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Lyle Ronglien >> Beginning Guitar V - Rhythm >>



Beginning Guitar V -
Rhythm

Lesson 2

check your tuning

Lyle: This lesson is all about keeping your rhythm arm at a steady beat, and adding up strokes. You'll be using the open C chord for this lesson:

C chord


C chord

Lyle: Make sure you are muting the big 6th string with either the tip of your 3rd finger or the tip of your thumb.

Lyle: The first rhythm is the easy one. Strum down on each beat while you tap your foot and count out loud:

rhythm 1


rhythm 1

rhythm 1

Lyle: Here's a basic jam track you can use to play along with:

Jam Track - drums and bass

Lyle: Now you'll add a single up stroke at the end of the measure, right after beat 4. When you count out loud the up stroke, use the word "and". So in the next rhythm count out loud - 1, 2, 3, 4, and...

rhythm 2


rhythm 2

rhythm 2

Lyle: You can loop the TAB notation to help you play along or try using the looping jam track. Notice that your strumming arm is going at exactly the same speed as in rhythm 1. The only thing different is you're choosing to hit the strings on the way up after beat 4. It sounds like you're going faster but you're not.

Lyle: Next exercise is adding an up strum after the 3rd beat:

rhythm 3


rhythm 3

rhythm 3

Lyle: I know you're tapping your foot and counting out loud.....Keep your foot going down on all 4 of the "down beats", the 1, 2, 3, and 4 beats of the measure.

Lyle: Are we doing ok out there?

zack: I get the rhythm, but I'm having a hard time with the up strokes?

Lyle: When you watch the video clips you'll notice my strumming arm never changes speed, it just sounds like it because of the added up strums. One of the secrets to being a smooth sounding guitar player is being able to master these simple rhythms.

Lyle: Let's add another up stroke after the 2nd beat of the measure:

rhythm 4


rhythm 4

rhythm 4

Lyle: Rhythm 4 is a popular rhythm that is used in many style of music. Remember you can loop the TAB notation to help you play along. You can even SLOW it down!

Lyle: Here's what it would be like if you had up strokes after each down beat:

rhythm 5


rhythm 5

rhythm 5

zack: I'm having some trouble strumming the up strokes, I'm just not hitting all of the strings

Lyle: It's not real important you hit all the strings of the chord, as long as you are keeping the beat. You'll learn to smooth out the strum. Watch my video clip examples, you see how my arm stays at the same speed/pace through all these rhythms.

Lyle: Here's a rhythm that's just a little different. You'll strum up after the 2nd and 4th beat only:

rhythm 6


rhythm 6

rhythm 6

Joel: Waltz beat. cool. :)

Lyle: No, it's not a waltz beat, it's more of a country rhythm. A waltz beat has only 3 beats per measure, this has 4 beats per measure.

Lyle: If you've made it past each rhythm riff so far, try playing them all back to back like in the following example:

all 6 rhythms

all 6 rhythms

Lyle: Remember you can loop the TAB notation and even slow it down to help you play the exercise along with me.

Lyle: You really have to concentrate hard to be able to 1. memorize each rhythm and what comes next, 2. keep tapping your foot and counting out loud while perfecting your smooth strum.

Lyle: That's all for now, thank you and see you in the next lesson as we work on more rhythms!



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