Backbeat

[tot_Ou_tard]

What do you tend to do if you're playing rhythm and emphasizing the 2 & the 4, but your strumming pattern is missing one of those downstrokes?

Emphasize the corresponding upstroke? Just emphasize the present downstroke?

 

[mark wein]

I would try and keep the feel going consistently, even if you are not actually playing a note on that beat. Are you playing on that beat? What is the rhythm?

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I would try and keep the feel going consistently, even if you are not actually playing a note on that beat. Are you playing on that beat? What is the rhythm?

For example playing straight eighths in 4/4 time

down up _ up down _ down _

the downstroke of the 2 is missing.

I have another question regarding shuffle rhythm (swung notes) is the backbeat typically emphasized? Are the downstrokes or up strokes usually given greater weight?

Thanks!

 

[Robert]

For the 2nd question, yes, the upstroke is emphasized on the "and's" - one-and-two-and...
I don't understand your first question.

 

[Ro3b]

So if I understand you, you're going

one and TWO and three and FOUR and 
D   U   D   U   D     U   D    U

right? But you want to use this pattern:

one and     and three     FOUR
D   U       U   D         D

I don't think that's a big deal if you've already set up the groove with accents on the two and four, but I wouldn't want to use that rhythm constantly. Shrug?

I have another question regarding shuffle rhythm (swung notes) is the backbeat typically emphasized?

Sure. Backbeats are where the motivation to dance resides.

Are the downstrokes or up strokes usually given greater weight?

I guess it depends on the genre of music, but my instinct would be to imitate the high hat in a swing band:

one     TWO and three     FOUR and 
D       D   U   D         D    U

Boom, chucka, boom, chucka, boom, chucka, boom, chucka. So the accented beats get downstrokes.

Does this help?

 

[evergreen]

A good practice is to emphasize upstrokes preceding 2 & 4 (sometimes even 1 & 3) Try these patterns

d U - u d U - u d u d U - U - -

d - d u d - d U - U - - d - d -

This is also true for chomping with bass. Usually one plays bass 1 2 3 4 and chords on 1and & 3and. But try chomp on 2and & 4and - just before the bass (yeah, I know that it's more complicated) - and you will get more energy from such accompaniment.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

For the 2nd question, yes, the upstroke is emphasized on the "and's" - one-and-two-and...
I don't understand your first question.

Thanks Robert. That's OK, Ro3b did.

So if I understand you, you're going

one and TWO and three and FOUR and 
D   U   D   U   D     U   D    U

right? But you want to use this pattern:

one and     and three     FOUR
D   U       U   D         D

I don't think that's a big deal if you've already set up the groove with accents on the two and four, but I wouldn't want to use that rhythm constantly. Shrug?

Yes, that's an example of what I was talking about

I guess it depends on the genre of music, but my instinct would be to imitate the high hat in a swing band:

one     TWO and three     FOUR and 
D       D   U   D         D    U

Boom, chucka, boom, chucka, boom, chucka, boom, chucka. So the accented beats get downstrokes.

Does this help?

Yes, thanks!

A good practice is to emphasize upstrokes preceding 2 & 4 (sometimes even 1 & 3) Try these patterns

d U - u d U - u d u d U - U - -

d - d u d - d U - U - - d - d -

Thanks evergreen!

This is also true for chomping with bass. Usually one plays bass 1 2 3 4 and chords on 1and & 3and.

But try chomp on 2and & 4and - just before the bass (yeah, I know that it's more complicated) - and you will get more energy from such accompaniment.

I don't understand these statements.
By chomp, do you mean what I mean by emphasize?

 

[evergreen]

I don't understand these statements.
By chomp, do you mean what I mean by emphasize?

There were not exactly to the point. Chomping with bass is usually played like this

| bass chord bass bass chord bass | ...

Try

chord | bass bass chord bass bass | ...

instead

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Oh, you meant comping:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comping

 

[evergreen]

Oh, you meant comping:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comping

Sorry for those mistakes, I meant walking bass chord comping:

see from 1:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE5ZhBHy6Rs

Try the same comping on 2and & 4and instead of 1and & 3and. Sometimes sounds better imho. The best practice is to combine both approaches.

Yet it far away from you question, sorry for stealing a thread

 

[Ro3b]

Yeah, what I do isn't so much chomping as gnashing.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Sorry for those mistakes, I meant walking bass chord comping:

see from 1:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE5ZhBHy6Rs

Try the same comping on 2and & 4and instead of 1and & 3and. Sometimes sounds better imho. The best practice is to combine both approaches.

No problem, I was just confused. Great video there, thanks!

Yet it far away from you question, sorry for stealing a thread

Apologizing to me? :rotflmao: You are new here aren't you?

I love it when threads meander in a conversational way.

 

[marnold]

As a former bass player, these are things that I "feel" more than I "know". As a guitarist, I have to think. As a bassist, I can just do. I can't really explain it.