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Instrument

Strumming and fingerpicking

The rhythm patterns of each genre, grouped by style: strumming and fingerpicking. Every card shows the name, the instrument and the shape of the pattern. Open one to hear it in the browser at any tempo and play it on your instrument.

Folk

Boom-chuckGuitarFolk/country waltz (3/4 with lift)GuitarSplit stroke (Formby, syncopated)UkuleleTriplet StrumUkulele

Samba

Samba (thumb bass + finger block, 1 bar)GuitarSamba (cavaquinho pick pattern, Rego 1)CavaquinhoSamba-enredo (cavaquinho pick pattern)CavaquinhoSamba-canção (slow samba, thumb + finger block)Guitar

Baião

Baião (thumb figure + finger answers)GuitarBaião (cavaquinho pick pattern)Cavaquinho

Valsa

Sertanejo waltzGuitarWaltz strum (3/4)Ukulele

Partido alto

Partido alto (guitar)GuitarPartido alto (cavaquinho pick pattern, Rego 2)Cavaquinho

Cateretê

Cateretê (viola caipira)GuitarSlow cateretê (viola caipira)Guitar

Flamenco

Soleá rasgueadoGuitarBulería rasgueado (12-beat, por medio)GuitarTangos flamencos rasgueado (4/4)GuitarRumba flamenca (tresillo, gipsy rumba)GuitarSevillanas rasgueado (3/4)GuitarRumba Flamenca StrumUkuleleSeguiriya rasgueado (12-beat amalgam)Guitar

Rock

Power-chord eighthsElectric guitar

Ska

Ska offbeat upstrokesElectric guitar

Jazz

Four-to-the-bar compingElectric guitarJazz four-to-the-bar (ukulele)Ukulele

Funk

Funk 16th chuckElectric guitarBlack Rio funk levada (pica-pau)Electric guitar

Blues

Shuffle boogieElectric guitarAcoustic blues shuffle strumGuitar

Frevo

Frevo march pick patternCavaquinhoFrevo / carnival march (thumb on every beat)Guitar

Pop

Global down-upCavaquinhoIsland strumUkuleleFan-Roll AccentUkulele

Reggae

Chnk backbeat (2 & 4)UkuleleJawaiian One-DropUkuleleOne-drop double skank (reggae)Electric guitarReggae single chop (2 & 4)Electric guitar

Choro

Choro, off-the-beat base (Rego 2)CavaquinhoChoro, bass-led (Rego 1)CavaquinhoChoro (Rego 3)CavaquinhoChoro, 6-string 'centro' (thumb on the beat, chord in between)Guitar

Maxixe

MaxixeCavaquinho

Polca

PolcaCavaquinho

Xote

XoteCavaquinhoXote (thumb = zabumba, fingers = bacalhau)Guitar

Sambaião

SambaiãoCavaquinho

Samba rock

Samba-rockCavaquinhoSamba-rock, Jorge Ben style (1963)Guitar

Reggaeton

Reggaeton (dembow)Electric guitar

Country

Boom-chicka (country train beat)Guitar

Bluegrass

Bluegrass boom-chuck (alternating bass)Guitar

Ballad

6/8 ballad strumGuitar6/8 BalladUkulele

Gospel

12/8 slow-rock / gospel balladGuitar

Cumbia

Cumbia Offbeat (bajo-contratiempo)Guitar

Bolero

Bolero (cinquillo)GuitarBolero as played in Brazil (2 bars)Guitar

Son montuno

Son Montuno Guajeo (2-3)Guitar

Milonga

Milonga (habanera 3-3-2)Guitar

Bachata

Bachata DerechoGuitar

Merengue

Merengue (tambora two-beat)Guitar

Pop rock

Pop-Rock ChunkUkulele

Calypso

Trinidad Calypso TapUkulele

Ijexá

Ijexá (finger block on the beat, thumb on the offbeat)GuitarIjexá ukulele strum (afoxé)Ukulele

Ciranda

Ciranda guitar grooveGuitar

Coco

Coco (de roda) guitar grooveGuitar

Metal

Metal GallopElectric guitar

Thrash

Reverse GallopElectric guitar

Vira

Vira (Minho cavaquinho)Cavaquinho

Malhão

Malhão (Minho cavaquinho)Cavaquinho

Morna

Morna (cavaquinho)Cavaquinho

Coladeira

Coladeira (cavaquinho)Cavaquinho

Gypsy-jazz

La pompe (gypsy jazz)Electric guitar

Rock-and-roll

Bo Diddley beat (3-2 clave on guitar)Electric guitar

Disco

Disco chucking (Chic style)Electric guitar

Surf-rock

Surf tremolo motor (alternate picking)Electric guitar

Chacarera

Chacarera rasgueo (guitar)Guitar

Zamba

Zamba rasgueo (guitar)Guitar

Hawaiian

Chalangalang (swung uke strum)UkuleleContemporary Hawaiian (D-DU-UD)Ukulele

Forró

Forró 'Calanguetu' (electric guitar)Electric guitarForró 'Tina Charles' levada (electric guitar)Electric guitarForró pé-de-serra (open first bass, accent on beat 2)Guitar

Bossa nova

Bossa nova (João Gilberto, 2-bar batida)GuitarBossa nova (chord anticipated every bar)Guitar

Sertanejo

Guarânia (3/4, thumb walks root–third–fifth)GuitarRasqueado / Paraguayan polka (6/8)Guitar