Lesson Six - Getting the right Rhythm.
Getting the rhythm right is one of the most important things bout playing a guitar.
You may know your string and chords but if you don't have a rhythm, you aren't playing a tune!
How do I get a rhythm?
Count.
You count one and two and three and four and one and two and......
There are other counts like : one and two and one and two and .....
Also one and two and three and one and two and three and one.....
I hope you can play your C scale now,
so try to get your rhythm right on that.
Count one and two and three and four.
When you are learning you can say the count out loud.
Say it as you play it.
Play 'C' as you say 'one'.
Wait as you say 'and'.
Play 'D' as you say 'two'
Wait as you say 'and'
Play 'E' as you say 'three'
Wait as you say 'and'
Play ' F' as you say 'four'
Wait as you say 'and'
Play 'G' as you say 'one'
and so on....
Make sure that there is equal interval between your two notes.
And don't be shy to count out loud.
You can be 10 or 50 yr old but there is no shame in counting out loud as you learn.
Once you are a little confident with counting as you play.
And this may take some time. Try and understand your brain. The guitar is new to it and it has to spend extra energy towards remembering the Strings, the fingers and frets. Now you are asking to also count at the same time. Its like doing two things at the same time.
Once you are used to it, it will come more naturally.
You don't have to wait until then just until you have a little practice. Then you try tapping your left foot with the rhythm.
Now you say, tap and play all at once.
Lift your left foot.Play 'C' as you say 'one' and tap your foot.Wait as you say 'and' and lift your foot.Play 'D' as you say 'two' and tap your footand so on....Soon you will not need to count out loud. The tapping will be your count.
Practice this with the C scale.Then practice with the chords.One each count strum the chord.Strum as you say one.wait for andStrum as you say twowait for andMake sure you have same gap between the strumming.Make downward motions for your strumming.Four counts.Then practice another chord.Four times downward strumming.Then the other...
Once you are good with that, try shifting between chords.
Say you are doing A7 and D
Then 4 counts on D then move to A7 as you say and the four counts on A7 and move back to D as you say and.
It will take a long time until the transition is smooth.
We don't live in the Tom & Jerry cartoon series where you can achieve mastery in music by the time you play your 3rd note. Be patient. Keep learning new things but keep practicing the old stuff.
Good Luck.
You may know your string and chords but if you don't have a rhythm, you aren't playing a tune!
How do I get a rhythm?
Count.
You count one and two and three and four and one and two and......
There are other counts like : one and two and one and two and .....
Also one and two and three and one and two and three and one.....
I hope you can play your C scale now,
so try to get your rhythm right on that.
Count one and two and three and four.
When you are learning you can say the count out loud.
Say it as you play it.
Play 'C' as you say 'one'.
Wait as you say 'and'.
Play 'D' as you say 'two'
Wait as you say 'and'
Play 'E' as you say 'three'
Wait as you say 'and'
Play ' F' as you say 'four'
Wait as you say 'and'
Play 'G' as you say 'one'
and so on....
Make sure that there is equal interval between your two notes.
And don't be shy to count out loud.
You can be 10 or 50 yr old but there is no shame in counting out loud as you learn.
Once you are a little confident with counting as you play.
And this may take some time. Try and understand your brain. The guitar is new to it and it has to spend extra energy towards remembering the Strings, the fingers and frets. Now you are asking to also count at the same time. Its like doing two things at the same time.
Once you are used to it, it will come more naturally.
You don't have to wait until then just until you have a little practice. Then you try tapping your left foot with the rhythm.
Now you say, tap and play all at once.
Lift your left foot.Play 'C' as you say 'one' and tap your foot.Wait as you say 'and' and lift your foot.Play 'D' as you say 'two' and tap your footand so on....Soon you will not need to count out loud. The tapping will be your count.
Practice this with the C scale.Then practice with the chords.One each count strum the chord.Strum as you say one.wait for andStrum as you say twowait for andMake sure you have same gap between the strumming.Make downward motions for your strumming.Four counts.Then practice another chord.Four times downward strumming.Then the other...
Once you are good with that, try shifting between chords.
Say you are doing A7 and D
Then 4 counts on D then move to A7 as you say and the four counts on A7 and move back to D as you say and.
It will take a long time until the transition is smooth.
We don't live in the Tom & Jerry cartoon series where you can achieve mastery in music by the time you play your 3rd note. Be patient. Keep learning new things but keep practicing the old stuff.
Good Luck.