Sit the acoustic guitar comfortably in your lap. Try to use a guitar strap, which will help hold the guitar securely in place. If you are just learning, the guitar may seem a little big and awkward at first. You will get used to it if you practice.
Use your chord hand to create any chord on the fret board. When looking at your chord chart, you’ll notice some chords have an “x” over the string. That means that the string should not be strummed when the chord is played. Playing those notes will alter the chord structure and make it sound bad.
Strum the guitar stings in a downward motion, using a guitar pick. Hold the pick between your thumb and forefinger. Your wrist should be slightly relaxed and your elbow bent. Make sure to strum over the sound hole. Where you strum makes a big difference in the sound. Strumming near the neck or the bridge will stunt the sound, while strumming over the hole makes the sound resonate.
Strum in an upward motion. You will notice a different sound because the notes have been played backward. Most songs are played with a combination of downward and upward strokes.
Try strumming two strokes downward, then one upward. Repeat. Two downward strokes and one upward, repeated over and over again, is a common rhythm. Once you master your strumming techniques, you will be able to create your own strumming order.