how to downstroke?

im am getting very inconsistent sounds when i downstroke. can someone please explain and/or post a video/give a link to a video that explains how to do a proper downstroke? thanks

When you say downstroke what do you mean?
Played with a pick or using your fingers (flamenco style)?

I'm going to assume he means with his fingers, cause i might be going out on a limb but the idea of using a pick seems to be a given. Just in case.
Hold the pick, move the pick down from one string to the next, then the stings will make sounds. (<- sorry if that sounded like a douche move, it just seems so simple to explain on the internet.) I found this alot harder to do then the way it was explained, i still find a way jump strings every once in a while.
If your not getting a good sound then you'll want to read the final note, and pratice.



From what i've seen, most people put there middle finger and thumb together, when you downstroke you move the strings with your middle finger, and an upstroke you use your thumb.

I've never done that myself, i learned to just upstroke the whole time, but use your index and middle finger like when you walk the bass.


I'd go with what ever feels better to you.
I seen people who are fast and good using either, just remember(Dman said this so it must be true) your not made to play the bass, or anytihng else for that matter, you need to train yourself yo be able to play it.
Start at a slow pace, and get used to the movement, then try getting faster.

I do it one of two ways (with my fingers):
A simple downstroke that isn't constant - I put all of my fingers together and, while resting the thumb on the string above the highest I'm going to stroke, I bring all of my fingers down hard and open them up at the same time. The motion is kind of like a backhand slap. The nails of my fingers run across the strings hard and fast.
If it's a more constant stroke I'll play it as if I'm normaly plucking the strings, only instead of plucking one, I'd pluck 2 or 3.

Also, sometimes instead of a stroke I'd just hit the string against the frets as if tapping them, only I'd just hit them hard and let them ring out. I'd do this with the tips of my fingers on my plucking hand and while holding the notes, I'd hit the strings somewhere around the 15-17 fret area.

yea i was talking about fingers, not picks. and dont worry blackdragon, i dont think youre a douche haha
for now, i would use downstrokes mainly for percussive sound in a song rather than doing rapid up and downstrokes with my fingers. I'd like to learn how to learn that too, but it sounds like that may mean two different techniques

It's practicaly the same one, just a different variation.
I know what you mean about the percussive thing, it is often done in Iron Maiden or Mudvayne (at least from the bands that I know).
Either do that with all your fingers together (bringing them down and fanning them out at the same time) or hit the strings over the fretboard with the tips of your fingers. Whichever is easier.

You could also do it the way spyro mentioned it - putting fingers together like you're holding a pick. I don't do that though because it murders my nails.

Also whichever of these styles you get used to will help you prepare for a future technique:
Using all your fingers will prepare you for the flamenco style of playing (the ultimate finger dance)
Hitting the strings above the fretboard will practice movement and accuracy for tapping in the future.
Putting your fingers like you're holding a pick will, obviously, help you get used to the motions of playing with a pick.

on the hitting one, if i hit the strings above the fret board, where would i "hit" with my plucking hand? on frets? or in between? or does it even matter? the way i've understood that is, for example, if i'm playing the A note on the E string, id fret with my fretting hand just like anything else and id basically tap a fret quickly with my plucking hand to get the string vibrating? is that correct? wouldn't that make a different initial sound based on what fret i hit? sorry thats a lot of questions

The trick is that it doesn't matter where you hit it. You're hitting the string, not the fret and it's a very quick hit. Frets only make a difference if you hold it before letting go.

As for the area where to hit, just find the place where it sounds best. This is usually around frets 15-17, give or take a few.

alright i think i get it now. thanks stryfer

Just to say that I checked that hitting the fretboard thing and noticed that I actually hit it around the 18th and 19th fret. I get a better tone when I'm around the 17th, but because of the transfer from finger plucking to fret hitting I always end up around the later two frets.

that makes sense. ill do a little experimentation with all 3 styles and see which feels best to me. thanks again!