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→Rhythm
Here's some quick practice to master playing on and off beat. Play this to a metronome and count every beat. It is more difficult than it looks. Just keep at it. Start slow. If you can't get it, go even slower.
=== Accented Downbeat ===
fig. 3
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
This is a simple rhythm that accents the downbeat but plays every beat.
=== Accented Downbeat and Backbeat ===
fig. 4
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
e-|.-5---5---5---5--|5---5---5---5-.|
Same thing but also accenting the 3rd beat, so this accents the on-beats - it's a classic on beat rhythm, reminiscent of the common "boom ssss taah ssss" drum pattern. The accent on the 3rd beat is called the ''backbeat''.
=== Accented Downbeat w/ Upbeat ===
fig. 5
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Here we are accenting the down beat and using the up beat to enhance anticipation of the down beat.
=== Accented Downbeat and Backbeat w/ Upbeat ===
fig. 6
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Kind of combines fig. 4 and 5. We aren't simply accenting the on beats but using the up beat to enhance the down beat. Notice how the 1st beat has a bit more emphasis than the 3rd.
=== Off-Beat Accents ===
fig. 7
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Classic off-beat rhythm. Reminiscent of some ole west or folk music.
=== Odd-time Feel ===
fig. 8
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Time signatures can switch in the middle of a song; however, this is generally reserved for when the change is either permanent or endures for a long period of time. Or if doing so makes understanding the music more clear. So if you had a musical phrase with 4 notes in 4/4 time than the next phrase is the same thing but with one extra quarter note, then it repeats, it would be favorable to switch to 5/4 for that second measure then switch right back to 4/4.
=== Counting Odd-time Feel ===
fig. 9
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
This is the same as figure 8, but now we're not playing anything in between the accented power chords. Also, we're using eighth notes instead of quarter notes, so we have to play between the beats. But we're not getting too difficult yet.
=== Rhythm Master ===
fig. 12
1 2 n 3 n 4 n 1 n 2 3 n 4
Ok, so now things are difficult! We start on beat but quickly switch off beat from the eighth note on the 1st measure 2nd beat. This persists all the way until the 2nd beat of the 2nd measure. This is very common in strumming patterns - the rhythmic pattern switches from on to off beat from measure to measure. Listen to R.E.M. Losing My Religion or Radiohead Fake Plastic Trees to name two off the top of my head.
''Note: we are sticking to using only down strokes at this point. I recommend that - get the idea of counting and playing off-beat engrained in your head before trying to worry about whether you should be down or up picking any particular note(s). Later when we get into strumming, we'll see this gets even a bit more complicated.''
== Homework ==