Rhythm question that's been driving me mad for the last 3 months!

bluesdude

Blues Newbie
Hey Griff,

I've purchased the BSBB course a couple of months ago now and have really noticed great improvement! However, there's a couple of things that confuse me and no one seems to understand quite what I'm getting at when I ask the questions, so I hope you can help me answer them! Here:

1. As you mention in the course, slow blues are usually between 55 BPM and 80 BPM, however, if you take the any of the first several building blocks and play them over a slow blues at 55 BPM - 80 BPM, it would sound pretty slow. For example, SRV in Texas Flood would play those stock phrases but at a much higher BPM.. so what's the point of counting/a metronome? I'm not saying there isn't one.. since I find great improvement in my innate sense of rhythm by playing with one, but when you play the aforementioned phrases at level 1 (slow blues type beat/bpm), can't you play at a much higher BPM? It seems to me that with the metronome and you counting, the metronome governs the speed of your playing.. but that isn't the case when the greats played over a slow blues (this applies to all licks, not necessarily the examples I mentioned). Another example would be if Clapton were to play a simple phrase like the classic Chuck Berry triplet phrase (bend on the G string, bar B and E strings two frets lower) on a slow blues, he would play it in a triplet feel, sure, but he wouldn't count it in with the drummer who's going much slower.

2. If I can play the licks at level 3 in time with you, but can't count.. do I have to start all over again? Or is playing them along with you in time enough?

Thanks!

Please let me know if I can be any more clear about my first question, it's really be bothering me and haven't been able to find an adequate answer.
 
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