BC-146 • Rhythm Guitar Basics 2

[Curlyfeet]

I wonder if anyone can give me some advice. I've been gradually working through the course since June and am very happy with my progress given that music doesn't come naturally to me, but I enjoy it.

I've been practising the rhythm patterns, playing them with a thin plectrum and have got the 3 so far reasonably automatic. I'm able to change chords with them at 80BPM (slow I know but I can work on that).

My issue is that my playing sounds mechanical and robotic (I hope this description makes sense but I don't know how else to describe it). Could someone tell me if this is common for a beginner? Has anyone got any tips that might help? Is this something with should improve with time and practice?

I've asked Santa for the Strumming Techniques 1 DVD, which I'm hoping will help me but would appreciate any advice to keep me going until then!

Thanks

[jacksroadhouse]

It's definitely not unusual

One thing to look out is accenting. To start with, try to emphasize the strum on the downbeat (the "1") to give it a little more rhythm. Another thing is to vary the strumming itself. Not every strum has to hit all the strings of a chord. A typical thing is to concentrate the down-strokes either on the (pitch-wise) lower strings or all the strings, and the up-strokes on the higher strings.

There's a lot more to come along these lines. It helps to play along with thr record to "get into the groove" a little better. But most of it just comes time - the more you play (and not just practice), the easier it gets to give your playing more character.

[Curlyfeet]

Thanks very much jacksroadhouse, that gives me a little more confidence that I'll get to playing something more musical with time!

I'll give the accenting a go.

What you say about playing along with records makes lots of sense. I've avoided playing along with records so far as they are often too fast for me, but I was already planning on building up to that. I have however tried playing along to Mad World, because it's a song I know well and it's not too fast. Interestingly that is the only song that I feel I can actually play (by that I mean it's recognisable - not perfect but definitely recognisable)

Thanks again - time for me to go and pick up my guitar for an extra session 

[jacksroadhouse]

Got one for that, too

Get Audacity (or the transcribing / audio editing / DAW software of your choice), and slow down the song. In Audacity it's "Change tempo" (not "speed"!). You can even change the key of a song if it doesn't fit.

[Curlyfeet]

Ooooh Jacksroadhouse you are on a roll!

That sounded really interesting, so I was sat here wondering if it was too late to add something to my list for Santa only to find Audacity is free!!   

I'm going to have to download it and have play.

I'm so pleased I decided to post on here tonight.

Thanks again 

[Steve b]

Hi all, it's my first post so please be gentle!

I have been playing now for just over a month & I am making really good progress, except with my strumming.

I am struggling with chord changes. On quite a few changes I am still getting a dud note on the first beat after a change. I have practiced each chord change as part of my 1 minute changes & can achieve good results, but when it comes to strumming it seems to go to pot.

Is it better to slow ( using a metronome ) down & get the changes more accurate, or maintain the speed &  "force the changes"

Thanks in advance, Steve

[misterg]

Is it better to slow ( using a metronome ) down & get the changes more accurate, or maintain the speed &  "force the changes"

Thanks in advance, Steve

Hi Steve, and welcome!

I think you need to do both - slow down and get it perfect, but then every now and again just try and push it a little. The one thing *not* to do is just to maintain speed and hope it sorts itself out, because (generally) it won't - all you will be doing is ingraining the duff change through practice.

So: Slow down and get it right first, this will "teach your fingers" what to do, then when you try and play through more quickly, they should be able to do the same thing.

Andy

[stitch101]

I agree with Andy. If you force the changes and aren't playing them correctly your are practicing mistakes.

Do you have a metronome that will speed up after a certain number of clicks? I have one that you can set
to speed up at regular intervals. Start it at 40 bpm and set it to speed up by two or more beats after 20
beat and so on until you start making mistakes.  Once you start making mistakes stop and go back and
start over. Increase your start speed each day and this will help with your strumming as well as your
changes.

[mmmbert]

For me the best way was to get comfortable with a rhythm and play it correctly. Then speed up enough that it is a little struggle to do it correctly. But don't slow back down, and for sure don't slow down on the beat where you change chords.

If this is the progression

D                                      G
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4

make sure you don't do this:

D                                              G
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and and  1 and 2 and 3 and 4

[Dr Winterbourne]

This same technique, going slow and perfect, comes up again when you learn your scales.

Once you can do it perfecty slowly, the metronome will easier help you speed up.

Its great when you improve a bit, hey?

[TheCasual]

I started these exercises two weeks ago and have gone from 60BPM to 70BPM.What sort of speed do I need to be at before I move on to the next stage. I've nearly got all my chord changes to 60 changes per minute.