The Classic Strum Patterns You Need To Know
Today in this lesson we’ll be looking at the real meat and potatoes of campfire guitar playing – two simple strumming patterns that will unlock the ability to play hundreds, if not thousands, of your favourite songs. These strumming patterns, combined with some super common chords and chord progressions, are extremely powerful, and give you the ability to sound like a relaxed pro in no time!
In this video we’ll be taking a look at how these elements work in 3 very popular songs – “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City” by Guns and Roses, and “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison. The techniques you’ll learn aren’t just limited to these songs however; with these strumming patterns and chords you’ll be able to quickly play a ton of songs from the 60s to now.
There will also be some pro tips on changing between G, Cadd9, and D chords – some of the most popular chords on guitar. If you’ve checked out the first video in the series on Single Note Riffs, you’ll also see how the “Paradise City” riff can be incorporated with the chords, allowing you to play most of the song!
That’s enough talking though, let’s get rocking! Make sure to get the free PDF downloaded and in front of you, and I hope you enjoy the lesson!

00:00 – Start
1:01 – Lesson Intro (get the tabs downloaded here!)
1:36 – Recap of Previous Videos
2:13 – These Lessons Are A Crash Course On Stairway to Strumming (Which Is On Sale Now!)
2:41 – Chord Punches To Paradise City
3:50 – Chord Explanation and Demonstration
7:00 – Chords For “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Brown Eyed Girl”
8:55 – Lets Talk About The Strum Pattern
10:01 – Cycling The Strum Pattern On A G Chord
11:10 – Song #1: “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by GNR
12:03 – Explanation Of Chord Progression
12:47 – Tips On Switching Chords
14:55 – Demonstration
17:01 – Song #2: “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
18:45 – Explanation Of Chord Progression
19:53 – Play Along Time
20:19 – Tips On Switching Chords
23:29 – Bringing Things Back Around To Paradise City
24:01 – Recap Of Chord Punches
24:36 – Lets Talk About A New Strum Pattern
26:54 – Playing Through The New Pattern
28:15 – Explanation Of Chord Progression and Demonstration
29:35 – Closing Notes and More On Stairway To Strumming
Thanks so much for downloading the PDF and checking out the lesson. I truly hope it’s helped push your guitar playing forward.
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Our Blues Program ⇒ https://campfireguitarstar.com/blues
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Our 1960s Song Program ⇒ https://campfireguitarstar.com/1960s
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Thanks for checking out the lesson, and do let us know how we can support you in your musical journey,
Sincerely,
Will, Mike and Davis
https://www.CampfireGuitarStar.com