MOST COMMON MEXICAN STRUMS

Stanley A. Lucero. August 2020.

Bolero, Bolero tropical, Corrido lento, Polka,

Cumbia #1, Cumbia #2, Chotis, Vals, and Huapango

When playing songs in Spanish in the Southwest United States and Mexico, the following are the most common rhythms. 

There are many more strums and variations.

NAME of strum..

STRUM strokes described.

CLICK on the link to listen to the strum.

1ST LINE: The 1st LINE of the staff represents the chord C with the notes C, E, and G. 

Strum chords with your right hand.  If you are left-handed, use your left hand. 

The following instruments play the 1st line of the staff: guitar, vihuela, requinto, jarana, ukulele, etc.

2ND LINE: The 2nd LINE of the staff is the bass line: The bass uses C and G as the bass notes on the chord C.

On the Cumba 1, the bass notes are C, E, and G. 

The following instruments play the 2nd line of the staff: guitarron, tololoche, jarana huasteca, electric bass, etc.

STRUM all the strings at the same time using the following movements.

DOWN = play all the strings at the same time in a downward motion

UP = play all the strings at the same time in an upward motion

PALM = place your palm over the sound hole to mute the strings

FAN = With your hand in a fist, open your fingers quickly starting with your pinky and ending with your index finger.

Touch the tops of all strings as you do the fan strum.

REST = Do not strum the guitar

 BOLERO STRUM

All down strokes

Listen to the bolero strum.

BOLERO TROPICAL STRUM

Down up down up strokes

Listen to the bolero tropical strum.

CORRIDO LENTO STRUM

Down strokes alternating with bass

Listen to the corrido lento strum.

POLKA STRUM

Down strokes alternating with bass

Listen to the polka strum.

CUMBIA #1 STRUM

Down stroke after the bass half note.

Listen to the cumbia #1 strum.

CUMBIA #2 STRUM

Down stroke on upbeats of 1 2 3 4.

Listen to cumbia 2 strum.

CHOTIS STRUM

Two single down strokes and one double down stroke

Listen to the chotis strum.

VALS STRUM

Down strokes on counts 2 and 3

Listen to the vals strum.

HUAPANGO STRUM

Right hand pattern: fan – palm -down – up – palm

Listen to huapango strum.