If you can get hold of a metronome or use a computer midi software program to play a constant clicking or drum beat sound, then learning rhythm patterns will be a lot easier. The examples below show you how to incorporate the rhythm pattern in the tempo (The tempo is what the metronome will be playing).

The Bounce

What is the bounce? Let's say you have to strum once every 4 beats, how do you do this? Do you...

a. strum once then count in your head "2 3 4" then strum again?
or
b. strum once then fake strum another 3 times by bouncing your
strumming arm, then strum again?

If you chose (b) then you are correct!

This rhythm broken down into 4 steps:

1. This is the tempo or speed of the song.
   
   Once you have the rhythm you can use this click track as a metronome to play along with.
2. This is the sound of 16th notes in the tempo.
   
   Remember to play hard, soft, soft, soft.
   
3. This is the sound of the rhythm pattern.
   
   This is the rhythm pattern with no click track.
   
4. This is the sound of the rhythm pattern over the tempo.
   
   All strums when you're not making a sound you should be using the bounce idea. For this rhythm it should be "strum, bounce, strum, bounce, up, down, up, down, down, down, up"

Song Example

Wonderwall by Oasis (Intro)

Chords Used

Rhythm Pattern

Change the chord where the strum is circled on the rhythm pattern above.
This audio is playing the change time only and not the rhythm.

Rhythm Pattern Tab

Audio Example

Strumming Only - 60bpm (easy)

Strumming Only - 80bpm (normal)