It's hard to believe how fast the end of August seems to be coming. Before we know it, September will be here and it will be time to get back into our normal routines. Before all of that happens, I thought now would be a good time to give you a mini encyclopedia on rhythm to help you over come some of the challenges you are facing.
I warn you, this the longest lesson we've ever put out in any our newsletters. We wanted to give you something that you could call upon when you get stuck. It's designed with the beginner in mind but has a little something for everyone. We hope you enjoy.
In this edition:
Learn how to incorporate your lead guitar techniques with rhythm to give you the sound you've been dreaming of. Get past the days of the boring down and up strumming patterns and learn how to make the simple sound complex, without breaking a sweat!
We have brand new items to review in our "Severe Gear Premiere" that will spark interest in players of all skill levels. Learn a little bit about the history on the product and how to stands up against the rest.
Check out our feedback booth to see what your fellow subscribers are saying. This week we have plenty of comments on the new implementation of video, as well as some questions that I will answer.
To top off all of this, we have details to share with you on our next newsletter, where you will get to read about becoming a pro and how to get there. We've landing an exclusive interview with Jimmy Bruno who will share some of his feelings on the industry.
With all that in mind, get to it!
Setting The Record Straight
Why it seems so hard...
When you pick up the guitar to play a song, one of the most frustrating problems you may face is strumming. Rhythm isn't easy, I won't lie. For some people it comes very naturally and others just have to work that extra little bit to get where they want to be.
Rhythm can also be a hindrance to your self-esteem. I remember plenty of instances when I started out where I lost the rhythm in the middle of playing a song with musicians who were much better than I. It didn't exactly feel like I had won the lottery. However, it doesn't have to be this way.
There are neat little tricks and solutions to the problems that you face. Some of them are so small that it's hard to imagine them even making the slightest impact on your sound. These are the cunning edge techniques that will launch you into the spotlight.
Getting the tools you can use.
When we think rhythm, we normally think strumming. That's half the battle and one that we'll deal with more in depth further on. First things first, take a look at your setup. The settings you have on your guitar and amp, as well as the pick you are using will affect the tone and sound you produce.
You don't want that sharp, ear rattling lead guitar sound when playing rhythm. The reason for this is because it overloads the amp and in turn produces a muddy, indistinguishable sound. The goal with rhythm is to get a sound that blends each of the notes you play equally to produce a clear tone. You want to hear blended notes!
Not unlike scales or chords, there are many different settings for rhythm that can be used for many different styles of music. Using your tone knobs and pickup selector switch, not to mention the settings on your amplifier, you can create a unique tone that is perfect for playing the perfect rhythm.
Picks are equally important. It takes trial and error to find the picks that fit your style. Rarely will I use just one particular pick but rather a mixture of different gauges and manufacturers. Personally, I do not believe in the old adage "Thinner picks are for strumming and heavier are for lead." I use to teach that method until I came to realize that I could get a way better sound for my style using heavier gauge picks.
Picks are measured in millimeters and that's how we identify how thick or "heavy" it is. Surface area also plays a role. Picks can have different surface areas but normally follow the same shape, although that too is changing over time.
Jim Dunlop is the leader is pick manufacturing and has a pick for every style and every tone you could imagine. I highly suggest that you go to your local music store and check some of them out! Lets run through the most popular picks and see which one best suites you.
The finger pick: The finger pick is usually used for folk music and is best utilized with an acoustic guitar. Over the last week I have been play testing one to give you a review and found that it was almost impossible to use on my electric without scratching it up.
However, it was great on the acoustic and really gave me a chance to learn how to use my other fingers. Naturally this isn't my strong point so it took some practice but the end result was pretty cool. Now I understand why country guitarists' tend to use this style of pick... You can really pick up the speed (no pun intended!)
The "Stubby": This is my personal favorite. Many of the recordings you hear on this site that are done by me include the stubby. It's an extremely thick pick at 3.00mm but it adds a very controlled feeling to any piece of music that you are playing, not to mention the leads.
Although many experts would recommend against using this pick for rhythm, I have had amazing results. When playing I feel ultimate control which gives me a better rhythm and a more percussive "snap" to the music I'm playing. You do, however, need to hold it at a slight angle to avoid breaking strings. I have never broken a single string because of a stubby, so I encourage you to give them a try.
If you don't like the tiny size, they come with a larger surface area as well.
The steel pick: If you're looking for a metallic sound, your not going to get much closer than this. Made of pure steel (or copper, depending on where you get them) these picks are truly unique. I personally wouldn't use them on a regular basis but they were a lot of fun to try out. They may be for you if you like the tone but it will take a little getting used to.
You'll find that they produce more of a scratchy sound when used on the coiled strings, which can be a bad thing or a good thing depending on what style you are playing.
The strumming pick: These picks are usually thinner and the gauge will probably be under 60mm. You can't beat them if you're looking to blend chords together and produce a soothing rhythm. I also like them for rock because they make smooth transitions between odd chords a snap. Many of you are probably using this pick right now, which is perfect for this lesson.
You can effectively recreate many different styles and produce a great sound with these picks.
Jazz series picks' : These picks have a rounded tip, instead of a sharper edge. This makes the music you play sound deep and silky. Very nice for the more mellow tunes you may want to play. I use it all of the time for some of the older jazz standards. Jim Dunlop offers different series of these picks and some do have a sharper edge, so if you're looking for the smoother edge, make sure that's what you pick up.
Your thumb and index finger: Try pinching your string, pulling it and letting it go. You get a really cool "pop" that resembles a bass guitar. You can get amazing effects using your fingers for any style of music. From blazing tapping, to finger style country, your fingers are the cheapest and can be the most effective tool that you have.
There are also a lot of other new picks coming out that break the stereotype of size and shape. Some are hit and miss but it's worth giving them a shot.
The techniques you need to know.
Playing rhythm guitar leaves the player with literally hundreds of directions to go in. There's an infinite array of different rhythms and strumming patterns out there but how do you get that desired sound? The answer involves using a few different techniques at once.
Strumming: Strumming is the foundation to becoming a great rhythm player but it also tends to hold players up and limit creativity. Don't let this be a daunting task for you! Pick up your guitar right now and lets dive into this step by step. Points to remember before starting:
- When looking at strumming patterns, the notation directing you to strum up looks like "^" and the notation directing you to strum down looks like an everyday table.
- If you are playing an acoustic, remember to strum directly over the sound hole. Strumming in different places will give you different sounds but we'll cover that later on. For now, keep it simple and stick to one location and this will give you the best projection. The same applies to electric players at this point.
- Take note of what your strumming hand is doing. Make sure you are using your wrists to strum and not your entire arm. This conserves a lot of energy and helps you do more intricate things. Keep your wrists relatively firm.
- Strumming really, really hard isn't going to do much for your tone or ears. Try to keep it at a medium level. You don't want to sound too wimpy but sounding to loud can lead to undesirable buzzing sounds. Striking a good medium will give you a nice starting point.
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