What about additional strums?

Any additional strums can be analyzed using the principles from the book Modular Phonetic Rhythm (MPR)

Using the levels I, II , II and IV from the book Modular Phonetic Rhythm, each new strum that you want to learn can be broken down into it's rhythmic syllables which constitute its style. Once the basic rhythmic pattern of the style is mastered variation should be tried using the same principles.

Styles like:

Note: As stated in the A Guide to UKulele Strums book, most styles can incorporate level I rhythmic syllables as part of the style.

Latin Rock

Latin Rock is a syncopated style that uses level I and II rhythmic syllables with rest and ties at its basic. Latin Rock also incorporates muted notes and percussive strokes as part of the style.

• Rhythmic Syllables: Levels I, II and IV rhythmic syllables with rest and ties
• Songs such as: Evil Ways, Sunshine of My Life, Oye Como Va, Let It Be

Rock Ballad

A Rock Ballad style uses mainly level I with rests and ties. Often with a muted percussive stroke on beats two and four when in common 4/4 time.

• Rhythmic Syllables: Levels I, II and IV rhythmic syllables with rest and ties
• Songs such as: Knockin' On Heavens Door, Stand By Me, Hey Jude, Let It Be

Bossa Nova

Funk

Rhythmic Syllables: levels I, II and IV rhythmic syllables with rest and ties at its basic.

Songs such as: .

Soul

Punk

Metal

Honky Tonk

Cajun

Calypso

Marches

Some Fundamentals

( Excerpt from the book A Guide to Ukulele Strums)

If you’re using a metronome, each click represents the so called down beat. The space between clicks is considered the up beat. The parallel to this without the metronome is the tap of your foot representing the down beat and the space between taps, the up beat. Down and up beats can be subdivided in many ways forming the basis of different strums.

Preliminary Exercise

As a way to get started, set the metronome speed on 60 or just tap your foot slowly and evenly. Strike any chord with a down stroke (i.e. towards the floor) corresponding to the click or tap. Though this could be considered a strum, for our purposes, it’s just a way to get familiar with the relationship between tempo (speed of the beat) and the down stroke.

Next, try to coordinate an up stroke (i.e. towards the ceiling) with the space between the clicks or taps. Don’t be surprised that the up stroke is more difficult than the down stroke, There are two reasons for this discrepancy. First, the up stroke is anti gravitational (pulls away from the ground). The second reason is that the space between taps or clicks is more abstract and difficult to locate than the down and is consequently, more prone to error.

Go back to your metronome set at 60 or your slow even foot tap. This time, strike the up beats (space between clicks or taps) with down strokes. It’s also valuable to up stroke the clicks or taps (down beats). Though not as natural, there will be important applications for this seemingly “backward” stroking.