How Time works in Music

[mark wein]

This is a series of lessons that have absolutely no guitar in them (until the last one), but I think are essential to understanding how to play the instrument in time. Not "sexy" lessons full of scales and techniques but the actual building blocks that make you a "musician" and not just a "guitar owner"...


Time and Rhythm

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=35


Rhythm Exercises #1

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=35


Eighth Notes and Subdivision

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=35


Eighth Note Strumming

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=35


:beer:

 

[Tynee]

Mark, good stuff here!!

I've been involved in music since I was born. I've sung in church, I played the Trombone and Tuba from 4th grade through my junior year in College, and I sang in Choir from 6th until I was about a sophmore in college.

I'm 30 now, and new to the guitar. I have found it hard to changed chords and keep a strumming pattern going. Through working through your excersizes yesterday, I realized that none of my previous musical experience has required the kind of coordination that the guitar does. Never before have I been doing two completely opposite things with my hands. I learned this while trying to tap a steady 60 bpm while subdividing my clapping. I've always UNDERSTOOD musical time, but I've never really had to apply it.

Thanks so much for posting this so I could figure out the real obstacle to me actually playing the guitar, not just strumming some chords.

 

[mark wein]

Mark, good stuff here!!

I've been involved in music since I was born. I've sung in church, I played the Trombone and Tuba from 4th grade through my junior year in College, and I sang in Choir from 6th until I was about a sophmore in college.

I'm 30 now, and new to the guitar. I have found it hard to changed chords and keep a strumming pattern going. Through working through your excersizes yesterday, I realized that none of my previous musical experience has required the kind of coordination that the guitar does. Never before have I been doing two completely opposite things with my hands. I learned this while trying to tap a steady 60 bpm while subdividing my clapping. I've always UNDERSTOOD musical time, but I've never really had to apply it.

Thanks so much for posting this so I could figure out the real obstacle to me actually playing the guitar, not just strumming some chords.

I'm glad you got some use from the lessons. These we some of my least popular lessons when I initially did them...most folks want to learn scales and soloing and this is the guitar equivalent of learning to add and subtract.

I've always had difficulty with my time and rhythmic concepts when I was getting started and I realized that most guitarists are never taught this stuff very comprehensively so when I wrote my book I put extra emphasis on the subject and then did these lessons as supplements to insure that the material was available in a more accessible form. All of that "boring writing" at the beginning of most guitar books gets bypassed by most people....

 

[evenkeel]

Good post. :bravo:

Although not very sexy, this is so important. Brought home very clearly to me when I started to do some home recording. If you want to add any rhythm elements it's critical you play to a metronome or a click track. As a solo acoustic guy, steady beat and tempo is not my strong suit. This is such a good foundation.

Thanks for the kick in the bu** to go back and re-emphasize some of these basics.

 

[mark wein]

Good post. :bravo:

Although not very sexy, this is so important. Brought home very clearly to me when I started to do some home recording. If you want to add any rhythm elements it's critical you play to a metronome or a click track. As a solo acoustic guy, steady beat and tempo is not my strong suit. This is such a good foundation.

Thanks for the kick in the bu** to go back and re-emphasize some of these basics.

No problem! I'm glad you dig it....:AOK:

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Thanks Mark. Good stuff again. Always good to go back to this stuff. I did develop a bad habit when I started guitar of stopping my strumming hand, not to allow for chord changes, but just stopping, and trying to hit the strums I was hearing in the song I was trying to learn. I did not know about strumming up on upbeats. It has taken a while to break this, especially on songs I learned when I started, and it is good for me to work the exercises.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

As a solo acoustic guy, steady beat and tempo is not my strong suit.

Play solo aucoustic fingerstyle blues to a metronome or drum machine. It's a great way to lock you in the rhythmic groove.

I agree that rhythm is King, good lesson Mark.

 

[mark wein]

:AOK:

Thanks guys!

 

[Gil Janus]

Mark - thanks a lot, this will help me a lot. I got your book as a Christmas present from my daughter - and these lessons are a great help. Since I'm a re-learner, my Rhythm and Strumming is the part that needs the most help.

Gil

 

[mark wein]

Mark - thanks a lot, this will help me a lot. I got your book as a Christmas present from my daughter - and these lessons are a great help. Since I'm a re-learner, my Rhythm and Strumming is the part that needs the most help.

Gil

Very cool!

If you don't mind me asking, how did your daughter know to buy my book? I'm always curious about this stuff...

 

[Gil Janus]

Very cool!

If you don't mind me asking, how did your daughter know to buy my book? I'm always curious about this stuff...

A hint left by Mr. Gil of course. She also picked up 30-Day Guitar Workout for me from the same hint after I saw your Healthy Hands lesson :bravo:

Subtle hints or just some post-its work wonders

Gil

 

[mark wein]

A hint left by Mr. Gil of course. She also picked up 30-Day Guitar Workout for me from the same hint after I saw your Healthy Hands lesson :bravo:

Subtle hints or just some post-its work wonders

Gil