Foot tapping

Hi Justin ,

I’m right handed but also an above knee amputee left side , any advice .

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Welcome to the community, Graham. :slight_smile: You could tap the toes only of your right foot, so as not to jiggle the guitar around. Or you could nod your head on each beat, which is what I often do anyway rather than foot tapping.

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Hello and welcome!

I will sometimes use small shoulder movements to keep time, and I don’t know if I thought about it much until right now, but I will sometimes transition shoulder movements from one shoulder to the other if the beat changes.

I doubt that it’s enough movement to be visible to the naked eye. Just a lil sway!

I suggest to tap your right foot anyways even if the guitar moves on your leg or bob your head. The important thing is feeling the rhythm more so than how you do it. The rhythm will always be tap-tap-tap-tap (not tap-tippity tap), regardless of how you get there. Thanks for reaching out.

@Gray_at_58

Welcome to the Community. I’m still searching for the right thing for me that feels the most comfortable. I have to concentrate too much on tapping my foot. I can’t do it

If you’re still new to guitar then doing anything while trying to fret and strum will feel difficult. But that’s what practice is for. :slight_smile:

Make a point of tapping/nodding in rhythm every time you are listening to music, whether you are playing guitar or not. Developing this as a habit will make it take less thought, reducing the concentration required. For guitar practice, try muting the strings and just strumming them slowly while tapping/nodding on every down strum. This will develop the habit of “connecting” your arm with your chosen method of keeping rhythm, making it take less concentration over time.

Trust me mate, I found the whole tapping thing difficult to begin with too… perhaps we all did… but it will come to you with practice. Just keep at it! :+1:t2:

Find a way to stay in rhythm, it doesn’t have to be any one thing. I sway, tap my feet, nod my head and bounce around or whatever. Do what you have to do to stay in the groove. One thing I’ve noticed from my own videos is that I will bounce and nod my head a bit more if there is a distraction in room. Yeah, do whatcha gotta do. :slight_smile: