Long Strings of Fast Notes

**slayar764** · Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 51

I seem to have a lot of trouble FC'ing those long strings of fast notes. I usually start strumming too fast, and then I slow down and end up going too slow. I can't just know what the right speed is. Do you guys have any tips on how I could improve on this? It's the only thing that's kept me from FC'ing Cherub Rock

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**GuitarGeek08** · Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 3213

Its the thing that keeps everyone from FCing Cherub Rock
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**echorocks** · Joined: 10 Aug 2008 Posts: 224 Location: Massachussetts

i would bring it down to slowest then speed it up
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**ihatebarracuda** · Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 470 Location: Yakima, WA

I think there are two main problems people have with these sections. The first, obviously, is strumming at the correct speed and staying at that speed without slowing down or speeding up too much. The second problem to overcome is strumming the correct number of times. Even once you can keep combo during the streak, it's common to understrum or overstrum at the very end of the chain, breaking your combo. Here's how I tackle both of these problems:

1. To maintain the correct strumming speed, get used to STARING at the bottom of the screen where the notes pass the frets. If you start to see notes coming past the fret (towards the bottom of the screen where they disappear) you are strumming too slow. If the notes are disappearing before they hit the fret you are strumming too fast. In my opinion, it's much easier to see when you are strumming too slow, so here is what I like to do during these sections:

Start off strumming just a little bit faster than the streak of notes really is. Then very gradually slow down until you start to see the notes coming past the fret. Then gradually speed back up. Then slow back down the same way. Basically you keep alternating between strumming too fast and strumming too slow. To me, this is easier than trying to find the EXACT strum speed and sticking to it. It takes a while to get the hang of it, but once you develop a feel for how much and how fast you need to speed up and slow down, I think this is the most reliable way to combo these sections.

2. To make sure you strum the correct number of times and don't mess up at the very end of the streak, the first thing you'll want to do is count how many notes are in the streak. If it's an even number, you know you'll end on the opposite strum of what you started on. For instance, if you started the streak on a down strum, you know you have to end it on an upstrum. If it's an odd number it will end on the same type of strum. Now all you have to do is try not to change your speed to much at the end. There is a tendency, at least for me, to want to speed up at the end of these fast picking sections, and it will almost always lead to an overstrum. Just concentrate on the sound of your strumming and keep it as even as you can towards the end of the streak.

Another tip that can help is to accent the beat with your strummer. If it's a standard 4/4 song and you're strumming sixteenth notes you might strum ONE-two-three-four, ONE-two-three-four, giving it a good click on the beat. This will help you keep track of the "pulse" of the song.
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**Fannypack** · Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 840 Location: concentration camp

Nice job barracuda couldnt be worded any better that is exactlly what I do
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**directshot999** · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Posts: 3838 Location: Birmingham, AL

Count your strums... not literally, that would be hard, I mean every beat, strum slightly louder than normal. It keeps your head in line with the song, and really helps for those alt-strumming sections.
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**Master-Tesuch** · Joined: 13 Jun 2008 Posts: 2331 Location: ScoreHeroLand

I always look at the measure bars, the thick ones are the measure ones, the thin ones are the half and quarter measure bars. If you can remember that every half measure is a down strum, or every whole measure bar ends on and up strum, it can help keep rhthym, I use that on the begining of Flood!, it really helps.
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**Ph4ZeR** · Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 126

**satchdude** · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 116 Location: Morehead, Ky

I concur with ihatebarracuda. Emphasizing a beat when you play is the best way to stay on time. Listen to the drums and follow them. And if you're still not sure at what speed to strum, watch a video on youtube of someone fcing the song where you can hear the strumming and get an idea of how fast to go. That helps a lot.
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**GlassDragon** · Joined: 24 May 2008 Posts: 1122

If you have GH2, misirlou can help you because it's basically full of fast strumming streaks.

Like Baraccuda said, the tendency is to slow down your strumming a bit near the middle of the streak and then speed it up near the end to get the right number of strums. Make sure you're not doing that.

If you do practice Misirlou, though, the timing window is tighter, so it won't give you as much leeway with your strumming speed. But, it will give you a good sense of rhythm and will make the end of Cherub Rock seem like a piece of cake.
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