DNA Rhythm

[Hank]

Ever since I began playing guitar I have had a “default” rhythm that if I get lazy while playing a song I fall right back into. I mean if the tune is 3/4 time or 4/4  or any other beat and if I’m not playing with someone else who is keeping the correct time I tend to adapt the song to my “DNA” rhythm pattern .

As I have often said I play with a BC thumb pick and use it to pick base and mid notes and to use for an up stroke. I finger pick treble notes with bare fingers and use the tops of my fingernails for down stroke when strumming.

Some times I fall into sort of a modified “Frailling” routine. perhaps because the first instrument I tried was a Gibson 5 string long neck banjo………I Know, I know . Gave it up a year after I first tried it.

Anyone else have “built in ” rhythm ??…… And don’t mention ‘Practicing with a metronome “. That ship sailed a long time ago.

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1993 Martin HD-28 IR/Sitka
2001 SCGC F Cutaway Maple/German
2008 SCGC OT Madi/Italian
2015 SCGC OM “The Tree” Hog/ European
2016 SCGC 1934 D45 Braz/ Adi
2016 Taylor K62 CE Limited Edition 12 string all Koa
2019 SCGC FTC Granadillo/Redwood
Life is a journey…not a guided tour,
The Bay,The Gulf Stream , The Open Ocean are particular about who they share their secrets with.

[Matt Hayden]

Almost everything comes back to 4 in one way or another.

I try to break it up by doing shuffle rhythms and such that make my thumb doing more work bc it makes the music more interesting by adding the offbeats.  I got the idea from watching Bernard Purdue play drums, specifically his “Purdue Shuffle,” which has something on every beat but isn’t at all busy.

Counting “1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4….” etc gives you time to think about where you’re placing the notes.

[Daniel]

I saw the John Jorgenson Gypsy Jazz quintet a bunch of years ago at the Iron Door in Groveland.  Magical.  Changed my musical life.

Zorro, tackle something (musically) scary.  That will cure you of falling into a recurring pattern.

Daniel

[Old 97]

I have a rhythm/tempo/speed that always runs a bit hot and fast. I have to concentrate to slow things down. I’ve listened to recordings where the end is much faster than the beginning.

[Hank]

exactly….when I accompany my wife I let her set the tempo and if I concentrate I’m OK. If I start to drift I end up getting ahead.

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1993 Martin HD-28 IR/Sitka
2001 SCGC F Cutaway Maple/German
2008 SCGC OT Madi/Italian
2015 SCGC OM “The Tree” Hog/ European
2016 SCGC 1934 D45 Braz/ Adi
2016 Taylor K62 CE Limited Edition 12 string all Koa
2019 SCGC FTC Granadillo/Redwood
Life is a journey…not a guided tour,
The Bay,The Gulf Stream , The Open Ocean are particular about who they share their secrets with.

[tadol]

I’m trying harder to use a metronome app to keep a steadier pace, but I’m also trying to use an drum app to try playing with different drum patterns and rhythms – I’ve become very aware of how badly I can get into a boring and generic kinda rhythm when trying to play reggae or some blues.  But I also have found that the insistent regularity of a drum loop can rip the soul out of a great song –

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Lots o’ SCGC guitars! But never ask which is my fav

[indexless]

I have a KORG  in-ear metronome , took a little getting used to but saves the spouse

https://www.korg.com/us/products/tuners/in_earmetronome/

[Daniel]

My favorite metronome is from Soundbrenner.  They make haptic (vibrating) metronomes that you can manipulate either by hand or using their free app.
Pretty cool little tool.

Daniel

[Hank]

Just wondering ??/…..is “keeping time” only important when playing with another person or group / I mean if one is doing ones own solo ” interpretation” of a song is the  rhythm of the original really all that important ?….or can one make it his/her own…..both in timing and interpretation  ?

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1993 Martin HD-28 IR/Sitka
2001 SCGC F Cutaway Maple/German
2008 SCGC OT Madi/Italian
2015 SCGC OM “The Tree” Hog/ European
2016 SCGC 1934 D45 Braz/ Adi
2016 Taylor K62 CE Limited Edition 12 string all Koa
2019 SCGC FTC Granadillo/Redwood
Life is a journey…not a guided tour,
The Bay,The Gulf Stream , The Open Ocean are particular about who they share their secrets with.

[tadol]

I think keeping an even rhythm is important – as in, if you start in 4/4, don’t switch unintentionally to ¾ – but tempo can, and possibly should, change during a song, at least with singers. If there’s a sad ending, or maybe an uplifting ending, then tempo can help reflect that.  Its the main reason I hate playing with a drum machine – they can feel relentless. But then again, a drummer who’s had a little too much to drink can be a problem ( of course, the guitar player has probably had a little too much as well, so blame can be an awkward )  😉

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Lots o’ SCGC guitars! But never ask which is my fav

[Daniel]

Groove is important.

Playing in time allows you to set up a groove and then play WITH the time.
There are a lot of excellent records pre-1982 or 83 (before click tracks became important to easy overdubbing) that push time around a bit.  Anything by the group Chicago with Danny Seraphine on drums will have an excellent groove, but not an excellent grasp of time. (Danny tried but could not get himself to play to click track and was asked to leave the group.)

In my experience, setting up and maintaining a groove allows the audience into the song more easily.  If you’re speeding up and slowing down too much, they’ll lose the beat and you’ll lose them.  (Been there, done that, still working on NOT doing it!)

Daniel

[Old 97]

A good drummer helps, butI still get ahead and behind at times.

 

[Hank]

Nice licks Matt……Some times we lead and sometimes we follow .!!

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1993 Martin HD-28 IR/Sitka
2001 SCGC F Cutaway Maple/German
2008 SCGC OT Madi/Italian
2015 SCGC OM “The Tree” Hog/ European
2016 SCGC 1934 D45 Braz/ Adi
2016 Taylor K62 CE Limited Edition 12 string all Koa
2019 SCGC FTC Granadillo/Redwood
Life is a journey…not a guided tour,
The Bay,The Gulf Stream , The Open Ocean are particular about who they share their secrets with.

[Chrisakadigdog]

Looks like a fun time for all.

[Hank]

I have tried and tried to record with Dee…but I just can’t be involved if a “Click Track ” has to be used , and now days it always is . The link here is a recording we did some years ago and I’m playing my old Martin HD-28 . They were able to remove the click track from my head phones  when we recorded . Dee and I have done this song so many times that I was on auto pilot as to the timing….but that is a rare thing .

07 Wurlitzer Prize (Featuring Dianna

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1993 Martin HD-28 IR/Sitka
2001 SCGC F Cutaway Maple/German
2008 SCGC OT Madi/Italian
2015 SCGC OM “The Tree” Hog/ European
2016 SCGC 1934 D45 Braz/ Adi
2016 Taylor K62 CE Limited Edition 12 string all Koa
2019 SCGC FTC Granadillo/Redwood
Life is a journey…not a guided tour,
The Bay,The Gulf Stream , The Open Ocean are particular about who they share their secrets with.

[Hank]

Hope this works

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1993 Martin HD-28 IR/Sitka
2001 SCGC F Cutaway Maple/German
2008 SCGC OT Madi/Italian
2015 SCGC OM “The Tree” Hog/ European
2016 SCGC 1934 D45 Braz/ Adi
2016 Taylor K62 CE Limited Edition 12 string all Koa
2019 SCGC FTC Granadillo/Redwood
Life is a journey…not a guided tour,
The Bay,The Gulf Stream , The Open Ocean are particular about who they share their secrets with.

[Chrisakadigdog]

IT WORKS!  YEAH.  The guitar sounds solid  nice and up front. NICE!

[Matt Hayden]

Sounds good, Zorro!

I have one of the old Boss/Roland small metronomes, and I spend a lot of time with it these days.  If you can swing with a click in the background, that’s about as good as it gets.

[Author]

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