Progressions & Patterns

See how chord movement and strumming shape the feel of a song.
How Songs Come Together

Chord path + strum pattern = song feel.

This page focuses on the part most beginners miss: the same chords can feel completely different depending on the rhythm. Use the explorer below to hear and see that change.

Diagram showing how a chord path and strum pattern combine to create song feel.

Strumming pattern

Pattern

dotBeat Animator

Think of dots like a clapping pattern. Follow them in time. Bigger dots mean the sound lasts longer.

Tempo 80 BPM
Hear the groove at a fixed practice tempo before you play it yourself.
Downstroke
Upstroke
Chuck (muted)
Song Example
Load a song to see this groove in a real example.
Pattern notation

D = downstroke, U = upstroke, X = muted strum, and - = hold or rest.

Looking for a pattern?