mr dave

unfortunately this is the point in learning to play guitar where practice is key and you find out whether or not you've got it.

i'd suggest learning to play along to slower acoustic songs where the strumming patterns don't vary much and the chord changes remain relatively simple.

'Jane Says' by Jane's Addiction (A and G mostly) or 'About a Girl' by Nirvana (Em and Am mostly) are the 2 easiest choices i can think of from the top of my head.

i also remember enjoying playing along to Sheryl Crow's first album as well back in the day, most of her rhythm playing was rather simple and stuck to major chord progressions. Tom Petty and Neil Young would have good beginner material as well. Petty's 'Last Dance with Mary Jane' is a great strum along tune (Am G D mostly and i think there's a C tossed into the chorus)

as for the physical requirements of strumming the best advice i can provide is to keep your wrist loose, that's where the strum should come from, as opposed to your elbow. if you find yourself cramping or squeezing the pic tightly then there's an issue and you won't sound smooth. playing along to funk is also a great way to develop rhythm / strumming chops. 'If you have to ask' by the chili peppers is actually rather simple for the verse and great practice for your rhythm hand.


in terms of your book on the Stones it's possible they're just showing the main chords being sounded out but not actually showing you the chords Richards would play as he used a fair amount of open tunings.

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