3/4 Guitar Strumming for Beginners

Updated October 17, 2026

Learn 3/4 Guitar Strumming (Beginner’s Guide)

Most beginner guitarists start with 4/4 strumming, since it’s the most common time signature in popular music. But some of the most beautiful songs are in 3/4 time, also called waltz time. In this guide, you’ll learn what 3/4 means, easy strumming patterns to start with, and songs you can try today.

Beginner practicing 3/4 strumming on acoustic guitar — 3/4 strumming creates a flowing “waltz feel” used in folk, country, and ballads.

What Does 3/4 Mean?

A time signature tells you how music is counted:

The top number (3) means there are 3 beats in a bar.
The bottom number (4) means a quarter note gets one beat.

So in 3/4, you count “1 – 2 – 3, 1 – 2 – 3”. The first beat is usually accented, giving it the swaying, circular feel of a waltz.

Basic 3/4 Strumming Patterns

Here are three beginner-friendly patterns to practice:

All Downstrokes: D – D – D (one per beat, steady and simple).
Down, Down-Up, Down-Up: D – D U – D U (down on 1, then down-up on “2 &” and “3 &”).
Down, Miss, Up, Down-Up: D – (miss) U – D U (your hand still swings down on 2 but misses the strings, catches the upstroke on “2 &”, then plays down-up on 3. Every upstroke lands on an “&”).

Here is the same thing on a count row. Your hand moves down on every number and up on every “&”, whether or not it hits the strings:

Count:      1  &  2  &  3  &
Pattern 1:  D     D     D
Pattern 2:  D     D  U  D  U
Pattern 3:  D        U  D  U

👉 Tip: Keep your strumming hand moving like a pendulum, even if you don’t hit the strings on every swing.

Practice Chord Progressions

Start with simple progressions that sound great in 3/4:

D – A7 – G (classic folk waltz feel)
C – G – Am – F (fits hundreds of ballads)
G – D – Em – C (popular in country and pop)

Play each chord for one bar (3 beats) and loop the progression slowly until it feels smooth.

Songs in 3/4 Time

Here are some well-known examples you can try once you’re comfortable with the basics:

“Down in the Valley” – Traditional folk song
“Amazing Grace” – Traditional hymn
“Scarborough Fair” – Traditional English ballad

Felt in three, but written in 6/8: “House of the Rising Sun” (The Animals), “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen) and “Norwegian Wood” (The Beatles) often get listed as 3/4 songs. They do count in groups of three, but they are usually written in 6/8 or 12/8: two or four groups of three in each bar, with a slower main pulse. Try them once your 3/4 patterns feel steady.

For more practice material, check out our Easy Guitar Tabs.

Tips for Smooth Playing

Accent beat 1 slightly louder than beats 2 and 3 for that flowing waltz feel.
Stay relaxed—avoid stiff wrist movements.
Use a metronome set to 3/4 to internalize the rhythm.
Combine with chord change practice to get used to switching smoothly.

Next Steps

Once you can strum in both 4/4 and 3/4, you’ll be ready for almost any beginner song. Keep building your rhythm skills with:

Conclusion: 3/4 strumming lets you play waltzes, ballads and a lot of folk songs. Practice a few simple patterns daily, accent the first beat, and the 1-2-3 count will start to feel natural.