Ukulele Strumming Patterns
A strumming pattern is the order of down and up strums your hand plays in each bar. Here are the patterns our songs use most, each with the songs that use it. Pick one, practice it slowly, then play it on a song you like.
How to read a pattern: ↓ is a down strum, ↑ is an up strum, and · is a rest, where your hand keeps moving but misses the strings. The count under the arrows, 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &, shows where each strum falls: downs land on the numbers and ups on the &. Song pages show their pattern above the chords too, when we know it.
Steady down strum
One down strum on every beat: down, down, down, down. Start here, so your chord hand can focus on the changes.
4 songs use this pattern
Double-time down strum
Two down strums on every beat, one on the number and one on the &. It gives a song a steady, driving pulse. Keep your wrist loose so it stays even.
12 songs use this pattern
Down-up strum
Down on every number and up on every &: down-up, down-up, down-up, down-up. Keep your hand moving even through the chord changes.
12 songs use this pattern
Down-up ending strum
Three steady downs, then a down-up on beat 4: down, down, down, down-up. That last up leads you into the next bar.
4 songs use this pattern
Half-and-half strum
Two slow downs, then two quick down-ups: down, down, down-up, down-up. Half the bar is steady and half is busy, like slow, slow, quick-quick.
5 songs use this pattern
Down, down-up strum
A down, then a down-up, played twice: down, down-up, down, down-up. Each plain beat gives your hand a moment to rest.
12 songs use this pattern
Skip-beat strum
Down, down, then skip the down on beat 3 and come in with an up: down, down, up, down-up. Keep your hand moving through the skip so the up lands on time.
3 songs use this pattern
Island strum
Down, down-up, up, down-up, also called the calypso strum. The skipped down on beat 3 gives it its bounce, and it is the strum our songs use most.
24 songs use this pattern
Triplet strum
Any strum counted in threes, 1 & a, 2 & a, instead of 1 &, 2 &. The beat splits in three, which gives a swung, rolling feel.
13 songs use this pattern
Triplet island strum
The island strum in triplets: down, down-up, up, down-up, counted 1 & a. Each up lands late, on the a, which gives the strum its swing.
3 songs use this pattern