Need to get rhythm

95_RipperZ · Post by **95_RipperZ** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 12:20 am

Ok, I have been playing for about 6 months non religiously and I can play decently with picking songs, ie under the bridge, nothing else matters but I can never really get the hang of strumming and the patterns. Any help or songs that I could use to practice and make me better would be great.

For example: I can play Clapton- Layla until he goes into the first solo. At the solo I can pick everything but it just doesnt sound right at all. here is the tab i use.

http://www.guitartabs.cc/fetchurl.php?f ... oustic.tab

DubStyleKeeper · Post by **DubStyleKeeper** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 12:28 am

good songs would be freebird, good acoustic rythym in that, put your lights on by santana and everlast is good too, and sublime's April 29th is a basic stacato rythym which means after you play the chord you mute the strings with your fret hand

gravedigger · Post by **gravedigger** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 12:32 am

I'd like to suggest something off the wall but it makes sense to me. you know Angel From Montegomery? the song Dave likes. Well that's a John Prine song and John Prine has tons of great simple songs that just involve a few standard chords but they're a great way to work on your rhythm. It's all practice. play anything and everything. but John Prine is the man, I'm tellin' ya

peace

ericwormann · Post by **ericwormann** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 5:19 pm

slapman24 · Post by **slapman24** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 5:29 pm

winglet nailed it.. just listen to the song over and over.. get it stuck in your head, and THEN pick up the guitar.. you'll get the rythme down in no time

4mbi3nt · Post by **4mbi3nt** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 5:53 pm

Another thing that might be helpful is isolating parts of the rythm, i.e. only try to get the rythm to work with 2 chords. Something else that i do sometimes is playing some of the chords from the song to a different rythm, a very simple one. I do this when learning songs that have new chords i've never played. Helps me get the timing and fingering down.

95_RipperZ · Post by **95_RipperZ** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 6:45 pm

Sweet. Thanks for the advise. Any good songs that I can practice to that have a relatively easy strumming pattern?

I also try playing Creed-one and it just doesnt go. I can play it and it sounds close but it is just missing that something that makes it smooth.

BTW- That Santana- Put your lights on is a good one. Thanks.

lowtech411 · Post by **lowtech411** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 8:47 pm

Drive - Incubus
Any Sheryl crow song has an easy strumming pattern and easy chords.
Where Are You Going - DMB (Strummed version)

These might be on the easy side but if your having trouble getting rythem patterns maybe its good to take everything else out of the equation ie:hard chord changes, solos, picking etc. You might want to just play really slow so you can get up down up down right and then gradually speed up to the right tempo. Good luck and practice religiously.

johntherevelator · Post by **johntherevelator** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 10:16 pm

lowtech411 wrote:Drive - Incubus
Any Sheryl crow song has an easy strumming pattern and easy chords.
Where Are You Going - DMB (Strummed version)

These might be on the easy side but if your having trouble getting rythem patterns maybe its good to take everything else out of the equation ie:hard chord changes, solos, picking etc. You might want to just play really slow so you can get up down up down right and then gradually speed up to the right tempo. Good luck and practice religiously.

yes, definitely slow it down first and work your way from slow to fast.
a good musician can play a song at any tempo and still keep a steady strumming pattern

95_RipperZ · Post by **95_RipperZ** » Thu Jan 23, 2003 11:45 pm

Ok. I downloaded a metronomebut how do I use the thing?

Obviously I am to keep pace with it but how will this help my guitar skills THAT much? I mean it is just a repetative up/down strokes. This is if I am doing it right. Do I switch chords too? Do I go up up down and vary my patterns or what.

That little thing is annoying too cus it is a clucking sound. Kinda hard to hear both the guitar and the nome at the same time too to see if i am with it or not.

johntherevelator · Post by **johntherevelator** » Thu Jan 23, 2003 11:55 pm

95_RipperZ wrote:Ok. I downloaded a metronomebut how do I use the thing?

Obviously I am to keep pace with it but how will this help my guitar skills THAT much? I mean it is just a repetative up/down strokes. This is if I am doing it right. Do I switch chords too? Do I go up up down and vary my patterns or what.

That little thing is annoying too cus it is a clucking sound. Kinda hard to hear both the guitar and the nome at the same time too to see if i am with it or not.

metronomes are extremely helpful, especially for drummers
i still use my metronome today
i know it seems like it isnt doing much, but if you master the click-track at all speeds, youll be able to play any song with perfect rthym without breakin a sweat

95_RipperZ · Post by **95_RipperZ** » Fri Jan 24, 2003 12:07 am

when i use it though am i suppose to just go up/ down, up/down, etc or should i change the pattern and then also cahgne chords too?

ericwormann · Post by **ericwormann** » Fri Jan 24, 2003 1:01 am

johntherevelator · Post by **johntherevelator** » Fri Jan 24, 2003 8:43 am

95_RipperZ wrote:when i use it though am i suppose to just go up/ down, up/down, etc or should i change the pattern and then also cahgne chords too?

you can start out just going up/down but then you want to mix it up with different speeds and rthyms