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<div class="item{{Top-wrap"><div class="trail blue"><span class="text">[[B Diminished|B dim]]</span><span class="text">[[Other Open String Chords|Open Chords]]</span><span class="text">[[Music Theory - Minor Keys|Minor Keys]]</span><span class="text">[[Harmonic Minor and Augmented Chords|Harmonic Min]]</span><span class="text">[[Barre ChordsLevel Crumbs|Barre Chords]]</span>1}}<span class="text">[[Suspended Chords{{Lesson Crumbs|Sus Chords]]</span>2}}<span class="text current">[[Applying Rhythm to Chords{{Intermediate Lesson Crumbs|Rhythm]]</span><span class="text">[[Circle of Fifths|Circle of 5ths]]</span><span class="text">[[G Major and E Minor|G Maj and E Min]]</span><span class="text">[[5th Position|5th Pos]]</span><span class="text">[[Scales for all Positions|All Pos]]</span><span class="text">[[CAGED]]</span><span class="text">[[7th Chords]]</span></div></div>7}}

Whenever you're talking about strumming chords, you have to necessarily think of the guitar as a ''percussive '' instrument just as much as a harmonic one. Even a great progression can become boring without a driving, interesting rhythm. We have lots of tools at our disposal to create one. The guitar's sharp attack but lasting sustain make for quite a contrast, but can still be contrasted further with rests. Mutes Strummed mutes and palm mutes further enhance the percussive nature of the instrument and increase our palette. This is all in addition to a wide dynamic range accessible by pick strength, as well as the different tone of downstrokes vs. upstrokes. We can also slide into chords, or pick subsets of the different notes on different beats. We can divide the beat in new ways, as well as practice different rhythmic grooves and even try syncopation.

{{Crumbs|blue|2|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Strumming Notation|Notation|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Technique|Technique|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Mutes and Rests|Mutes|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Simple Strumming Patterns|Patterns|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Playing Off-beat|Off-beat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Accenting Backbeat or Raggae Feel|Backbeat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Half Step Slides|Slides|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Tuplets/Triplets|Tuplets|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Swing Feel|Swing|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Sweeps and Arpeggios|Arpeggios|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Legato Embellishments|Legato|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Comping|Comping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Vamping|Vamping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Puttin the Stank on Power Chords|Accents}} Even the most famous shred players tend to alter their technique when strumming chords. If plucking single strings is like writing with a pen, strumming is more like painting with a paintbrush. There's typically elbow ''and'' wrist movement, with each stroke having a bit more "momentum". The back-and-forth motion should be continuous and consistent, even if you are not actually strumming on some of those strokes. Your right arm should be like a pendulum of a grandfather clock, perfectly keeping time. '''It should not be waiting on the left hand to fret notes.''' It's more important to stay in-time and play on the beats than to perfectly fret every note, but obviously if your left hand is way off, it's still going to sound bad. If you can't make the chord shapes fast enough to keep time, you'll need to either slow down or work more on your left hand chord shapes.

''{{Crumbs|blue|3|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Strumming Notation|Notation|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Technique|Technique|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Mutes and Rests|Mutes'' |Applying Rhythm to Chords#Simple Strumming Patterns|Patterns|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Playing Off-beat|Off-beat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Accenting Backbeat or Raggae Feel|Backbeat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Half Step Slides|Slides|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Tuplets/Triplets|Tuplets|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Swing Feel|Swing|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Sweeps and ''rests'' become quite important Arpeggios|Arpeggios|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Legato Embellishments|Legato|Applying Rhythm to get a good rhythmic feel Chords#Comping|Comping|Applying Rhythm to strumming chords. ''Muted strums'' are very percussive, moreso than any other variety. Rests are also useful Chords#Vamping|Vamping|Applying Rhythm to contrast against all other types of playing. Chords#Puttin the Stank on Power Chords|Accents}} For any beat, we can play strum a strumchord, sustain a chord strummed on a prior beat, play a muted strum, or rest. '''Rests''' become quite important to get a good rhythmic feel to strumming chords - they are simply moments of silence between our playing, but their contrast can be just as powerful as an accented chord. Our [[Basic Technique|normal muting technique]] of flattening our left-hand fingers across the strings, as well as resting the right-hand palm against the strings near the bridge works best; but in the heat of the moment while making chord shapes, you may not have time to flatten the left-hand fingers. And you want to keep your right hand moving in time for good strumming technique.

The way So how do we mute? It's often sufficient to perform a rest is incidentally by muting simply reduce the pressure on the barre and other fingers so that the strings, using both no longer touch the frets but still rest against the left and right hands, as described [[Basic Technique|previously]]fingers so they are muted. '''This is not also fairly easy to be confused by a muted strum''perform. If it doesn't fully mute the strings (open strings or harmonics), which uses a try to flatten any unused left hand mute while strumming fingers. If there are still issues with ringing strings, you may have to resort to using the right hand, which is unfortunately often called just a "mute". So, I use the classical term ''rest'' to describe it here to avoid confusionbreaking away from your strumming technique momentarily.

'''Muted strums''' are very percussive, moreso than any other variety. ''Be sure not to confuse a muted strum, with a mute (rest).'' A muted strum uses a left hand mute while strumming with the right hand. Like with rests, we often forgo flattening all the left-hand fingers and simply lighten the pressure of our barre. Muted strums' percussive nature allows them to have clarity while strumming quickly. They are also easier to play than most chords, as they require less precision. When alternating between barre chords and muted strums, it's often simple enough to simply reduce left hand pressure on the strings so they come off the frets but are still pressed against the fingers. If barring on a strong harmonic placement, such as on the 5th, 7th, or 12th frets, you may need to shift position slightly when muting to avoid getting a natural harmonic instead of a strong muted strum.

F# x x x x x x x x E r F# r B - Strumming Notation e e s s s s e e s s s s q q q q w - Note Durations 1 n 2 u n u 3 n 4 u n u 1 2 3 4 1 ... - Beat d d d u d u d d d u d u d d d - Down/Upstrokes eE--2---2---x-x-x-x-2---2---x-x-x-x|0--------(x)-----2--------(x)----|2----- bB--2---2---x-x-x-x-2---2---x-x-x-x|0------r-(x)-----2------r-(x)----|4----- gG--3---3---x-x-x-x-3---3---x-x-x-x|1------e-(x)-----3------e-(x)----|4----- dD--4---4---x-x-x-x-4---4---x-x-x-x|2------s-(x)-----4------s-(x)----|4----- aA--4---4---x-x-x-x-4---4---x-x-x-x|2------t-(x)-----4------t-(x)----|2----- eE--2---2---x-x-x-x-2---2---x-x-x-x|0--------(x)-----2--------(x)----|------ muted muted rest/ rest/ strums strums mute mute

{{Crumbs|blue|6|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Strumming Notation|Notation|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Technique|Technique|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Mutes and Rests|Mutes|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Simple Strumming Patterns|Patterns|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Playing Off-beat|Off-beat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Accenting Backbeat or Raggae Feel|Backbeat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Half Step Slides|Slides|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Tuplets/Triplets|Tuplets|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Swing Feel|Swing|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Sweeps and Arpeggios|Arpeggios|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Legato Embellishments|Legato|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Comping|Comping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Vamping|Vamping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Puttin the Stank on Power Chords|Accents}} Here's a rock-type way to strum an accented '''backbeat'''. You can add even more emphasis to the backbeat by [Palm Muting|palm muting]] the 2-note power chords on the A and E strings - while this doesn't make the strummed full chord any louder, it creates more contrast, creating a perception of loudness.  1 2 3 4 E-------------3---------- B-------------3---------- G-------------4---------- D-------------5---------- A-5-----5-----5-----5---- E-3-----3-----3-----3---- Here's the same rhythm but double-time:  1 2 3 4 E-------------3--3------- B-------------3--3------- G-------------4--4------- D-------------5--5------- A-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5- E-3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3- Rather than emphasizing the downbeat, a '''Raggae feel''' often plays a rest, muted strum, or root note of the chord on the downbeat/backbeat, waiting for the even beats to strum the entire chord. Additionally, it uses an upstroke on the strum, often emphasizing the higher notes of the chord, getting a thin, percussive sound. Within the beat, there's often a swing feel, repeating the beginning of the beat, like an echo.  1 2 3 4 E-------3---3-------3---3- B-------5---5-------5---5- G-------5---5-------5---5- D-x--(x)------------------ A-x--(x)------3---3------- E------------------------- {{top}}

{{Crumbs|blue|7|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Strumming Notation|Notation|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Technique|Technique|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Mutes and Rests|Mutes|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Simple Strumming Patterns|Patterns|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Playing Off-beat|Off-beat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Accenting Backbeat or Raggae Feel|Backbeat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Half Step Slides|Slides|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Tuplets/Triplets|Tuplets|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Swing Feel|Swing|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Sweeps and Arpeggios|Arpeggios|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Legato Embellishments|Legato|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Comping|Comping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Vamping|Vamping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Puttin the Stank on Power Chords|Accents}} Sometimes an interesting way to accent a chord is by [[Legato (Hammer-on, Pull-off)|sliding ]] up or down into it from a half-step below or above. This is most commonly found in jazz and funk, as well as blues and thus older rock.

{{Crumbs|blue|8|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Strumming Notation|Notation|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Technique|Technique|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Mutes and Rests|Mutes|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Simple Strumming Patterns|Patterns|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Playing Off-beat|Off-beat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Accenting Backbeat or Raggae Feel|Backbeat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Half Step Slides|Slides|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Tuplets/Triplets|Tuplets|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Swing Feel|Swing|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Sweeps and Arpeggios|Arpeggios|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Legato Embellishments|Legato|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Comping|Comping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Vamping|Vamping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Puttin the Stank on Power Chords|Accents}} '''Tuplets''' are rhythmic structures that subdivide a beat into a number of equally long sub-beats that isn't a multiple of 2. For example, in */4 time, sub-dividing into 2 can be done using 8th notes, into 4 uses 16th notes, and into 8 uses 32nd notes. If you wanted to sub-divide the beat into 3rds, 5ths, 6ths, or 7ths, you'd have to use a tuplet. They consist of are written in tab with a beam marker that connects line spanning above the notes, with a number or ratio of numbers written in the middle. In classical notation, the notes are beamed together with the ratio or a single number written abovethe beam. === Triplets ===The most common tuplet is a subdivision of a beat into 3 sub-beats, called a '''triplet'''. It almost sounds like a momentary 33% speed up or slow down in the tempo - you've probably heard them in plenty of popular music without realizing it. Here's an example:

The "---3---" above the strums indicates a the triplet - here we have a quarter note on the first beat, 2 notes for the 2nd beat, 3 on the 3rd, and 4 on the 4th. We count this as "1 2 and 3 trip-let 4 uh and uh". I included the note names: q - quarter, e - eighth, s - sixteenth. === Conceptual Deep Look at Tuplets ===Tuplets can get incredibly complex, used in [[Syncopation, Polymeter, and Polyrhythm|polyrhythm]], an advanced topic we cover later on. While its kind of pointless to try to expand on tuplets beyond the common triplets and 6:4 tuplets (2 chained triplets) at this point, I want to expose the full nature of the concept rather than leaving you curious.

It's more rare, but there are cases where the ratio must be specified because the rhythm would otherwise be ambiguous. For example, you may have a single eighth note marked with a 6:5 tuplet, then 3 quarter notes marked with a 8:7 tuplet, then 1 quarter note marked with a 24:23 tuplet. Believe it or not, this actually adds up to a perfect 4 beats of time. I'll prove it.

* 5 8th notes = 2.5 beats. The 1 6:5 eighth note = 1/6 of 2.5 beats = 15/36ths of one beat

* Adding the first two bullet points above gives us 15/36ths + 21/8ths = 120/288ths + 756/288 = 876/288 = 438/144 = 219/72 = 73/24

Most of the time, such crazy math isn't necessary or really even useful. It's usually clear what the composer or transcriber wanted you to play when you look at the notation. Simple triplets can be a bit difficult to understand and even more difficult to execute at first. But once you can consistently play triplets, a rabbit hole of rhythmic possibilitiesemerges. But this This takes us back to what we first learned in the [[Music Theory Basics#Rhythm|Music Theory - Rhythm]] lesson. The whole concept of rhythm - using time signatures, tempos, beats, and measures - is designed to provide us a framework to organize musical ideas temporally. Writing and playing rhythms that deviate so wildly from the chosen framework is perhaps a bit counter-productive, unless the desired effect is to re-encompass the randomness and chaos that would ensue if we totally removed our rhythmic framework. Using random note durations (without tuplets) may not line up phrases with measures and down beats, but they would still line up with the beats, or at least divisions based upon a multiple of 2. Using random tuplets on the other hand would certainly cause notes to line up randomly off timed with all the beatsbreak down our entire concept of a rhythmic framework.

: "{{squote|My God, when is he going to get to it?" ''-|Everybody''}}

Here we switch so that we're using upstrokes on beats 3 and 4; however, the triplet on beat 4 will get us back to downstrokes on the beat in the next measure. We just keep alternate picking and let the two triplets cancel out. ==== Triplet with No Space ==== 1 n 2 tr lt 3 n 4 n 1 n 2 tr lt 3 n 4 n d u d u d u d (u d u d u d u d u )d u Here we only have one triplet in a the measure - just deal but no space to get back on beat. We use 16th note strums on the 3.5 beat with it and switcha phantom upstroke strum to essentially play back to back downstrokes. {{top}}

{{Crumbs|blue|9|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Strumming Notation|Notation|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Technique|Technique|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Mutes and Rests|Mutes|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Simple Strumming Patterns|Patterns|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Playing Off-beat|Off-beat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Accenting Backbeat or Raggae Feel|Backbeat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Half Step Slides|Slides|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Tuplets/Triplets|Tuplets|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Swing Feel|Swing|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Sweeps and Arpeggios|Arpeggios|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Legato Embellishments|Legato|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Comping|Comping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Vamping|Vamping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Puttin the Stank on Power Chords|Accents}} A '''swing feel'' ' breaks down each beat into an unequal pair of durations, with the first duration long and 2nd short. This creates a feeling similar to using an upbeat to emphasize the downbeat, but for every beat rather than for a measure. A more basic explanation is that you are delaying the second of every pair of notes, usually on eighth notes. It 's usually is marked in sheet music or tab with "swing feel", then the closest interpretation:   --3-- e e = q e = 2/3 + 1/3

--That means two eighth notes should be played as a triplet of 3--eighth notes, with the first two beamed, or sustained. e e = q eThat's the same as a triplet of one quarter note and one eighth note. So rather than the beat subdivided into equal halves, the first division consumes 2/3rds of the beat and the other the remaining 1/3rd.

That means two While the quarter-eighth notes should be played triplet is the most common feel, a swing feel is not necessarily (a) strict, and (b) defined as a triplet such. Depending on what part of 3 eighth notesthe song is playing and the intended effect, with the first two beamedplayer may choose to increase or decrease the swing. It can be section, phrase, or sustainedeven note-dependent. That's One may find other marked swing feels for the same as duration of a triplet of one quarter note and one eighth note.piece:

While the quarter-eighth triplet is the most common feel, a swing feel is not necessarily (a) strict, and (b) defined as such. Depending on what part of the song is playing and the intended effect, the player may choose to increase or decrease the swinge e = e. s It can be section, phrase, or even note-dependent. = Or other swing feels:3/4 + 1/4

--5-- e e = e q. sq = 3/5 + 2/5

E--3-----3------3-----0----- B--3-----0-h3---6-p5--0-h1-- G--0-----0------5-----0----- D--0-----0------5-----0-h2-- A--0-h2--2------3-----0-h3-- E--3-----3------------------ {{top}} == Jazz Comping =={{Crumbs|blue|12|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Strumming Notation|Notation|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Technique|Technique|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Mutes and Rests|Mutes|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Simple Strumming Patterns|Patterns|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Playing Off-beat|Off-beat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Accenting Backbeat or Raggae Feel|Backbeat|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Half Step Slides|Slides|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Tuplets/Triplets|Tuplets|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Swing Feel|Swing|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Sweeps and Arpeggios|Arpeggios|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Legato Embellishments|Legato|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Comping|Comping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Vamping|Vamping|Applying Rhythm to Chords#Puttin the Stank on Power Chords|Accents}} '''Comping''' is a technique or style used to play accompaniment for another instrument's solo. On guitar, it typically means playing chords in a certain rhythmic pattern or feel. In addition to rhythm, it may also involve dynamics, altered chords, and chord voicings. The term is most associated with Jazz, where solos are typically improvised. Good comping technique must be able to understand and adapt to the soloist's style, strengthening it rather than overshadowing or interfering with it. A common rhythm used for comping comes from the '''''Charleston''''', which features a rhythm of a dotted quarter note, an eighth note, and a half rest in 4/4 time. The rest can be sounded by slapping the right hands onto the strings, generating a percussive sound before muting them.  1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n / / (x)  1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n / (x) / x {{top}}

When I say accent, I mean it - I want you to bash those guitar strings, getting some brief fret buzz during the attack of the sound. Remember those examples from [[4th, 5th, and 6th Strings|this lesson]]? Let's revisit Revisit them using but use accents instead of single notes vs. power chords:- everything that you play should be a power chord, and the beats that use power chords should be accented.

todo 1 2 3 4 > > > p p E--------------------------------------- B--------------------------------------- G------------------------------5-------- D--5-------X-X-X-X-5-(X)-5-(X)-5----5-5- A--5-------X-X-X-X-5-(X)-5-(X)-3----3-5- E--3-------X-X-X-X-3-(X)-3-(X)---------- {{top}}

<div class="item-wrap">{{top}}<div class="trail blue"><span class="text">[[B Diminished{{Intermediate Lesson Crumbs|B dim]]</span><span class="text">[[Other Open String Chords|Open Chords]]</span><span class="text">[[Music Theory - Minor Keys|Minor Keys]]</span><span class="text">[[Harmonic Minor and Augmented Chords|Harmonic Min]]</span><span class="text">[[Barre Chords|Barre Chords]]</span><span class="text">[[Suspended Chords|Sus Chords]]</span><span class="text current">[[Applying Rhythm to Chords|Rhythm]]</span><span class="text">[[Circle of Fifths|Circle of 5ths]]</span><span class="text">[[G Major and E Minor|G Maj and E Min]]</span><span class="text">[[5th Position|5th Pos]]</span><span class="text">[[Scales for all Positions|All Pos]]</span><span class="text">[[CAGED]]</span><span class="text">[[7th Chords]]</span></div></div>7}}