Returning, once more, to this great community to help me understand the intersection between technique for technique’s sake, and playing music.
As many of you know I am a play acoustic guitar – cover songs where I sing.
I am at ease with 8th note strumming and 16th not strumming and I use the Justin timer app to practice. And at the right tempo I can shift between strums.
Here is my question:
In some of my “slower” cover songs I use an 8th not strums, but there are sections where I want to add a single note or two between the strums. We are not talking about Jeff Beck here, by the way. I am talking about something very basic, but I find it adds such interest and feel to the music.
Sometimes it feels like I want to add those notes as if they are part of a 16th not strum pattern – adding them on the “e” “and” or “ah’” for example. And then moving into a 16th strum pattern.
Is it better for me to get my hand moving in a 16th strum pattern for the whole song – playing 8th note pattern – and then easily making the 16th strum pattern transition?
Or play the 8th note strum pattern and then quickly shifting to the 16th note pattern for added notes, and then moving into the 16th pattern?
I used to ride a motorcycle and it reminds me of the “feel” between sensing th engine, using the clutch and moving to a new gear.
I would not ‘see’ 16th and 8th note strumming as different distinct ‘patterns’; rather its just varying the subdivisions of the beat. ie two 8th notes fit into one quarter note ‘beat’; and four 16th notes fit into one quarter note beat ( assuming 4/4 timing).
A great example in this community is the much discussed song Wish You Were Here; and its one of the reasons its both a beautiful song and a great teaching song. For me, its ‘core’ is essentially 8th notes, but rhythmically interspersed with 16th notes that give its ‘feel’ and drives the song along.
One great exercise is to put your metronome on say 60 or 70 bpm, then cycle through the different rhythmic subdivisions; from 1/4 notes to 1/8, to 1/8 note triplets, to 16th notes, to 16th note triplets.
So the tempo stays the same; its the rhythmic subdivisions that change.
I’ve always seen this as a great core exercise that helps anchor the 4 beats in 4/4, then you play around with the subdivisions however you like.
This topic and Shane’s response reminded me of a technique video I watched a while back and neglected to include in my practice routine. It seems to be about the same thing, so sharing here
The concept of set strumming patterns makes sense early on but loses its usefulness as you play more.
A song has tempo and rhythm, strumming and notes fit within that. As long as you get the rhythmic feel right, the song will sound correct even though there are a variety of ways to play it.
At a certain point the concept of keeping your right hand moving the whole time in a strumming pattern doesn’t apply. Change its speed, do a double strum, pick some notes - and keep the rhythm. And timing.