Strum
verb
To play a musical instrument (usually a string instrument like a guitar) by brushing fingers over the strings.
He strums his guitar every evening.
Often appears as...
- strum a guitar
- strum a tune
noun
An act or sound of strumming a stringed musical instrument.
Her gentle strum on the guitar put us all at ease.
Often appears as...
- soft strum
- guitar strum
verb
To play a musical instrument (usually a string instrument like a guitar) by brushing fingers over the strings.
He strums his guitar every evening.
Often appears as...
- strum a guitar
- strum a tune
noun
An act or sound of strumming a stringed musical instrument.
Her gentle strum on the guitar put us all at ease.
Often appears as...
- soft strum
- guitar strum
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Informal Usage
Strumming is typically used in casual or informal settings like campfires and small gatherings.
We sang songs while he strummed his ukulele.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Just Guitars
'Strum' applies to other string instruments besides guitars, like ukuleles and banjos.
She learned to strum a beautiful melody on her new mandolin.
Pro Tip 3/3Physical Gesture
Strumming involves a sweeping motion across strings, not individual picking.
Strum the strings in one fluid motion for a fuller sound.
Pro Tip 1/3Informal Usage
Strumming is typically used in casual or informal settings like campfires and small gatherings.
We sang songs while he strummed his ukulele.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Just Guitars
'Strum' applies to other string instruments besides guitars, like ukuleles and banjos.
She learned to strum a beautiful melody on her new mandolin.
Pro Tip 3/3Physical Gesture
Strumming involves a sweeping motion across strings, not individual picking.
Strum the strings in one fluid motion for a fuller sound.
Pro Tip 1/3Informal Usage
Strumming is typically used in casual or informal settings like campfires and small gatherings.
We sang songs while he strummed his ukulele.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Just Guitars
'Strum' applies to other string instruments besides guitars, like ukuleles and banjos.
She learned to strum a beautiful melody on her new mandolin.
Pro Tip 3/3Physical Gesture
Strumming involves a sweeping motion across strings, not individual picking.
Strum the strings in one fluid motion for a fuller sound.
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Video examples
The tragic myth of...
Orpheus was overcome with a grief the human world could not contain, and so he decided he would journey to the land of the dead, a place from which no living creature had ever returned, to rescue his beloved. When Orpheus reached the gates of the underworld, he began to strum his lyre.
Video examples
Amanda Gorman: Using...
but out of courage to speak then there's something unique that my words can become and all of a sudden that fear that my words my jumble and stumble go away as i'm humbled by the thoughts of thousands of stories a long time coming that i know are strumming inside me as i celebrate
Video examples
Knock Knock, You’re...
back corner it's a two-story house and we heard the back window start open so we just sort of looked up and saw a guy's arm come out with a black box to look moneybox reach out and strum it and
Video examples
The tragic myth of...
Orpheus was overcome with a grief the human world could not contain, and so he decided he would journey to the land of the dead, a place from which no living creature had ever returned, to rescue his beloved. When Orpheus reached the gates of the underworld, he began to strum his lyre.
Video examples
Amanda Gorman: Using...
but out of courage to speak then there's something unique that my words can become and all of a sudden that fear that my words my jumble and stumble go away as i'm humbled by the thoughts of thousands of stories a long time coming that i know are strumming inside me as i celebrate
Video examples
Knock Knock, You’re...
back corner it's a two-story house and we heard the back window start open so we just sort of looked up and saw a guy's arm come out with a black box to look moneybox reach out and strum it and
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Jason Mraz
American Musician
But that guitar is the perfect companion to the human voice. You rest it against your gut, against your heart, and when you strum it the vibrations go outwards for all to hear, but the vibration also hits you on your body.
Quote examples
Yngwie Malmsteen
Swedish Musician
To get a feel for the right-hand picking technique, you have to let the pick 'fall' from string to string as if you were strumming a chord. It's important that you don't separate the pick strokes.
Quote examples
Johnny Ramone
American Musician
I started doing up-and-down strumming, basically to keep time and to play fast. As time went on, I started realizing other guitar players couldn't do it. I always went against the grain.
Quote examples
Lou Barlow
American Musician
When I first started writing songs, I did play with my fingers, and I had these kind of weird strums. There's, like, three or four strumming patterns that seemed kind of unique to me.
Quote examples
Paul Gilbert
American Musician
It's amazing how a lot of the metal guys have never strummed! And it's not that challenging, but it really opens up a lot of doors in ways they might not have imagined.
Quote examples
David Gilmour
British Musician
I don't have a very disciplined approach to practicing or anything, but I do tend to have a guitar around most of the time, which I strum on most of the day.
Quote examples
Jon Bon Jovi
American Singer
I was just another long-haired teenage kid with visions of grandeur, strumming a tennis racket or a broom in front of his bedroom mirror.
Quote examples
Ananya Birla
Indian Musician
I love playing acoustic guitar because I strum with my hands to feel more connected.
Quote examples
Jamie Lee Curtis
American Actress
I can play rhythm guitar. I know how to hold a guitar and strum it.
Quote examples
Dierks Bentley
American Musician
I discovered early on that I was more of a strummer than a picker.
Quote examples
Jason Mraz
American Musician
But that guitar is the perfect companion to the human voice. You rest it against your gut, against your heart, and when you strum it the vibrations go outwards for all to hear, but the vibration also hits you on your body.
Quote examples
Yngwie Malmsteen
Swedish Musician
To get a feel for the right-hand picking technique, you have to let the pick 'fall' from string to string as if you were strumming a chord. It's important that you don't separate the pick strokes.
Quote examples
Johnny Ramone
American Musician
I started doing up-and-down strumming, basically to keep time and to play fast. As time went on, I started realizing other guitar players couldn't do it. I always went against the grain.
Quote examples
Lou Barlow
American Musician
When I first started writing songs, I did play with my fingers, and I had these kind of weird strums. There's, like, three or four strumming patterns that seemed kind of unique to me.
Quote examples
Paul Gilbert
American Musician
It's amazing how a lot of the metal guys have never strummed! And it's not that challenging, but it really opens up a lot of doors in ways they might not have imagined.
Quote examples
David Gilmour
British Musician
I don't have a very disciplined approach to practicing or anything, but I do tend to have a guitar around most of the time, which I strum on most of the day.
Quote examples
Jon Bon Jovi
American Singer
I was just another long-haired teenage kid with visions of grandeur, strumming a tennis racket or a broom in front of his bedroom mirror.
Quote examples
Ananya Birla
Indian Musician
I love playing acoustic guitar because I strum with my hands to feel more connected.
Quote examples
Jamie Lee Curtis
American Actress
I can play rhythm guitar. I know how to hold a guitar and strum it.
Quote examples
Dierks Bentley
American Musician
I discovered early on that I was more of a strummer than a picker.
Example 1 of 10
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