Improve your Strumming in 7 Days
Lock in your rhythm skills and time feel.
Beginner guitarists
You should be comfortable with basic open chords and simple chord changes to get the most out of these lessons.
7 days
Dan will guide you through 7 days of step-by-step instruction with daily practice plans and assessments.
Solid rhythm foundation
This class will help you build a reliable strumming feel so your playing stays locked in with the groove.
Take the next step
Once you've mastered this challenge, keep learning with more challenges and guided Learning Pathways.
What you'll learn
Staying on the beat while playing rhythm is one of the biggest challenges for beginners. In this class, Dan Kalisher breaks down essential rhythm concepts and techniques that will help you tighten up your internal metronome and strum with precision.
- Learn how to stay on the beat.
- Keep your strumming consistent.
- Play progressions without losing the groove.
- Add feel and dynamics to your strumming.
Curriculum
Stay focused with this step-by-step learning program designed by our expert team of music educators.
Day 1. The grid
You’ll start building a strong timing foundation with the rhythmic grid. Learn how to divide a bar into quarter and 8th notes before playing a strumming pattern.
To help you better understand how rhythm works, Dan introduces the grid: a way to visualize rhythm inside a bar of music. You’ll practice quarter notes, 8th notes, and a full strumming pattern while keeping your hand relaxed and consistent.
Day 2. The engine
Your strumming hand is a crucial ingredient for becoming a dependable rhythm guitarist. You’ll practice maintaining a steady strumming motion that acts like an engine and propels each song.
The secret to having great rhythm is to build a consistent strumming-hand motion that keeps your rhythm driving no matter what. Dan shows you how to build a reliable strumming engine from the ground up.
Days 3-5. Faster and more accurate strumming
In these lessons, Dan will show you how to take your rhythm playing beyond basic patterns. You’ll learn how to strum faster, land chord changes more smoothly, and control your volume. These lessons will help you make your strumming feel cleaner and more connected to the vibes of each song.
Day 3. 16th notes
You’ll learn how smaller subdivisions can open up more detailed and exciting rhythm parts. Dan will help you keep your hand moving through quicker patterns while using muted strums and syncopation to shape the groove.
Day 4. Strumming chords accurately
Now that you’ve dialed in strumming patterns, you’ll focus on making your chord changes land cleanly from bar to bar. Dan helps you coordinate your fretting and strumming hands so your progressions feel steady and smooth.
Day 5. Dynamics
Dan will guide you through crafting your rhythm parts with more control. You’ll explore how volume, accents, and chord choices can change the character of a progression and help your playing better fit the song.
Days 6-7. Feel and interpretation
In these final days, you’ll bring everything together by learning how to interpret a song to find your own rhythms and patterns. You’ll also learn another common rhythm throughout all of music: swing.
Day 6. Finding the feel
The final ingredient to make your playing really shine is feel. Learn how to interpret a song to create your own strumming patterns that fit perfectly within the track.
Day 7. Swing feel
To make you a truly versatile rhythm player, Dan will show you how to make your chords swing. You’ll find the swing feel in jazz, blues, rock, and even punk – so it’s an essential feel to get down if you want to fit in with any band.
Performances
Now that you’ve strengthened your rhythm skills, it’s time to show off all that hard work with some performance pieces designed especially for this class. Work on syncopation with Led Zeppelin, then create your own groove with DJO.
REAL students
Don’t take our word for it, take theirs
What guitarists love about this course
Your Instructor
Dan Kalisher
Dan is an expert session guitarist, pedal steel player, and producer who’ll help you become a more confident rhythm and lead guitarist.
Explore LessonsLimitless learning.
All-inclusive access to every instrument and course.
.avif)
FULL REFUND, NO QUESTIONS ASKED
Improve your playing or get your money back
We’re so confident that we can improve your playing that we’re underwriting your membership with a 60-day satisfaction guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
The most structured approach to learning music
