Moving 16th notes

Now that we understand how 16th notes work, we’re going to start moving them around within an 8th-note strumming pattern. Just like we did with moving 8th notes, this exercise helps your strumming hand get comfortable placing rhythms in different spots instead of always relying on the same pattern.

How it Works

We’ll keep a steady 8th-note pattern underneath:

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

Then we’ll add a single 16th note in different places throughout the pattern

1 e + 2 + 3 + 4 +
1 + a 2 + 3 + 4 +
1 + 2 e + 3 + 4 +
1 + 2 + a 3 + 4 +

As the exercise continues, that added 16th note will move through the full measure, helping you feel where the smaller subdivisions fit while keeping your strumming hand steady and relaxed.