This is a free rhythm guitar lesson by Peter Vogl. During this lesson you will learn a technique I like to call double downs. This is a strumming technique that can be used any time you want to add a little more excitement or motion to a strumming pattern.
Watch the lesson: Quicktime
Lets start out trying this technique with just one chord, E major and use a strumming pattern over 4 beats. Strum down up, down up down up down up. Thats 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.

Now we'll add the double down technique over beat 2. It sounds like this: 1 & 2 & uh 3 & 4 &. The double down refers to the strumming I'm doing during beat two. Down down up.

Try adding the double down over beat one.

How about beat three. Down up down up down down up down up.

And beat 4. Down up down up down up down down up.

I use the double down to add motion or excitement to a strum pattern. I find myself using this technique in many different rythms and feels.
E Color Chords by Peter Vogl is a downloadable Quicktime video lesson covering how to play color chords or chord substitutions. In this video we'll cover some of Peter's favorite chord subs in the key of E. In every key there are favorite shapes that players use and some work better in one key than others. We'll cover the chords themselves and also logical progressions from one chord to the next. Included in the download is a .pdf with chord charts for over 50 chords. $4.99
Watch sample clips from the lesson: Quicktime or Flash