Posted by: @bluesiline

Rhythm playing has a certain magic!

I agree with you on that. 

Sounds like you are a busy woman!! That's a good thing!

@jestme

Yes, Chris, I‘m busy, and much busier!!! than I would be in normal times.

But when social life and all other activities are frozen for months, then focusing on learning an instrument obtains again a very special value in helping remaining mentally healthy. I’m glad about it 😊. 

Keep on playing, Birgit

03-16-2021 until 03-25-21

This week my main focus was on rhythm guitar working with Robert’s „Robben Ford Funky Style Blues Lesson“. I worked very hard on the A7, D9 and E9 chords but they still need more practice. But it’s so much fun to learn rhythm guitar!

And it’s completely new to me to get used to strumming and muting strings in between lifting the left hand fingers off the frets and just rest them on top of the strings. At the same time one has to be fully engaged and focussed on strumming with the right hand, where to put the accents, listening to the metronome and always tapping the foot

The chords are still not clean, the transitions from chord to chord are still uneven and the right hand needs more practice for running like a metronome. But I’m convinced that in a year, with a lot more practice, it will sound a better.

I’m working on the rhythm in 2 ways:

1. Making a pause within strumming while focusing on finding the next chord
2. Constantly moving the right hand up and down (but not touching the strings) while searching for the next chord

The 1st approach is easier for me and I can really focus on the next chords.

The 2^nd approach is harder because I have to simultaneously focus on moving the right hand up and down and finding the chords with the left hand.

These are my first recordings after practicing the chords A7, D9 and E9 and practicing strumming and muting for about 2 weeks.

Birgit

03-25-21 until 04-02-21

I’m still working on strumming the A7, D9 and E9 chords. The longer I play these chords the cleaner they sound and the shorter the breaks are when moving from one chord to the other.

And I’m now focusing on 16th notes, so that I will be able one time (hopefully!) to play Robert’s Robben Ford Style Funky Rhythm with 16th notes.

It's really difficult to learn tapping the foot only on the beat and strumming downs on the „ANDS“.

I do rhythm exercises with hits (accents) and scratches (playing muted strings) using the A7, D9 and E9  chords.

I do four exercises placing the hits on different 16th notes within the beat:

1 E AND A 2 E AND A 3 E AND A 4 E AND A

Exercise 1 : Playing the chord, the accent. on the beat. I play the chord as I tap my foot and the rest are scratches. I do it with a metronome starting at 60 bpm to get used to it

Exercise 2 : I move the hit to the 2^nd 16th note.

This one is really difficult for me. I struggle with the fact of having the beat while tapping the foot and then having the up strum on the « 1 E » afterwards. This needs special attention and I do it very slowly.

Exercise 3: Accenting the „AND“ with a down strum. Really hard in the beginning.

Exercise 4: Accenting the last 16th note of the beat.

That’s a little bit easier for me.

I'll do these exercises until I get the flow of the 16th notes in my mind and concentrating on keeping my wrist loose.

Birgit, you are doing the hard work but it will pay off in so many ways.  Let me share some of the best advice I found about strumming 16ths and 8ths: Think of the motion as shaking water off of your hands.  This will help so that you don't tense up.  The wrist is flexible but at least 1/2 of the motion comes from your forearm rotating.  And depending on how much you want to scratch or mute (or just lift away from the strings as you keep the hand moving in time) then you un-anchor your palm from the bridge.  You can un-anchor completely and use your left hand on the fretboard to mute as you continue to strike the strings.

This is another great example of splitting your practice time and focus.  First focus on quality and sound playing slowly to get positions right, but also Second, just spend some time getting some speed and feel with the hands flowing from inside you (that internal rhythm groove that is showing in your foot).

Like many aspects of playing, it's a dual approach of

1.good technique and position and notes, And,

2.rhythm, groove, feel and time.

It's very challenging to do both at the same time so be sure to set aside practice time for both elements. I like to think of it as precision & detail vs motion & feel.

Be sure to explore and play freely in the rhythm feel.  You will build a personal sound and discover some cool notes and techniques.  Have fun, have fun, just have fun.

Respect the way you practice Birgit.
Thanks you sharing this with us!

Have a lot of playing fun and a happy Easter! 👍 

@blues-lover

Thank you, André, for your encouraging words and enjoy a restful Easter too 😊 .

Birgit

@clayton

Clayton, you’ve clearly summarised the essential points I must pay attention to. I will bear in mind your suggestions. I am so grateful for your explanation.

I hesitated for a long time to begin with 16th notes but now I’ve given me a push.

I’m completely aware that all the steps involved are very demanding and, as you say, good technique comes first.

I try to do tiny little steps over the next years. I don’t know how far I will come technically but, yes, having fun in practicing is the most important aspect for me.

Thanks a lot,

Birgit

Birgit, do you have Guitar Pro? It is good for helping with rhythms.

Robert, no, I don’t have Guitar Pro. Maybe it would be a good decision to get started with.

I’m now practicing 16th rhythm with metronome and drum backing track. This is my very first rudimentary recording playing 16th notes with hits and scratches.

 Birgit

Posted by: @bluesiline

Robert, no, I don’t have Guitar Pro. Maybe it would be a good decision to get started with.

 Birgit

Birgit,

The very oversimplified response is "What have you got to lose to 'to get started with'"?  You can download it and try it, they say for a month, before you have to get out the credit card.  And it used to be that one could continue using it for quite a while before you had to. 

Of course the answer to my question is the time of downloading and installing and trying it out.  But still no financial investment until you decided if it will benefit you.  

go here and you can download it.  

That's a good start Birgit, and I hope I can help with this topic. For sure, get Guitar Pro if you can, because it can be a great helper for practicing.

I'm going to do a Live Stream next week, and the topic of rhythm seems like a good topic for that. 

@bluesiline I love your honest dedication and obvious passion for the guitar.  Well done Birgit,

Keep going!!

@wobbly_bob

Craig, thank you so much for your kind words. This gives me great pleasure 😊. 

Regarding passion you are my model here at MGA. And I think a little bit of passion is necessary to keep on going and having fun learning and practicing.

Enjoy playing, Birgit