Counting

JOEFLANAGAN

Blues Newbie
Been counting religiously since starting BGU. Have struggled with it considerably but it's getting better. It throws me off and I often mess up, but I notice I seldom place a note wrong if I'm counting. I play much better (it seems to me) without counting but I'm counting anyway because that's the conventional advice and I want to do it right, hoping it just becomes ingrained in me.
I'm currently at solo 3 and I've got a question. Griff counts out the entire solo at the end of the lesson but says he's not sure that you actually have to do that, that it might be a bit of a stretch. My ears really perked up when I heard that. That's what I've been doing all along and it's really been a chore. I count the entire solo out from start to finish, wondering when I should play it without counting but afraid I'll ingrain a bad habit if I do. So I count everything. From start to finish, all the way. It takes forever to learn a solo that way. But it seems like Griff is saying at the end of solo 3, that you don't have to do that. I'd just like to know when I can stop counting. I find it's really useful when I'm memorizing a lick but after I have it memorized cold, do I need to keep counting?
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
I'd just like to know when I can stop counting. I find it's really useful when I'm memorizing a lick but after I have it memorized cold, do I need to keep counting?

You've already answered your own question.

This is one of the most often asked questions on the forum.

You've counted each lick separately as you learned it.

Griff then likes to count you through the entire solo.

He doesn't expect you to always do the same each time you play it.

Although you should be able to if you want to.

Counting is a means to an end, not the end in itself.

You'll know when you need to count and when you don't.

https://bluesguitarunleashed.com/blog/counting-vs-feeling/
 

JOEFLANAGAN

Blues Newbie
You've already answered your own question.

This is one of the most often asked questions on the forum.

You've counted each lick separately as you learned it.

Griff then likes to count you through the entire solo.

He doesn't expect you to always do the same each time you play it.

Although you should be able to if you want to.

Counting is a means to an end, not the end in itself.

You'll know when you need to count and when you don't.

https://bluesguitarunleashed.com/blog/counting-vs-feeling/
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Been counting religiously since starting BGU. Have struggled with it considerably but it's getting better. It throws me off and I often mess up, but I notice I seldom place a note wrong if I'm counting. I play much better (it seems to me) without counting but I'm counting anyway because that's the conventional advice and I want to do it right, hoping it just becomes ingrained in me.
I'm currently at solo 3 and I've got a question. Griff counts out the entire solo at the end of the lesson but says he's not sure that you actually have to do that, that it might be a bit of a stretch. My ears really perked up when I heard that. That's what I've been doing all along and it's really been a chore. I count the entire solo out from start to finish, wondering when I should play it without counting but afraid I'll ingrain a bad habit if I do. So I count everything. From start to finish, all the way. It takes forever to learn a solo that way. But it seems like Griff is saying at the end of solo 3, that you don't have to do that. I'd just like to know when I can stop counting. I find it's really useful when I'm memorizing a lick but after I have it memorized cold, do I need to keep counting?


Here's the best way to figure that out...
Record yourself while playing and NOT counting, then play it back and count as it plays (Maybe at slower speed?). You should be able to tell if you got it right or wrong. if it's right, then you no longer need to count that one.
 

Elio

Student Of The Blues
Here's the best way to figure that out...
Record yourself while playing and NOT counting, then play it back and count as it plays (Maybe at slower speed?). You should be able to tell if you got it right or wrong. if it's right, then you no longer need to count that one.

I'll add one more bit to that. Record yourself playing it without counting and then count over it while listening. You will instantly know if you are off somewhere.
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
I'll add one more bit to that. Record yourself playing it without counting and then count over it while listening. You will instantly know if you are off somewhere.

Um... isn't exactly what I said? LOL. :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::thumbup::thumbup:
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
I'll suggest listening to your recording when not counting along with Griff's recording of the example/solo.

Like a harmonized duet in unison with Griff.

Otherwise there's the possibility that you played it wrong when playing without counting because you were making that same mistake in counting when you "learned" it originally and are still counting it wrong as you listen to your playback. :confused:

Since everything "matches" you might think you're playing it right. o_O


Whenever I record one of Griff's solos I always load up Griff playing it and listen to both tracks together.

Any discrepancy in rhythm or pitch on my part will be glaring. :eek::sneaky:
 
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