Reggae strumming pattern
The reggae strumming pattern plays the offbeat: the hand leaves 1 and 3 empty and plays a short downstroke on the high strings on 2 and 4, muting it right after. Counting "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &": silence, strum on 2, silence, strum on 4. That dry chop is the "skank".
Now G Next C
4/4- downstroke
- > accent (louder)
- – rest: mute the strings
- · the hand moves in the air without strumming
Step by step
The whole pattern, with the accents.
Chords
Space bar: play/stop
The pattern as a table
| Beat | On the beat | Offbeat (&) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | · | · |
| 2 | ↓, accent | – rest |
| 3 | · | · |
| 4 | ↓, accent | – rest |
How to play it
- The short sound comes from the fretting hand: right after the strum, release the pressure (without lifting the fingers off the strings) and the chord stops.
- Play only the top three or four strings; the bass guitar takes the low end.
- No rush: reggae sits at a relaxed tempo.
- A common variation is the double skank: a quick down-up (↓↑) on 2 and 4 instead of a single strum.
Common mistakes
- Letting the chord ring: reggae needs the silence between strums.
- Strumming on 1 and 3 out of habit.
- Speeding up. Keep the metronome on.
Play along
Frequently asked questions
What does "offbeat" mean in reggae?
Playing away from the strong beats: the guitar leaves 1 and 3 empty and hits 2 and 4. Counted at double speed, the same strums fall on every "&". Same place, counted differently.
How do I mute the chord in reggae?
With the fretting hand: after the strum, release the pressure without lifting your fingers off the strings. With a barre chord, just loosen the barre.