So Damn Lucky Strumming - HELP!

[pdpullmn612]

Hey guy,

Ok so i'm trying to learn how to play So Damn Lucky, but I can't get the strumming and hammer ons right. I can get it to sound similar but its not right. I have been struggling with this for like a week now and its really frustrating. I've watched endless videos on YouTube that have a helped a little, but I still can't get it. Does anyone have any suggestions or even a video that could show me the strumming? Any help is appreciated. I really wanna learn this song! Thanks in advance guys.

[EBow47]

Dude, really...it's practice. It seems easy (and it is eventually), but it is definitely one of those songs that you keep trying to play and get so frustrated that you can't play and then stop playing it for a while and then try to play it one day and just get it. Dave doesn't really play it the same twice...he just makes it sound good. Practice...Allen Iverson never said it better. Your rhythm will eventually find itself.

[DrumsFoDaSoul]

I would experiment strumming while hitting hammer-ons at the same time. Once you get the feel of it, you'll eventually find the place to utilize the hammer-on in the song. Also, playing along to the song via mp3 or video will help you a ton. Give it a shot.

[jsgksu]

You try watching the video of Dave & Trey in Africa? That actually helped me, I realized Dave does the double hammer-ons and got the song down real fast after watching it.

[pdpullmn612]

Thanks for the help guys...I practiced all last night and for like an hour today but still no luck. It's really frustrating and annoying that i can't get it right. I'm practicing a lot, but its not doing anything I just end up doing the same thing over an over. Any more help? any videos? Thanks in advance guys.

[baseballjon9]

i think i have the strumming down but barring the G string is the problem for me. when i go to hammer on i just end up muting the G string so i get nothing cuz i guess my pointer finger lifts up a little, i hate barring. but when i strum it i start with a downstroke for the hammers, and then from there its basically just quick up and down strokes, and i hit like the second and last 11's on an upstroke i think, its hard to explain. the aol sessions version is a good one too. just do it slowly til u think u got it. there was a time when i thought id never be able to get the 41 stretch, or the stone, but one day i was just able to. if u catch my drift

[hofdaddy]

hey guy?

[dmb spook]

being a drummer as well.. and talking to many guitarists rhythm is the most important here... first off... more experienced guitarists can correct me here but i believe he is constantly strumming... (its what i do, it makes it easier for me to hit the hammer-ons anyway).. then its just a matter of figuring out the pattern of upstrokes and downstrokes to get the timing right...
dont let yourself count it in 4/4.. its in 12/8 .. each chord change is one measure of 12/8 ... Its easiest to figure out the stumming if you count it in double time because then each beat is one strum ... .. so if counting like this play it twice for each chord

Code: Select all

1 2 3 2 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3
D u d U d u D u d U d u     <caps is on the beat
  x   x     x     x         <hammer-ons

[jsgksu]

Not sure how to read Spooks accurately so I'll just tell you how I play it.

The strumming for each of the two chord changes should be:

D H D U D U X4

D=Down
U=Up
H=Hammer

It should effectively sound like your strumming six times, but the second time when you dont strum is where you throw the hammer in. If you watch the video from Africa I mentioned he actually does two hammer-ons per set, but I guess I just squeeze mine more like: D H DHU D U

Thats really just a variation though you can work on later if you get the easier way down pat and then watch the video I mentioned and think you got the hang out of it.

Hope thats at least somewhat clear, Im a few beers deep at this point.

[pdpullmn612]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the help. I still can't seem to get it down and its been almost 3 weeks i'm practicing this song and its driving me nuts. I've watched endless amounts of videos and still can't seem to get it. It's really frustrating! Is there anymore help? I've used all the stuff you all have given, but I still can't get it. Sorry to sound like such pest, but I really want to get this down. If there is anymore help that would be awesome. Thanks in advanced guys and thanks for the help.

[DMBZeppelin]

Not to change topic, but since this is an SDL help thread I thought I'd ask. Does anyone know what Timmy plays on this song. Especially the part where Dave sings "Round, Round, Round." over and over.

[jsgksu]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the help. I still can't seem to get it down and its been almost 3 weeks i'm practicing this song and its driving me nuts. I've watched endless amounts of videos and still can't seem to get it. It's really frustrating! Is there anymore help? I've used all the stuff you all have given, but I still can't get it. Sorry to sound like such pest, but I really want to get this down. If there is anymore help that would be awesome. Thanks in advanced guys and thanks for the help.

Send me a PM, or better yet catch me on aol im later today (7PM name: jsgksu) and I'll record a video for you if I have time, which I should.

[dmb spook]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the help. I still can't seem to get it down and its been almost 3 weeks i'm practicing this song and its driving me nuts. I've watched endless amounts of videos and still can't seem to get it. It's really frustrating! Is there anymore help? I've used all the stuff you all have given, but I still can't get it. Sorry to sound like such pest, but I really want to get this down. If there is anymore help that would be awesome. Thanks in advanced guys and thanks for the help.

its cool, i understand wanting to play it.. ive been playing dave for a few years now and only in the last few months have i even really checked out the Some Devil album.. and now SDL is one of my favorite DMB songs (loved it on tour)..

*** oh yeah... if you need help you can pm me as well... im sure others may be better teachers, i was a drum teacher for a while never guitar... but everyone learns differently so if you need help Im more than happy too..

[jsgksu]

I sent him a video of it slowed down, hopefully it helped.

Any progress?

[BradleyCB]

Does anyone have the video of a slowed down version of the intro for So Damn Lucky? I, too, am having problems getting the strumming right.