Bass and Strum: Waltz and Boom-Chuck

Old-time country and cowboy guitar players rarely just strum. They hit the root of the chord (the note it’s named after) on the low strings, then answer it with a short strum on the higher strings. Boom, chuck.

Where is the bass note?

The bass is the lowest string that plays the chord’s name note: for G it’s string 6 (3rd fret), for C string 5 (3rd fret), for D the open string 4, for A and Am the open string 5, for E and Em the open string 6.

The waltz: bass, strum, strum

In 3/4 time there are three beats in a bar. Play the bass note on 1, then two light down strums on 2 and 3 (on the top four strings). Count “ONE two three, ONE two three”.

The boom-chuck: alternating bass

In 4/4 the bass alternates: the root on beat 1, a strum on 2, a different bass note on 3 (a string or two higher), a strum on 4. For G: string 6, strum, string 4, strum. For C: string 5, strum, string 4, strum. For D: string 4, strum, then the A on string 3 (2nd fret, already under your finger), strum. (Many players use the open A string for D instead; both work.)

Night Herd Waltz

A slow cowboy waltz with G, C, D7 and G7. The player plays the tune and the waltz strum together; choose “Strum only” to play along with your own strumming, or “Tab only” to hear just the tune.