Rhythm Tip

phdmerrill · #1 01-13-2012, 03:55 PM

I made a pretty big personal discovery here, but to many it might seem like a no-brainer. Here's how it happened.

Because I am pretty awful at rhythm, I decided to try to play a solo on just one note to really examine and refine my swing and my rhythmic precision. On a Bb rhythm changes backing track, I improvised on the D note, which fits all the changes.

To my great surprise, when listening to the playback, I heard myself playing all sorts of interesting syncopations and implied polyrhythms that I have never once implemented in my improvisation, except in noodling around a mode without any sort of backing.

Then it hit me how easy these sorts of odd metric modulations and rhythmic tricks really are as soon as you take the fretboard out of consideration. The thing that has been holding me back is my focus on "playing the fretboard," so to speak, rather than playing the music that actually comes naturally.

Of course, once I started digging up these newfound grooves, I was able to put them together with some melodic material and I started playing like never before. Very exciting. I don't know if others work with this idea but I recommend it if you haven't tried it already.

augusjazz · #2 01-13-2012, 07:11 PM

It is an excellent method for acquiring good swing, I'll implement it.
Thanks for sharing your experience with it.

Ronen · #3 01-14-2012, 02:33 AM

Thanks for sharing this discovery.

I'm also found I'm missing the rhythm part and was looking to improve.

Sure give it a try,
Ronen

FatJeff · #4 01-14-2012, 04:31 PM

Good tip, thanks

JonnyPac · #5 01-14-2012, 05:18 PM

Yup. Rhythm first, notes second. I think of rhythm as a mold that melodic notes can be poured into... even one note! When internally "singing", I think of a cadence of rhythm and then find notes (with a fitting hierarchy) to do the job. Same with comping- I let the groove and flow dictate when and what I actually play.

While playing with one note, try hitting different accents and sets of accents. Also be aware of where your pulse is "seated" against the pulse. Playing on, ahead, and behind the beat is part of being a refined rhythmic player.

Settling for an approximation often sounds sea-sick and armature, IMHO (and that has been my own #1 weakness in the past). If the beat becomes a big fuzzy probability field you may be in trouble! Think of fans in a sports stadium clapping to a pulse... You get cccccCCCCCLLLAAAAPPPPppppp!!! instead of a precise CLAP! So many behind and so many ahead! lol

markf · #6 01-16-2012, 05:41 PM

good idea, will try this.

bobby d · #7 01-16-2012, 07:34 PM

Also try improvising on a standard Blues progression but limit yourself to playing only 4 notes. How many different ways can you play those 4 notes? Bending the strings is allowed.. it's the Blues!

fredsmeal · #8 01-20-2012, 12:31 AM

hell yeah! great exercise for rhythms, i tried this my self and got great results from the playback

I recommend playing around with the dynamics ( the attack of the note in other words how soft and loud it is played) of the note D.
ex. L S L, L L L S L, S S L S ect. (endless possibilities)

also mixing this with sustain or how long or short the note is played can give you cool rhythms and are fun to experiment with!

cnsky54 · #9 01-24-2012, 08:32 AM

End of last year I bought a Roland Octopad in my local store - a large electronic device with eight pads that can be assigned to drums, cymbals, and dozens of instruments from around the world or electronica. My plan was to use it for recording my own rhythms to play over. I discovered to my horror that I completely STINK at rhythm - ahead of the beat, behind the beat, all over the place. So now I use this different approach to tighten it up. I'll take half an hour of practice time, set a metronome, and drum away on the box, starting with simple beats and adding syncopation as I grow in confidence. Coming at it from a new angle has made me a better guitarist.

FatJeff · #10 01-24-2012, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnsky54

End of last year I bought a Roland Octopad in my local store - a large electronic device with eight pads that can be assigned to drums, cymbals, and dozens of instruments from around the world or electronica. My plan was to use it for recording my own rhythms to play over. I discovered to my horror that I completely STINK at rhythm - ahead of the beat, behind the beat, all over the place. So now I use this different approach to tighten it up. I'll take half an hour of practice time, set a metronome, and drum away on the box, starting with simple beats and adding syncopation as I grow in confidence. Coming at it from a new angle has made me a better guitarist.

Correction: you stink at DRUMMING. I'd bet that your rhythm on the guitar is 10x tighter than what you get when you try to play the drums on the pads. Remember that drumming is a new motor pattern for your body, so of course it's going to suck at first.

Not to take away from the fact that learning to play basic percussion is an awesome tool for any musician to get under their belt. I'm in the very basic stages of learning samba percussion right now, and like you were saying - I totally suck at it!

cnsky54 · #11 01-25-2012, 07:21 AM

Okay, you're right on that point, I am no drummer and my brain is making new pathways to add the skill in. I do notice, tho, that my PERCEPTION of my rhythm ability on guitar is a bit optimistic. When I play with a drum track I hear myself as right on the money, but when I record it, I sound like I'm all over the place. I am hoping that by working on a new pathway to rhythm with the Octopad that it will tighten up the guitar work. I admit that this may just be a $700 alternative to clapping the rhythm with a metronome...

fep · #12 01-25-2012, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnsky54

Okay, you're right on that point, I am no drummer and my brain is making new pathways to add the skill in. I do notice, tho, that my PERCEPTION of my rhythm ability on guitar is a bit optimistic. When I play with a drum track I hear myself as right on the money, but when I record it, I sound like I'm all over the place. I am hoping that by working on a new pathway to rhythm with the Octopad that it will tighten up the guitar work. I admit that this may just be a $700 alternative to clapping the rhythm with a metronome...

Yeah, $700 is a lot to spend but I bet they're pretty cool and you could use them with bands or jam sessions.

I started with just a drum practice pad and some sticks, about $20.

Now I have a whole drum kit, so I spent a lot of money also. Drum kit, talking about a brain making new pathways...