Playing music in time with a click-track or a drum machine might not seem like a big deal, but many musicians just can’t do it. As the song goes on, poorly trained guitar players will often notice their time deteriorate. This video explains how to focus on the “Duration,” (the length of note and its value across a measure). Learn this principle, and you will gain a rock solid awareness for rhythm…
Q: Really feeling lost and frustrated with my rhythm. I can’t seem to develop it to where I am playing in time. This badness flips over to my soloing. As I said, I have this trouble with relating to anything rhythmic. I’m starting to feel rhythmically debilitated. Any tips from you would simply rule!
Kenny — New York, USA
A: I’d like to state up-front that rhythmic ability is one of the most neglected practices by guitar players.
Keep in mind, that without being able to play in time, it won’t matter how good you are at things like; note-choice, scales, dynamics, technique, or harmony. Playing in time is the number one most integral part of the framework that’s necessary to help both you & your band-mates stay on-top of the beat.
You must develop an internal “click-track” in your mind, (internalize the rhythm of a song that you’re performing). Doing this easily isn’t just about being able to tap your foot. It’s more like developing an internal awareness for your own personal musical compass. The end-result is — Never Getting Lost in the Land of the Beat!
In the video lesson I run through something I call my, “Duration Workout Exercise.” I’ve used this process for over 20 years with my private students here at Creative Guitar. If you can perfect this rather straight-forward exercise, it will help a lot to improve your own rhythmic foundation and the very building blocks of, “Playing Musical Rhythm in Perfect Time.”
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