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Musicians - How do I teach a friend rhythm?
Posted on 3/20/14 at 7:20 pm
Posted on 3/20/14 at 7:20 pm
A friend is learning guitar and making good progress except his rhythm is horrible. Is this something that I can teach him? What are techniques or drills? I try by us listening to a song and he clapping the beat or rhythm. I can feel like without even thinking. Is this something some people have and others don't?
9
Posted on 3/20/14 at 7:27 pm to Fishwater
You can't teach this. You either have it or don't.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 7:32 pm to Fishwater
You can't.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 7:45 pm to Andre
Mr. Holland taught that guy from Hustle and Flow.
Start him with heavy and slow and rev it up from there. I've always got some sort of rythym going - fingers, legs, teeth, always something bouncing around with a beat.
Eta: Also, a metronome. I had a multi effects pedal while going through my most formative guitar years, and having the programmed beats really helped establish rythym.
Start him with heavy and slow and rev it up from there. I've always got some sort of rythym going - fingers, legs, teeth, always something bouncing around with a beat.
Eta: Also, a metronome. I had a multi effects pedal while going through my most formative guitar years, and having the programmed beats really helped establish rythym.
This post was edited on 3/20/14 at 7:48 pm
Posted on 3/20/14 at 7:52 pm to AmosMosesAndTwins
quote:
Start him with heavy and slow and rev it up from there. I've always got some sort of rythym going - fingers, legs, teeth, always something bouncing around with a beat.
Me too. When we're working on a song he is learning on the guitar, I noticed he is never tapping his foot. I'm always doing that or bobbing my head.
I guess he is shite out of luck.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 7:57 pm to Fishwater
He can probably get better with practice, but like others have already mentioned, either you have some or you don't.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 8:01 pm to Fishwater
Can he count to 4?
Posted on 3/20/14 at 8:40 pm to Fishwater
Have him put on some head phones and play along with some stuff. If that doesn't make it any better then tell him to learn astronomy or something.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 8:48 pm to MontanaMax
quote:
Have him put on some head phones and play along with some stuff.
Anyone thing I've noticed. When he is learning a song, (and maybe it is b/c I'm at his place), he doesn't play the song he is trying to learn. Rather is he trying to learning my memory while looking at tabs. I've had tabs (or not) but always had the song playing so I can learn the rhythm, changes, strums, etc.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 8:56 pm to Fishwater
I've been using the head phones trick for years to get down the timing of some stuff. At the same time though, I think you kinda have to have a knack for it anyways.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 8:57 pm to Fishwater
You can't teach rhythm, it's like soul, you have it or you don't.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 10:48 pm to Fishwater
Either learn Blackbird by the Beatles or buy one of these
Posted on 3/20/14 at 11:04 pm to Fishwater
When I was learning, I had problems with rhythm because I was having to think so hard about chord formations. After I became comfortable with chords, I could relax and feel the rhythm.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 6:40 am to Fishwater
Start a metronome beat and have him close his eyes and start feeling the beat. Then, have him start tapping it out with his foot. Once he has that down, have him start strumming muted strings focusing only on right hand rhythm (assuming he's right handed) and not chords and changes. Finally, assuming he can do all of that perfectly, have him strum one chord on beat and then add a second chord and build more from there.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 7:04 am to Zappas Stache
quote:
When I was learning, I had problems with rhythm because I was having to think so hard about chord formations. After I became comfortable with chords, I could relax and feel the rhythm.
This was my problem too. I found that it was much easier after I learned the chords really well while playing a 4 beat rhythm with the metronome. I would then put on the headphones and play along with the song.
But as previously posted, some people just have no rhythm. I have a buddy that can play the hell out of some blues but can't play rhythm to save his life.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 7:28 am to Andre
Rhythm, you have it or you don't that's a fallacy.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 7:48 am to Fishwater
Most people can learn rhythm.
Some can't. The ones that can't make me sad. It's like watching a dog try to figure out a door handle.
Some can't. The ones that can't make me sad. It's like watching a dog try to figure out a door handle.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 8:59 am to TigerRanter
quote:
Start a metronome beat and have him close his eyes and start feeling the beat. Then, have him start tapping it out with his foot. Once he has that down, have him start strumming muted strings focusing only on right hand rhythm (assuming he's right handed) and not chords and changes. Finally, assuming he can do all of that perfectly, have him strum one chord on beat and then add a second chord and build more from there
Thanks. I'll take the approach. As someone else poster, I bet he is having to think hard about landing the chords with his left hand. He sees me playing chords in several different variations over the fret board and probably gets frustrated. He's got the heart to learn, just gotta get this white boy some rhythm.
Edit: I think I'm going to force him into a Junior Kimbrough cocoon. All that is, is one guitar and a drummer. Very beat driven.
This post was edited on 3/21/14 at 9:01 am
Posted on 3/21/14 at 10:44 am to Fishwater
Before I started playing I had absolutely no sense of rhythm. I have a decent sense now. Can keep a solid beat on anything.
Just used a metronome and anytime a song was on I figure out the beat and find some way to keep up with it.
Just used a metronome and anytime a song was on I figure out the beat and find some way to keep up with it.
Posted on 3/21/14 at 11:09 am to Fishwater
quote:
Start a metronome beat and have him close his eyes and start feeling the beat. Then, have him start tapping it out with his foot. Once he has that down, have him start strumming muted strings focusing only on right hand rhythm (assuming he's right handed) and not chords and changes. Finally, assuming he can do all of that perfectly, have him strum one chord on beat and then add a second chord and build more from there
Best response yet. Rhythm can be taught to a certain extent.
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