Rhythm Technique
- Thread starter ttosh
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For what it's worth, I grabbed a bunch of drum stroke rudiments and mapped them to strumming patterns... or, find some cool drum patterns you like and strum along to them in interesting patterns without worrying about chords (mute the strings)
Speaking as a bass player, I'd say a good funk guideline is to respect the "1" beat of each bar. In most funk tunes, the guitar either slams that note HARD (think of the clavinet in Superstition, or even Voodoo Chile) or avoids it entirely to make room for the other players. Try adding both approaches to your arsenal so you know when to pick the right one.
My biggest beef in general with many guitarists is the lack of space left by them for other instruments... so I usually try and stress that guitar can be as much about percussion as it can about chords or solos. Even muted strings with no notes applied can give great power to a track.
The description I give to people is kind of like this : think of a drum kit - it's got all these different pitches and tones that interact with one another... and it's the sum of those interactions that makes them cool. Now take that principle and extend it outward to the band - your bass is the kick drum, so you might be the snare or the hi-hat. Playing different stuff with varying rhythms across each instrument can be extremely cool - provided everyone is mindful of one another on stage. Otherwise, you get to be like I was two weeks ago, a bass player sitting in on a session with two wanking guitarists... I think the fastest I played that night was quarter notes, in hopes of giving the audience *something* that their ear could latch on to. lol
Speaking as a bass player, I'd say a good funk guideline is to respect the "1" beat of each bar. In most funk tunes, the guitar either slams that note HARD (think of the clavinet in Superstition, or even Voodoo Chile) or avoids it entirely to make room for the other players. Try adding both approaches to your arsenal so you know when to pick the right one.
My biggest beef in general with many guitarists is the lack of space left by them for other instruments... so I usually try and stress that guitar can be as much about percussion as it can about chords or solos. Even muted strings with no notes applied can give great power to a track.
The description I give to people is kind of like this : think of a drum kit - it's got all these different pitches and tones that interact with one another... and it's the sum of those interactions that makes them cool. Now take that principle and extend it outward to the band - your bass is the kick drum, so you might be the snare or the hi-hat. Playing different stuff with varying rhythms across each instrument can be extremely cool - provided everyone is mindful of one another on stage. Otherwise, you get to be like I was two weeks ago, a bass player sitting in on a session with two wanking guitarists... I think the fastest I played that night was quarter notes, in hopes of giving the audience *something* that their ear could latch on to. lol
ttosh
New member
berklee":1dza27rs said:
Thanks!! Great information and I will give everything above a good go. I have played for many years and always loved speed and wankery. Here lately I have really wanted to get to be a better rhythm player and more melodic in my soloing. I seemed to forget over the years that 98% of the time rhythm is what a guitarist is doing. I hate to admit it but I would be like one of the two guitarists you played with recently, and I am trying to change that!!!!
You know, I LOVE shred stuff and always have (my first band played stuff off the then-new Surfin' with the Alien). But for me, it's about being selective with the approach.
Growing up, my father very rarely raised his voice... but when he did, he had your undivided attention because you didn't expect it from him.
If you shred all the time, it loses its conviction with the listener. Choosing a moment to tear everyone's ears off will be 1000 times more powerful than squirting notes all over the place constantly.
Growing up, my father very rarely raised his voice... but when he did, he had your undivided attention because you didn't expect it from him.
If you shred all the time, it loses its conviction with the listener. Choosing a moment to tear everyone's ears off will be 1000 times more powerful than squirting notes all over the place constantly.