Hi Cosmin
A while ago I posted on the REC the first lesson of the Beginner Corner. I am retaking it since I really want to have a solid foundation. Can you please help me with the rhythm? The instructor play three downstrum in every bar but I am not able to get where they fall in the 1&2&3&4.
Thanks in advance
Carmine
Hello Carmine
In order to understand the groove, I would break things down like this:
- left hand - please notice where each chord is being changed by counting while listening to the original recording. Change the chords along with it and don't strum, just mark the change with a downstroke. Before doing this, just listen to the recording without playing and count - in your head or out loud. Can you feel the pulse of the recording?
- right hand - how does the pattern for the strumming look and sound if we would exclude the left hand from the equation? Mute your strings with the left hand until no sound can be heard when you strum, except for the 'chuck chuck' of course. Try to follow the right hand of the instructor to nail the strumming pattern and play only with the right hand while muting the strings along with the original recording. Don't forget to count, as in the previous case.
Now your hands know what to do separately
- step 3 is to put them together - apply the strumming pattern of the right hand to the chord changing pattern of the left hand over the original recording. It will take some time, because it's a matter of coordination and learning how to count but, this is how one can basically learn a rhythmic pattern.
Please let me know how this feels, ok?
Cosmin