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Intermediate dobro lessonIn this lesson Mark talks about how strumming developed on the dobro and shows two patterns. The first is a thumb downstroke and index upstroke to warm up; the second is a down strum, down chop pattern with the capo on the seventh fret, useful in a bluegrass jam.
Music With Mark - Basic Strum Rhythm on the Dobro
“Strumming is a technique that's developed throughout the history of the dobro, the resonator guitar.”
“Notice that this strum chop pattern is down strum, down chop. You'll find this useful in a bluegrass jam.”
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Get free lessonsSupport free lessonsMark warms up by strumming down with his thumb across all the strings, then doing an upstroke with his first finger across all the strings, going back and forth.
Mark's strum-chop pattern is down strum, down chop. He plays it with the capo on the seventh fret for a closed position, and says you'll find it useful in a bluegrass jam.
Mark says you didn't see strumming much in the early days with Mike Auldridge and Buck Graves, who mostly did chops. Strumming is more common now with players like Rob Ickes, Jerry Douglas and Andy Hall.