Rhythm

matabelematabele Posts: 277
edited August 2010 in Musicians and Gearheads
I know that this might sound pretty stupid but that ship has sailed already, so. I have a real problem remembering a rhythm, have heard some talk about 4 beats or something but as I never know where I am going to be next week I can't schedule lessons.
I downloaded a lesson from utube, Tom Petty , I wont back down. When I watch the lesson I get the beat going but when I am trying to play it solo I cannot seem to find the beat/rhythm.
Any suggestions as to how I can progress please.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,171
    invest in a metronome. someone on here suggested that to me a couple of years ago and it was great advice. it really helped me with my rhythm.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • matabelematabele Posts: 277
    invest in a metronome. someone on here suggested that to me a couple of years ago and it was great advice. it really helped me with my rhythm.
    Cheers for the advice, will purchase one as soon as.
  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    As an exercise to teach yourself to hear beat divisions try using your metronome like this-->

    1) Match the pulse 1 to 1. (These would be quarter notes)
    When you're good at that then
    2) Play two equal notes for each tick (These would be eighth notes if they were written down)
    When this gets easy go on to
    3) Play three equal notes for each tick (These would be triplet eighth notes)
    After that's no problem go on to
    4) Play four equal notes for each tick (These would be sixteenth notes)

    Don't set your tempo too fast at first or you might have trouble as the divisions get quicker. ;)

    The metronome is just there to keep you from galloping off or dragging. :D
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  • FIRST you need to know the types of rhythmic notes and how to count thm.

    Do you know what a whole note is and how many beats it gets?
    A half note, quarter note, eigth note, sixteenth note?

    You will not use 32nd notes too often, so save that for an intermediate lesson.
    Evolution Music Studios presents:
    DO THE EVOLUTION - a 20th Anniversary Tribute Celebration
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  • matabelematabele Posts: 277
    FIRST you need to know the types of rhythmic notes and how to count thm.

    Do you know what a whole note is and how many beats it gets?
    A half note, quarter note, eigth note, sixteenth note?

    You will not use 32nd notes too often, so save that for an intermediate lesson.

    Told you this was going to sound stupid, don't know any of that stuff. Bought a guitar a while back and figured the first thing I should learn are the chords before I went for lessons, I enjoy playing around and just making up tunes, more practising chord changes than anything and can play along with a few tunes when I watch the artists play. Bought a book but it is confusing as hell so just end up playing around and having fun. When I get time regular lessons are a definite which is where I planned to learn all the technical stuff, or if someone can recommend a book or something.
  • If u are anywhere near Philly come see me and I will give you a free lesson.

    So whenever you are playing music, there are two things you are doing. Playing certain tones or chords, and playing each one for a certain amount of time (or rhythm). Each piece of music will have an underlying "pulse" or "beat" to it. This pulse is called the "time signature" of the song. The two most common time signatures are 4/4, or 3/4. "4/4" means that each measure (the way we mark off time) will get 4 beats to it. "3/4" means each measure will get 3 beats. That's why when a song is counted off, the leader says "1...2....3...4!" How fast that count goes is called the "tempo". "Tempo" is measured in "bpm"'s or "beats per minute" A typical rock groove is around 90-100 bpm. 1 beat per second (a slow groove) would be 60 bpm's.


    Here are The "Types of Rhythmic Notes":

    1. A "Whole Note" - gets 4 beats. THis is when you play a note and it sustains (or holds) for 4 beats. If you play a chord and let it ring out, count to four in your head, or tap your foot four times. In 4/4 time this chord or note would hold for the whole measure. Think of the big sustaining chords in "Amongst the Waves" verse. Each one holds for four beats.

    2. A "Half Note" therefore will hold for 2 beats. Half the value of a "whole note". Tap your foot at an even pace. Play a chord, let it hold for two taps, play the chord again, hold it for two taps. That is one measure of half notes.

    3. A "Quarter Note" will get one beat. It is a 1/4 value of a whole note. This is when the chord or note would hit on each number of the count. "!...2...3...4" Hit your chord on each number.

    4. An "1/8th note" gets half a beat. You would count one measure of 1/8th notes like "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and" Your chord or note should now hit on every number and every "and". This is like a steady up and down strumming. Play steady up and down on a chord and say out loud, "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and" matching your strumming to your voice.

    5. "1 "sixteenth note" divides each beat into 4 parts. A measure of 1/16th notes sounds like this "1 e and ah, 2 e and ah. 3 e and ah. 4 e and ah" Say it out loud, steady. This would be a faster down and up steady strum of chords or probably a down and up picked part for individual notes. Say everything out loud. It will put the rhythm in your body not just your head.

    More later!
    Evolution Music Studios presents:
    DO THE EVOLUTION - a 20th Anniversary Tribute Celebration
    of PEARL JAM - WORLD CAFE LIVE PHILLY JUNE 19th 7pm
  • matabelematabele Posts: 277
    Thanks, I wish I was near Philly I'd be paying you but am learning a whole lot from this thread, it is starting to make sense.
  • matabelematabele Posts: 277
    I was listening to Black Crowes, Talks to Angles, acoustic version and I can't hear any regular 4 beats or any other consistent beat, I think this is why I am having such a problem understanding.
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    The OPENING to Iron Man is good for tempo and rhythm.
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • matabelematabele Posts: 277
    The OPENING to Iron Man is good for tempo and rhythm.
    Cheers for the tip, I see what you mean, what is the pulse signature to Iron Man?
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    matabele wrote:
    The OPENING to Iron Man is good for tempo and rhythm.
    Cheers for the tip, I see what you mean, what is the pulse signature to Iron Man?
    NO idea. Best of luck, though
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    matabele wrote:
    I was listening to Black Crowes, Talks to Angles, acoustic version and I can't hear any regular 4 beats or any other consistent beat, I think this is why I am having such a problem understanding.

    You're making a mistake by thinking that all songs are in four. They're not. They can be grouped in four, in three, in two, or more complicated groups like six, five, or seven.

    Just listen and see where you feel the strong beats fall. That'll give you a clue as to what the measure size is.

    It really might be a good idea to read a few books or take a few lessons if you don't want to be confused about this.
    &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
  • DangDangDangDang Posts: 1,551
    matabele wrote:
    I was listening to Black Crowes, Talks to Angles, acoustic version and I can't hear any regular 4 beats or any other consistent beat, I think this is why I am having such a problem understanding.

    That song is in 4/4.

    Intro stomp 1234 1234 1234 (stomp your foot on each number and say "and" in between)

    Vocals start and 1

    she ne(2)ver men(3)tions the word(4) addic(1)tion 2 3 and 4 and 1

    in(2) cer(3)tain com(4)pany(1) 2 3 and 4 and 1

    See, kind of?
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