strum
STRUHM
/strʌm/
To sweep the fingers or a plectrum across several strings of an instrument to play a chord or rhythm.
Strumming implies a sweeping, continuous motion across multiple strings simultaneously, creating a blended chordal sound rather than isolated notes.
The story behind the word. The word strum arose in the late 18th century as an imitative word, likely a blend of 'strike' and 'thrum' (which meant to play an instrument carelessly or make a monotonous humming sound). It perfectly mimics the physical, sweeping sound of fingers brushing across multiple tensioned strings.
Word relationships
- sweep: Sweep emphasizes the smooth, continuous physical motion across the strings, whereas strum is the specific musical term for playing a chord this way.
- pluck: Pluck involves pulling and releasing a single string to play an isolated note, whereas strum sweeps across multiple strings.
Commonly confused with
- pluck: Strumming plays multiple strings together in a sweep, while plucking sounds individual strings one at a time.
Word family
- strummer (noun): A person who strums a stringed instrument.
- strumming (noun): The action or style of sweeping across strings.
Collocations
- strum a chord
- strum a pattern
- gently strum
Example sentences
- "He began to strum a gentle rhythm on his acoustic guitar." A classic description of folk guitar playing.
Memory hook
Think of a drum. Just as you strike a drum to get a beat, you sweep across strings to strum a rhythm. Strum rhymes with hum—it's how you make your guitar strings hum a chord together.
When not to use
Do not use strum when referring to playing single, isolated notes on a stringed instrument, or when playing wind or percussion instruments.
Fun facts
- Many early stringed instruments were only plucked until the development of the plectrum and modern steel strings made rhythmic strumming popular in folk music.
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