, but strumming feels like I've taken a backward step! Your video is really helpful, comprehensive and one I'll probably re-watch several times.

What really helped me was your advice on the type of pick to use. I've been using a .75 thickness and kept digging into the strings too much on the upstroke. Once I went to a thinner pick, a .50, it made a world of difference and the strokes became clean and more uniform on both the down and upstrokes. Thank you.

wow! thanks a million! I'm a complete beginner and I've watched a number of videos trying to figure out how to strum, but yours has just worked straight away!! I'm so happy :)) thank you, Drue!

Genius, finally someone spelling it out, now I actually get it and can really grasp the practise of strumming. You tied in all the factors of grip, stroke movement (up and down), pick angle during each stroke, plectrum depth and importantly pick selection, which made my technique rapidly improve.

I'm really happy with how quickly i was able to correct my strum by going back to basics with you. Thanks heaps

Drue, Thanks so much !.... finally after years of trying to master using a pick you've answered many of the issues I've struggling with. Even at the lessons I've had, no one properly explained how to use a pick. In fact I was told to use about a 0.9mm ! Now maybe I'll get somewhere ! Thanks again Roj

The ONLY 'how to use/hold the pick' video that makes sense to me. The other videos aren't as near as complete as this one. Thank you SO MUCH.

The most helpful one I've come across on this topic. You're the first one i've seen mentioning how to make a thicker pick move more loosely, helps a lot.

Very good and back to the basics tutorial. I have been struggling with my strumming and these tips improved the sound and consistency of my chords.

Immediately had good results from this video. I was having a hard time strumming upwards without making it choppy and stopping the flow. I adjusted the fingers to hold the pick and I stopped bunching the other fingers and relaxed them and with a bit more practice it sounded so much smoother.

This was the most useful clip I have watched on strumming to date thank you thank you

Thanks a lot! Been playing for about a year now- self/youtube taught and I still struggle with holding the pick. I have no problem with strum patterns, but never really learned how to hold it properly. Great video!

Thanks for the video! I was watching different videos trying to figure out how to strum, and yours is the most helpful.

Best tutorial on strumming on KZfaq! No bullshit

Thank you for this video I've been struggling with this since starting and it's been driving me made. Watched this once and instantly sounded great! :D brilliant

I have been searching for a good video on how to strum. I am new to the guitar and this video was just awesome. By the end of the video I was able do an upstroke strum for the first time constantly. THANK YOU, DRUE!

Real simple.........Technical & easy understanding. Thanks

This was the best video for holding a pick properly and my strumming actually started sounding better. I'm a beginner & subscribed to u videos. Keep them coming. Thank u

Wish I'd found you long ago. I've been struggling forever with upstrokes in keeping the sound smooth and consistent. Flexing the distal joint of the pointer finger should have been obvious but it wasn't. Many thanks!

Thank you Drue for an extremely comprehensive and vital (from a beginner point of view) lesson on guitar strumming. Now the first thing that I am going to do is "unlearn" what I've taught myself, watch this vid a couple of times and then ruminate. When I feel that all the pieces are in place, I'll pick up my guitar. My strumming is pathetic; I really needed a tutorial like this one. Thanks again for all your time and effort!!!

Drue...that hint at 11:47 is incredible!!!! I have been so frustrated with my upstroke because it never sounded like my downstroke. Truthfully, I have worked hours and hours and hours just strumming only upwards but to no avail. Within 10 minutes of wathcing that hint I have gotten them sounding the same. Again, thanks so much!!!

Thank you for this video. As a much older beginner, your explanation helped me understand the whole strumming with a pick process.

great lesson! Played a few years now and never used picks before. Tried to figure it out so many times with different videos but I never felt comfortable. Then I watched this video and just understand everything. How to let the pick move betweeen your fingers. I'm so greatful I watched this video! Thank you so much, Drue! When I started to play a few years ago I always watched your videos. That's how I learned to play. You're a great teacher and thank you for doing such an amizing job! :)

so many useful tips. The most thorough I've seen yet, for my biggest problem. Big thanks for your time, and explanations. Gaz.

Great video, answered a lot of questions that I had and I think it'll definitely help me with my strumming, which is my main focus right now. Like you said learning Chords doesn't take nearly the same amount of time and effort as learning how to properly strum and control the pick. I'm focusing on just my A, D, and E Chords right now and want to get my Strumming to a decent level before moving onto more Chords. Thanks!

I have watched countless hours of strumming videos and I want to congratulate you. This video is the Gold Standard, no stone left unturned. For a novice like myself that is having strumming problems this is video will help me tremendously. Precisely what i needed , thank you.

Wow thanks Drue. I am a beginner who learned without a pick at all. Recently purchased a guitar that is not nearly as bright as my previous one, and it needs a pick to unlock the tone of the instrument. But it has felt so WRONG and sounded WORSE to play with a pick. Learned half a dozen things in this video that helped tremendously. Off to practice!

OMG!! I was looking for a lesson like this.. Awesome, very good job man! Love you.. (sorry for my english, i'm from Brasil)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO FOR ME! FINALLY A STUMMING VIDEO THAT REALLY HELPED ME HEAR THE IMPROVEMENT I'VE BEEN HOPING TO HEAR IN MY PLAYING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MY ENDEAVOR 8 MONTHS AGO. I'M SO STOKED I AM LATE FOR WORK. I WAS BECOMING SO DISCOURAGED BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEEM TO QUITE "GET IT" AFTER 8 MONTHS OF SERIOUS DEDICATION TO REALLY TRYING....THIS HAS GIVEN ME HOPE ONCE AGAIN 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

This was eye opening. I got my guitar few days ago, so this helped a lot on what to aim for when strumming. At the moment it's pretty much lottery on which strings I hit each time, but I never thought this would be easy, so I'm practicing 10 minutes per day strumming only. Better now than 2 days ago, but with these tips I'm sure that in few months it'll go smoother.

by far the best tutorial on plectrum technique! Your almost scientific approach is superb. Thanks a million.

Thank you soooo much, my strumming just got x10 better after this video, you're the best!!!!!!!!!!

Drew that was hugely informative for what I thought was a simple topic.. I am off home to examine my strumming technique in more detail, as I know I have a few things to learn there!!🎸

I'm a beginner at playing guitar and this answered a lot of questions on wrist position, how to strum, and how to grip the pick to get the sound I want. I tend to try to muscle everything I do in life and this requires finesse. This video really helped thank you!

Thank you so much! You’re a great and wonderful teacher.

Hey Drue, your video was really useful to me. I'm playing electric guitar and had some trouble with upstrokes. Looking for help here on KZfaq lead me to your video. Thanks for sharing! Best, Jens

Thanks Drue, the most useful video I’ve seen on strumming.

What an amazing video & teacher 🙏🏻

loving this Drue

Thanks very much for the tips, they have really helped my strumming!

this was a reassuring video. started learning dyring covid and havent had any lessons... its nice to hear someone just run through the various levers i should be considering to make it work. cheers

Just the lesson I’ve been searching for thank you

this is the best explanation for the upstroke youtube alg could give me in 2020, thank you !

Marvellously clear! Thanks.

omg this was awesome. been struggling so bad with up strumming. thank you

Thanks from across the pond for the lesson I think its really going to help me.

Thank you so much for this! This was a great tutorial! I have never been taught strumming with so much detail!

This was soooo good. Thank you

I knew when I was strumming there was something very small I wasn't quite getting right, that little tip about pointing the little finger out has massively improved my sound and even how the pic feels I'm my fingers.

Good lesson & easy to understand..you have good teaching methods. Thankyou.✌

Thank for this video full of good advices for a beginner like me that started two weeks ago

This is the best strumming lesson I saw on KZfaq by far. Thank you

This is amazing...my only regret is I should have watched it earlier..got into wrong habits while playing guitar...struggled so much...the techniques in the video work straight away...now I have to unlearn and learn again...thanks a million for this video...

Great tips! Thanks for sharing

This video did amazing wonders for me. Thank you so very much!!!!

Wow thanks Drew I think I can strum now! Your lesson really did help thank you so much

hav been playing guitar since lockdown started..and always felt my strumming had some issue(been using first 3 fingers to hold the pick), using thumb n index feels a little strange...but I feel the wrist movement is much better and hopefully I should get adjusted to it soon...Your video is a blessing for all those trying to self learn guitar..Thanks a lot for it!!.

Great video Dru 👌👌👌🎸🎸🎸🎶🎶🎶

wow man. best tut ever on youtube. thx soooo much!!!!apreciate.

very good lession, minimalistic as I expected!!!

Great lesson, thank you so much

Very good lesson ,a must for every beginner .thanks

Another tip that i found to be really helpful is to strum all strings at once, it's a bit tricky to explain with words, but it's like hitting the strings at the same time, instead of arpeggio (let the pick slide slowly on each string) this will make the chords sound a little better and give more control over the pick, hope this makes sense :D

Before beginning my practice session, i watch this :)

Another great lesson

Very well explained Sir.thanks a lot.

Thank you for going into accessible detail about strumming. Chords just don't sound right without these tips and I appreciate this video.

Thanks dear Drue for sharing! Strumming isn't always easy!

great lesson thank you.

Great video, very helpful. Do all this advice apply to electric

Thanks for the lesson Drue. I have found that I was flicking up too harshly on my up-strums so that piece where you spoke about loosening your wrist joint so it doesn't catch was very helpful. I originally thought it was because of the 0.46 pick I was using which I think is way too thin it's like paper but I usually use it just to get used to the feel of strumming, then I go for something a bit heavier like a 0.60 or 0.81 at the most. For more intricate picking or when I am practising scales I'll use Dunlop USA Jazz III, it's length means I can be more precise. Anyway, glad to see you're uploading vids again I thought you'd stopped.

Great instruction

very helpful, thanks.

this is super helpful 👍

Nice video.... really helped

I have the Red tortex but its in a shark fin form, and its my favorite. I LIVE IT😘😍🤩

Best strumming lesson

@Drue James - I love this in depth explanation - but I was hoping that you would mention at the end of the video with regards to upstrumming - how many strings you are supposed to hit and how hard? I know that it probably always depends on what you want to sound like, but for a beginner adding upstrums to his basic songs: am I supposed to hit 5 strings down in A chord and then 5 strings (beginning with thin E) on my upstrum? or am i supposed to omit some of them, for example the thinnest 2? What abotu D chord that has only 4 strings or G chord that has all of them? Am I supposed to just slightly brush them and thus make my upstrums quieter than downstrums? I'd really appreciate the answer, because most of the courses completly omit that part of explanations when it gets to adding upstrums

Good video, with plenty of tips

Great tips 👍

Thank you 😊

Thank you so much for this video! I have been going on the assumption that I have to hold my hand very closed and tight. I feel like I am stabbing my guitar instead of strumming it! The way you advise to do this is SO much better and I already sound softer and smoother. Cheers to you!

Thank you!

this video was incredibly informative, i was doing so many things wrong.

Great video tq sir

thanks for informative vdo......

Could you make a guitar tutorial for the song Featherstone by The Paper Kites please?

.50 is a good starting recommendation. I had to figure that out myself. But what you also need to make clear is the material. Some materials (like Dunlop Ultex) are WAY stiffer than their rating would suggest. Most of the basic lessons out there tell you to "start with a medium pick" on an acoustic. That's really BAD, discouraging advice. Usually a "medium pick" that the guitar stores like to give out for free or even sell you if you want to buy picks, is a Nylon or Celluloid Medium Pick. Both of these are relatively stiff and will get caught on the strings with a new player. Especially on the up stroke. As a beginner, I would suggest a pick that will flap through the strings. I've found good luck with Delrin Material, or the Dunlop Tortex Flex at .50mm. Nylon is also OK if you go really thin, like .38mm, or .46mm. Also, your idea that tightening up your grip rather than digging into the strings to play louder, is one of those "epiphany" or "light bulb" moments. Once the new guitar player discovers it, it changes the whole dynamic of how they play.

Agree that strumming one of hardest things. Ive been playing 2+ years & still struggle. On electric i find it a lot easier because i find there is more space for hand/arm movement & because I dont need to worry so much on controlling the sound. On acoustic esp when 16th note strumming I've got to slow things right down or else I dont catch the strings properly & sounds too harsh. Dru - is it just a case of developing a natural feeling for it & you get better at this over time?

Thanks

thank you