The Rhythm Triangle & Four Main Types of Strumming

Forget about chords, lead guitar, and music theory for now. We’re going to zero in on rhythm. 

Alright, let me ask you something—what’s the single most important element in any piece of music? Rhythm. Without rhythm, there is no music. Simple as that.

And as a guitarist, your rhythm—your ability to strum and play with solid timing—is everything. It’s what makes you sound expressive, confident, and, most importantly, makes playing the guitar a whole lot more fun. For us, the most exciting thing about playing guitar is experimenting with different rhythms—it’s what brings music to life.

So, in this training series, we’re going to zero in on rhythm. Forget about chords, lead guitar, and music theory for now. We’re just going to focus on how to create interesting rhythms on the guitar.

The Rhythm Triangle

Before we jump into techniques, we want to introduce you to a simple concept we call the Rhythm Triangle. Picture a person holding a guitar (stick figure drawing skills optional). Now, imagine a triangle around them. At the top, we have timing—this is where it all begins. It’s about understanding the beat, the tempo, and how everything locks in.

Then, on one side of the triangle, we’ve got your chord hand (your fretting hand). This is where you shape the notes and chords, which influences the rhythmic options you have. And on the other side, we have your strumming hand, which is where most of the rhythm actually comes from.

The key takeaway? Your chord choices and your strumming technique influence each other. The way you hold a chord can affect the rhythmic patterns available to you, and vice versa. Understanding this relationship is huge when it comes to making your playing more dynamic.

Four Styles of Strumming

Now that we’ve got that framework, let’s break down the four main styles of strumming:

1. Full Strumming – This is your basic, all-strings ringing out approach. It’s steady, strong, and great for beginners. Think of it as the foundation of strumming.
2. Partial Strumming – Instead of strumming all the strings, you target specific groups (low, mid, or high). This adds texture and variation to your playing.
3. Percussive Strumming – Here’s where things get groovy. You start using the guitar like a drum, muting the strings and creating rhythmic accents.
4. Fingerpicking – A whole different feel, where you pluck individual strings instead of strumming. This adds a soft, nuanced touch to your playing.

Partial Strumming in Action

Let’s take a simple chord progression—G to C—and see how different strumming styles change its feel. If we play it with full strumming, we get a big, bold sound where all the strings ring out evenly.

Now, if we shift to partial strumming, we can make things more dynamic. Maybe we only hit the bass notes (strings 4-6) or just focus on the treble strings (1-2). Or, we can mix it up—start with the bass, then add the higher notes in later strums. This layering makes the rhythm way more interesting.

Percussive Strumming: Making Your Guitar a Drum

One of the best ways to bring life to your rhythm is by adding percussive techniques.

• Palm Muting – Lightly resting your palm on the strings while strumming gives a tight, controlled sound.
• Left-Hand Muting – Instead of pressing the chord fully, you relax your grip slightly to cut off the sound, creating a sharp rhythmic effect.
• String Slapping – You can even use your fingers to slap the strings, adding a percussive pop to your playing.

The Magic of Fingerpicking

Fingerpicking lets you arpeggiate (play the notes of a chord individually) in a way that feels more connected to the instrument. You can still use all the techniques we just talked about, but in a softer, more intricate way. You can even mix in percussive elements like string slaps to create a groove while fingerpicking.

Bringing It All Together

The biggest mistake guitarists make is getting stuck in the same strumming patterns over and over. The key to breaking out of that is variety—switching between full, partial, percussive, and fingerpicking techniques to add dynamics and movement to your playing.

And don’t forget—your chord choices matter. The way you voice a chord (open position, barre chords, different inversions) will change how you can strum it rhythmically. There’s always a back-and-forth between your left and right hand, and understanding that interplay is what helps you go from an intermediate player to an advanced one.

So, take these ideas, start experimenting, and most importantly—have fun with it!