Video Guitar Lesson 11: Rhythmic advice and some ideas for phrasing your improvisations

Summary: Video lesson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlMOoyccwU0&feature=youtu.be In this lesson, Dan and I explore rhythmic patterns, how to practise rhythm and work towards playing ‘in the pocket’ and then, using a backing track, we look at how to phrase improvisation. We start this lesson by examining some of the regular rhythmic structures which you can form from quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes and triplets. I show Dan the cards which I created by methodically identifying the possible structures. Dan unpicks most guitarists’ rhythmic journey and how we usually develop over time and as a result of need and gives some of his advice, tips and techniques for helping me. In the second part of the lesson (starting at 26:37 or 27:10 on SoundCloud) we take a look at how to phrase and articulate your melodies over a backing track when improvising to give them form, meaning, interest and clout. After our first improvisation, Dan gives some central focus for us to consider in my phrasing ideas. Finally, we then have another go at improvising and after this Dan gives me some of his thinking as he formed his melodic phrases, some of his licks and things to try. Timings for the SoundCloud audio version 00:05:08 Gary shows the rhythmic structures for quarter beats on A4 card and talks about his aim to improve his rhythm playing 00:06:42 Great app for strumming patterns - 8 strummer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccNIElEfxL0 00:07:34 Dan's ideas on rhythmic playing and why most tuition is not too methodical 00:11:18 One thing about rhythm playing is that you tend to learn rhythm parts for band songs as you go 00:13:09 Gary on how he's been using a metronome 00:14:10 Sometimes it's really good to count the in-between beats which you don't play – perhaps by saying “miss”, or as part of your usual count 00:15:21 Think like a drummer - playing the different beats using low or high strings with different accents or mutes 00:16:16 Dan: “Maybe it is the offbeats when you lose your count” 00:16:59 Dan: “Using a faux strum is good” 00:18:18 One thing that really caused problems recently for Dan was the riff from Human by the Killers and how it starts after the beat 00:20:18 Dan: “Using downstrokes & upstrokes can also accent notes in different ways” 00:21:42 A difficulty in rhythm playing is trying to make it sound natural rather than robotic 00:22:48 Irish triplet jig rhythms, Dan’s take 00:23:33 Slowing things down can be really useful to hone over time 00:25:34 Using an acoustic guitar is good for strumming practice 00:26:25 A rhythmic part which really challenged Dan was when he was required to play ‘Wheatus – Respect’ 00:27:10 Phrasing and rhythmic structures in improvisation 00:28:24 Soloing over a backing track from YouTube - Fancy Fusion Backing Track in Bm 00:37:49 Quick bit of reflection on our first bit of improvising 00:38:36 1) How you group your notes in 3s, 4s etc. 00:39:09 Groups of 3. Also advice on tailing the lick off a bit 00:40:08 Groups of 4s 00:40:54 Groups of 4s in pentatonic licks 00:41:59 Grouping rhythmic notes but not scalar intervals 00:43:13 2) varying the length of your phrases 00:43:53 Start with something small and push it out from there 00:46:26 Quick recap - length of phrases, groupings and follow the rhythmic idea rather than scalar notes 00:47:32 Second improvisation over the backing track 00:53:24 Dan shares some of his thinking on this improvisation 00:53:34 1) swing and groove 00:54:15 2) think like a horn player 00:56:21 3) target certain notes (e.g. 9ths) 00:57:01 d) The 5th is a nice note 00:57:22 e) Resolve to the minor 3rd 00:58:36 f) Thinking chord tones 00:58:52 4) bending licks 00:59:52 5) going down an additional note 01:00:26 c) Going back on the note a little bit 01:00:52 d) Even using a muted note for rhythm 01:01:47 6) scoopy trem lick 01:03:57 7) pentatonic lick with tapping 01:05:04 Giving your licks form