Somewhere Over the Rainbow BEST Strum Pattern

Are you tired of playing the exact same basic strumming pattern for every single song? If you want to instantly level up your sound and play like a pro, you need to learn this intermediate rhythm designed perfectly for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Here is the secret to getting that authentic island sound: First, find your lowest string (for most of us, that's going to be the C string). You're going to pluck that single string to establish a driving bass note. Immediately after the pluck, follow this exact rhythmic sequence: Down, Up, Chuck, Up, Down, Up.

• 
  The C Major Chord
  
  Place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the bottom string (the A string). Keep the other three strings totally open. It provides the bright, happy foundation for the song.
• 
  The E Minor (Em) Chord
  
  Place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the A string, middle finger on the 3rd fret of the E string, and ring finger on the 4th fret of the C string. It creates that beautiful, slightly melancholic transition.
• 
  The F Major Chord
  
  Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the E string and your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the top G string.
• 
  The E7 Chord
  
  Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the G string, middle finger on the 2nd fret of the C string, and ring finger on the 2nd fret of the A string. This adds that classic Hawaiian flavor!

Try practicing this sequence slowly on a simple C chord until it feels natural. Once you're comfortable, apply it to the song's intro! Watch the short video above to hear exactly how it sounds. Want to master the whole track? Click the "Full Tutorial" button above to jump into the complete play-along!