How to Play Rhythm Guitar & Keep Time
- 1). Set your metronome to play quarter notes at 60 beats per minute.
- 2). Count along with the metronome vocally and by tapping your feet.
- 3). Strum a simple chord on every beat while counting. Hit each chord exactly on each beat, while focusing on staying on time with the metronome. Once you can keep perfect time with the metronome, strum a chord on every eighth note. Keep your foot tapping on every beat, but count each chord strum out loud---"one and two and three and four and." Strum sixteenth-note chords when counting and playing eighth-note chords becomes second nature. Count by saying "one-e-and-a two-e-and-a three-e-and-a four-e-and-a."
- 4). Speed up the metronome 15 beats per minute. Continue to focus on counting along as you begin playing faster. Continue to focus on playing whole notes, eighth notes and sixteenth notes at this tempo. Repeat the increase in tempo when you can keep perfect time.
- 5). Learn slightly more complex rhythmical patterns while continuing to focus on counting. If you can accurately count in your head, you can stop counting out loud. Start mixing whole, eighth and sixteen notes, and learning how to play triplets (counted "one-and-a two-and-a three-and-a four-and-a"). Slow down the metronome if you can't keep up with learning new rhythms.
- 6). Learn to play one of your favorite songs, but pay special attention to the rhythms. While learning to play the song, make sure you continue to tap your foot and count along with the rhythm guitar. Play along with a recording of the song once you can count the entire song. Focus on playing every chord and note exactly on time.
- 7). Explore different time signatures. Common time signatures include 3/4 and 6/8. Many metronomes can be programmed to count these time signatures, and if yours can, be sure to use it.
- 8). Play with a good drummer if at all possible. Playing with other musicians will help you more than anything else in your path to becoming a solid rhythm guitarist. Remember to count along as you play with others. Ask the drummer about any rhythmically difficult passage to see how she counts it.
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