Strumming / standart notation

[Frenchy]

Can I strum a song using the beat on the music sheat. I can read music and I just got a book of the Beatles that has tabs as well as standard notation. Now, I am using it to learn finger picking, but last night I tried to strum using the standard notation. That is I went down on the 1/2, up on the 1/4 beat, mute the silence and held it on the notes. Is it the right way to learn the strumming of a song?
People have been telling me to listen to a song to learn the strumming, I do, but what ever comes from my guitar is defenitly not the same, so for now the songs I play seems to sound all the same until I actually sings the words, which usually sends my dogs running scareed lol. But that's a different storry...

[cyberfret]

No, the rhythms that you are seeing in the standard notation in a sheet music are not what you would strum on the guitar. Most books in that format will give you no indication of what strums to play. What you see in the standard notation is the melody....what is being sung. So what you have to do is listen to the song, and figure out what the basic strum pattern is by ear.

Here are a couple of lessons on strumming to check out. They will give you some of the basics that will help you out.

Chord strumming 101
http://www.cyberfret.com/techniques/strumming/101/index.htm

4/4 accompaniment strum patterns
http://www.cyberfret.com/techniques/strumming/basic-44/index.htm


--Shawn