16th notes help
- Thread starter JeffreyS
- Start date
david moon
Attempting the Blues
I guess in general, down on the number, up on the "and" is the way to go. If the tempo is slow enough I don't see a problem with down on the number and also the "and" and then all the "ee"s would be up
The point of the counting is to produce a steady count and then play along without hesitations or jumping ahead.
Also to take into account rests, pickup notes, etc and make sure that all the notes add up to the right total per measure.
The point of the counting is to produce a steady count and then play along without hesitations or jumping ahead.
Also to take into account rests, pickup notes, etc and make sure that all the notes add up to the right total per measure.
Paleo
Life Long Learner
Just my own thoughts.
Don’t sweat it. In your case, you’re counting and strumming 16th notes and your foot "wants" to tap 8th notes instead of quarters, i.e. you’re tapping twice instead of once per beat. You’re strumming 16 times per measure, tapping your foot 8 times per measure and the beat is pulsing 4 times per measure. Everything is in sync regardless.
We’re taught to tap on the beat to help instill and reinforce the beat so our hands “know” what to do. Especially people who are having trouble counting and keeping the beat. But if you are already counting and strumming to the beat with your hand, it doesn’t matter what your foot is doing. Your strumming hand is like a pendulum swinging to the beat. Let your foot do what it wants. If it taps on the beat fine. If it taps twice per beat you are still in sync with the beat. Your foot is just going twice as fast compared to once on the beat.
Watch a group of people listening to music. Some will be tapping a foot on the beat, some won’t feel the beat at all. Some will be tapping both feet, some will be tapping their feet and tapping their hands on their leg. All kinds of combinations could be going on even though everybody is “hearing” the same thing.
You could actually tap on the beat with one foot (quarters), tap 8ths with the other foot, strum 16ths with one hand and count whole notes with your other hand (if it is changing chords on beat 1 of every measure). 4 rhythms at once.
On a personal note, I have no idea what my feet are doing when I’m playing. Sometimes they don’t move. Sometimes when sitting my leg is stomping so hard I’m almost jamming the guitar into my neck. Sometimes I jump out of my seat and jump up and down like a pogo stick.
Sometimes I'm like Robert Klein.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0L6t0xh-Dc)
If your hands are playing the rhythm correctly, let the rest of your body go with the flow.
There’s nothing “sacred” about your foot keeping the beat if your hands, brain or any other part of your body is already doing it.
(Your foot bone's connected to you ankle bone, your ankle bone's connected to your leg bone, your leg bone's connected .............Now hear the word of the Lord.)
The object is to strum the rhythm correctly, not “play” your foot correctly.
Your foot can help get the rhythm to your hands, but if they already have it, it’s not necessary to count your foot "correctly".
Who’s gonna tell Sir Paul he’s not tapping his feet “correctly”?
(And notice his whole body swaying to the beat.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiFM2XKO9rk
Last edited:
I used to have lots of problems with tapping my foot to 16th note rhythms. What really helped me was to exaggerate the movement at first and to get more of my body involved. I normally practice standing up and I found that if I nodded my head and rocked my whole body a bit backwards and forwards as well as tapping my foot things improved quickly. Then I could gradually ease it off a bit. Might look and feel a bit silly at first but if it helps. I now find myself doing this whenever I find the rhythm hard going!
Silicon Valley Tom
It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
One approach I have used and taught is to tap your foot once per beat and in your head you imagine something like 1-2-3-4, dah - dah - dah - dah or whatever works for you. You use two alternate strokes: down - up, down - up starting on the beat, and follow the notation for the piece of interest, to tell you what the timing is. If the piece wants equal beats then that is what you do. Start slow and build up your speed when you have everything under control.
It takes a bit of experience. Perhaps you can use google and find something on YouTube?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da0ikdfDOAk
You should start by playing the techniques using simple patterns. Try open 6th to start as an example. Develop your technique, and then walk up from the open string to the first, second and third frets, to give a full four count per bar. Keep it even and slow. After you can do that correctly, add the 5th string after the 6th, and so on until you can walk up all six strings from the open position.
With time you can walk up as far as you like to gain control over the fret board.
One technique I like to teach to new guitarists is to pick down only, once per beat, as above. Then use alternative picking down - up. Next add triplets, and finally 1/16 notes. I like to start out each guitar session using simple exercises to warm up. That will help prevent injury, and give you greater control. After doing this for 64 years, I can't consider doing it any other way!
Tom
It takes a bit of experience. Perhaps you can use google and find something on YouTube?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da0ikdfDOAk
You should start by playing the techniques using simple patterns. Try open 6th to start as an example. Develop your technique, and then walk up from the open string to the first, second and third frets, to give a full four count per bar. Keep it even and slow. After you can do that correctly, add the 5th string after the 6th, and so on until you can walk up all six strings from the open position.
With time you can walk up as far as you like to gain control over the fret board.
One technique I like to teach to new guitarists is to pick down only, once per beat, as above. Then use alternative picking down - up. Next add triplets, and finally 1/16 notes. I like to start out each guitar session using simple exercises to warm up. That will help prevent injury, and give you greater control. After doing this for 64 years, I can't consider doing it any other way!
Tom
Paleo
Life Long Learner
To pile on PB's post, when I'm counting I often tap my feet alternately - right foot on 1 and 3, left foot on 2 & 4 - comes from drumming and you might try it sometime!
Kevin
Thanks for piling on. (The penalty is declined.)
I was going to mention drummers, but not being one or fully versed in drumming, I didn't want to risk putting either foot, or worse, both feet, either together or alternately in my mouth.
(I need caps, not taps.)
Last edited:
david moon
Attempting the Blues
You need to develop independence of putting either or both feet in your mouth on any beat!Thanks for piling on. (The penalty is declined.)
I was going to mention drummers, but not being one or fully versed in drumming, I didn't want to risk putting either foot, or worse, both feet, either together or alternately in my mouth.
(I need caps, not taps.)