Getting Rhythm
If you are just starting out learning guitar one of the hardest things can be getting a good rhythm and keeping that rhythm going while you change chords with your left hand.
When I first started learning guitar I would strum along happily until the chord change and then my right hand would stop while I changed the position of the left.
This makes your playing sound terrible. In fact if you can keep that right hand strumming or picking the sequence, you will sound good. If you are a bit slow with your chord changes and strum some open strings in between you will still sound good. But lose that rhythm and everybody knows that you are messing up.
Here are my top three tips for getting past this learning stage.
#1 Play open strings for the last beat in the bar so you have time to change chord shape. For example if your are to play | G G G G | D D D D | C C C C | instead play | G G G O | D D D O | C C C O | where O is a strum of the open strings. Listen carefully and you will notice a lot of guitar players do this. And it sounds just fine.
#2 Move your body to the rhythm. When I started out I was told to tap my foot to the rhythm.
1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4
I just couldn't do it. It seemed like one more thing to remember and overloaded my system. Then I learned to move my head to the rhythm and immediately my timing improved. I would nod to the beat and move side to side a bit as well. I guess it's just horses for courses. You need to find what works best for you but if you can't tap your foot try nodding your head or even bouncing the whole of the top half of your body. Get the beat rattling through your bones!
*** Increase your tempo gradually one beat at a time. You can use a metronome to keep time but I prefer a drum machine. I need to really hear that beat in order to know that I'm with it. You can get Metronomes and Drum Machines to download to your PC. For an excellent free drum machine visit www.just-jammin.com.
Once you have your drum machine, set it up so that there is a heavier beat on the first beat in the bar. Then set a nice easy tempo. If need be start as low as 70 beats per minute. When you can play your piece smoothly at this speed play it again at 71, then 72 etc. You'll be surprised at just how quickly you can get up to full speed.
Darren Power is the webmaster at http://www.just-jammin.com where you will find the best price on your new guitar, reviews of the latest training products along with guitar news & freebies
Latest News
Nokia Music Store Italy: More Than 4 Million Songs MarketWatch - has announced the launch in Italy of its new digital music site, Nokia Music Store, which already has a catalogue of more than 4 million songs amongst which ... |
![]() New York Times | He Can Bring the Wine and the Music New York Times, United States - By ERIC ASIMOV FOR music and for wine, David Chan says, language has its limitations. He should know. THE RIGHT NOTES David Chan, violinist and Burgundy ... |
![]() Adweek | Microsoft slashes prices of several Zune music players Seattle Post Intelligencer - By JOSEPH TARTAKOFF Microsoft slashed the prices of several of its Zune music players Tuesday, hoping to drive holiday sales despite the weak economic ... Crispin Unveils Push for Zune Microsoft Hopes Price Cuts Will Help Zune in the Holiday Season Microsoft to drop prices on flash-based Zunes |
Music Review | Kirov Orchestra and Chorus Prokofiev Did Relish a ... New York Times, United States - By JAMES R. OESTREICH It’s too bad, as Harlow Robinson points out in program notes, that Prokofiev never got around to reshaping his music for the two-part ... |
paidContent.org - Gaming Roundup: NatGeo; Music Mogul; Square Enix ... Washington Post, United States - ?Music-focused virtual world to launch in February : Is there room for another virtual world?and a music-focused one at that? The founders of Music Mogul ... |
Top Cyberspace Lawyer Challenges RIAA's Music-Sharing Lawsuits InformationWeek, NY - By W. David Gardner The legions of online music sharers, often forced to defend themselves in expensive litigation filed by recording industry interests, ... |
![]() ABC News | A Little Bit of Country Music Goes a Long Way for Nontraditional ... ABC News - By IMAEYEN IBANGA Country music has given birth to some of the nation's best songs, artists and has helped give birth to rock-'n'-roll. ... Country Music Finds New Star In Darius Rucker |
Ultimate Ears Launches First Earphones with Top-Fire Speaker Design MarketWatch - Ideal for a wide range of music genres, the Super.Fi 5 and Super.Fi 5vi earphones are the first products on the market with a top-fire-armature speaker ... |
Reuters | Perfume maker sues musician Prince Reuters - According to the lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, Prince and his music publisher Universal Music Publishing Group reached a licensing ... Prince Spritzed With Fragrance Suit Prince sued for failing to promote perfume Prince Smells The Lawsuit |
The Money Times | Melee at Music Awards New York Times, United States - A 27-year-old man was in critical condition on Sunday after being stabbed when a brawl broke out at the sixth annual Urban Music Awards ceremony at the O2 ... Urban Music Awards Shut Down Due To Stabbing, 3 Men Injured Stabbing At Urban Music Awards Man stabbed at Urban Music Awards show in London |
Resources
-
Unlimited Music & Movie Downloads
Movie traffic, great seller, great conversion, you get an easy $45 per sale.
-
MP3 Music Downloads
Best Conversion Ratio, Highest Earnings Guaranteed!
-
Unlimited Music & Movie Downloads
Download Free Music Now. Search & Find MP3
-
The Bandit A&R Newsletter for ambitious acts and songwriters
Bandit publishes details of Music companies world-wide which are in the market for new acts songwriters and masters Secure on-line card clearance system
-
My Music Inc. - Unlimited Free Music and Movie Downloads.
Top Conversion Ratio, Highest Earnings Per Sale Guaranteed ! - Updated 01/03/2006.
-
Rated "Best iPod 'accessory' Ever" Download Movies, TV shows, Music Videos and Songs for i
Capatalize on the Popular iPod Brand! Earn 75% - $35+ per Sale! Best Converting Website of 2006! #1 Product for All iPod Fans
-
Learn To Read Piano Music With Fun Piano Software for Children, Adult Beginners And Piano Teachers
"
-
Front & Back Music Software & Royalty Free Music Clips
Royalty Free Music
-
DVDxRipper.com - Copy Any DVD to CD
Brand new site, Big money maker. Incredible 75% revshare.
-
MoviesDirectPro
Incredibly high converting Unlimited Downloads site. Unlimited Moves, Tv Shows, Documentaries, Music Albums, Software & Games.


