Strumming Patterns For Irish Folk Songs

Folk songs and ballads have their own unique strumming patterns that's a bit different than pop or rock songs. Most folk singers use only five or six strumming styles for which you can play literally thousands of songs. I have put together several songs here and most [when played by me anyway] use the same beat. When some people start playing the guitar they don't even think of what strum a given song will have, it just comes naturally to them. aren't they lucky ?. These players are known to have ''Bags Of Rhythm'' , the same people can just as easy pick up a bodhran and play several beats without ever picking up a bodhran before. Then there are the other guitarists who struggle to find the strumming pattern of the most basic of songs. With me it seemd to come quiet soon, after a few weeks in fact. Anyway these basic strumming patterns I have put together should help. There are 10 in the first video and the first 9 have the same strum, but a different pulse. They are all basic folk songs / ballads. I tried to find a good mixture of slow and upbeat songs that have the same sort of rhythm. I have also used a combination of keys, these are the way I play them as they suit my voice. If they don't suit your voice try changing the key and chords for yourself.

The first one is Fields Of Athenry [ lyrics and chords ]. Remember all these use the same strum which goes - Down Down Up Down Up Down Down. Some are quicker beats but still have the same Up Down sequence. The last one is different, Dirty Old Town [ lyrics and chords ], Pogues version uses Down Up Down Down Up Down. The second song is Black Velvet Band at time index 1.38 The next is Sean South at time 2.34 Steal Away by The Fureys is at 3.40 The Rare Auld Times by The Dubliners is at 4.26. There Were Roses by Tommy Sands at 5.43. A Pair Of Brown Eyes by The Pogues at 6.30. Belfast Mill at 7.24. Spancil Hill [ lyrics ], Christy Moore version at 8.06 and the final one is Dirty Old Town which is the strum used by The Pogues and Christy is at 9.59.
 
Most of these are in full length on the site anyway along with a video. I hope to ad more soon. The chords are also shown on screen. If you are only starting out and are searching for a strum pattern to fit a folk song, try these. They'll fit thousands of songs. Let me know if this helps you out. Good luck.

Down Down, Up Down Up Down Down, Up Down Up Down Down and so on the whole time.