Strumming patterns in 6/8 time have six eighth-note beats per bar, grouped as two beats of three, one, two, three, four, five, six, with the accents on beats one and four. The most common pattern is down, down, down, down, down, down, with a lilting, rolling feel, like a jig or a ballad.
What are strumming patterns in 6/8 time?
Strumming patterns in 6/8 time have six eighth-note beats per bar, grouped as two beats of three, one, two, three, four, five, six, with the accents on beats one and four. The most common pattern is down, down, down, down, down, down, with a lilting, rolling feel, like a jig or a ballad, and the pattern is six downstrokes, one per eighth note, with the accents on the first and fourth. The 6/8 time signature is compound time, which means the beat is divided into three, not two, and the feel is lilting and rolling, not square and even. The 6/8 time signature means six eighth-note beats per bar, and the bar is grouped as two dotted-quarter-note beats, each with three eighth notes, so the rhythm is one, two, three, four, five, six, with the accents on one and four. The strumming pattern must fit the six eighth notes, and it cannot be the same as a 4/4 pattern, because a 4/4 pattern has eight eighth notes and a 6/8 pattern has six, and the pattern must be rebuilt for the new time. The G major guitar chord and the C major guitar chord are the chords most players first strum in 6/8 time, and the metronome keeps the beat steady.
How 6/8 strumming works
A 6/8 strumming pattern works by dividing the bar into six eighth notes, grouped as two beats of three, and strumming down on each eighth note, with the accents on beats one and four. The downstroke on beat one is the strongest, because it is the first beat of the bar, and the downstroke on beat four is the second strongest, because it is the first beat of the second group, and the other four downstrokes are weaker, and the rhythm is lilting and rolling, with the accents on one and four. The pattern can also add upstrokes, on the offbeats, but the basic pattern is six downstrokes, one per eighth note. The compound feel comes from the grouping into threes, which is different from the grouping into twos in 4/4 time, and the ear hears the bar as two beats, not six, because the accents are on one and four, and the other beats are subdivisions. The strumming pattern must follow the grouping, with the accent on one and four, or the rhythm will not feel like 6/8 time. The D major guitar chord and the A major guitar chord are the chords the 6/8 patterns are built on, and the I–V–vi–IV progression in G major can be played in 6/8 time, with six beats per bar.
Worked example — the 6/8 strum. Hold a G major chord, and count one, two, three, four, five, six, strumming down on each count, with the accents on one and four, and the other four strums weaker. The rhythm is lilting and rolling, with the accents on one and four, and the bar feels like two beats, not six, because the accents group the eighth notes into two groups of three. Now try the pattern down, up, down, up, down, up, with the upstrokes on the offbeats, and notice how the rhythm is more flowing, but the accents are still on one and four. The I–V–vi–IV progression in C major can be played in 6/8 time, with the strum, and the chords change on beat one of each bar.
How to practise 6/8 strumming
Practise 6/8 strumming slowly, with a metronome, until the lilting, rolling feel is clear, with the accents on beats one and four and the other beats flowing after them.
- Practise the basic 6/8 strum on a G major chord, down on each of the six eighth notes, counting one, two, three, four, five, six, with the accents on one and four.
- Practise the flowing strum on a C major chord, down, up, down, up, down, up, counting one and two and three and, and notice how the rhythm is more flowing.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major in 6/8 time, with the basic strum, changing chords on beat one of each bar.
- Practise with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, set to 6/8 time, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the strum is steady.
- Practise counting one, two, three, four, five, six, out loud, while you strum, and then practise counting in your head, until the 6/8 feel is a habit.
Common mistakes
- Counting 6/8 as six separate beats — 6/8 time is grouped as two beats of three, not six separate beats, and counting it as six beats will make the rhythm sound square, not lilting. Count one, two, three, four, five, six, with the accents on one and four, and feel the bar as two beats.
- Using a 4/4 pattern in 6/8 time — A 4/4 pattern has eight eighth notes, and a 6/8 bar has six, so a 4/4 pattern will not fit, and the rhythm will be wrong. Use a pattern built for six eighth notes, grouped as two beats of three.
- Accent every beat equally — 6/8 time has its accents on beats one and four, and the other four beats are weaker, and accenting every beat equally will make the rhythm sound square, not lilting. Accent one and four, and let the other beats flow after them.
Quick reference
This table shows the basic 6/8 strum for one bar, with the beat, the strum direction, and the accent for each eighth note, so you can see the pattern and count along with it. The bar has six eighth notes, grouped as two beats of three, with the accents on beats one and four.
| Beat | Strum | Accent |
|---|---|---|
| Beat 1 | Down | Strong |
| Beat 2 | Down | Weak |
| Beat 3 | Down | Weak |
| Beat 4 | Down | Medium |
| Beat 5 | Down | Weak |
| Beat 6 | Down | Weak |
Use the table to practise the 6/8 strum: count one, two, three, four, five, six, and strum down on each count, with the accents on one and four, and the other beats weaker. When you can strum the table without looking, try the flowing strum, down, up, down, up, down, up, and compare the feel.
Frequently asked questions
What are strumming patterns in 6/8 time?
Strumming patterns in 6/8 time have six eighth-note beats per bar, grouped as two beats of three, one, two, three, four, five, six, with the accents on beats one and four. The most common pattern is down, down, down, down, down, down, with a lilting, rolling feel.
What is compound time?
Compound time is a time signature where the beat is divided into three, not two, so 6/8 time has two beats, each divided into three eighth notes, and the feel is lilting and rolling, not square and even. Simple time, like 4/4, divides the beat into two.
How is 6/8 time different from 3/4 time?
6/8 time has six eighth-note beats per bar, grouped as two beats of three, while 3/4 time has three quarter-note beats per bar, grouped as three beats of two. The two time signatures feel different, because 6/8 is compound and 3/4 is simple.
Can I play a 4/4 song in 6/8 time?
You can, but the rhythm will change, because the bar has six eighth notes instead of eight, and the pattern must be rebuilt for the new time, and the song will sound lilting and rolling, not square and even.
What songs are in 6/8 time?
Jigs, ballads, and many folk songs, which use the lilting, rolling rhythm of six eighth notes per bar, grouped as two beats of three, with the accents on beats one and four.