How To Play Guitar: Rhythms and Chords (part 1)

CHAPTER 2. RHYTHMS AND CHORDS.

PAGE 27:
RHYTHM EXERCISES AND KEYS
For developing good rhythm, it is essential to use the metronome. Do the following exercises using the metronome at a very slow tempo. As you get more comfortable changing the chords, you can increase the tempo of the metronome little by little. Your exercises will be the chords in the key of G, then Em, D, A, E, Am, and C. For each one of these keys, the set of chords will start with five exercises that are designed to help you change from chord to chord smoothly and in time. Then, exercises 6 to 10 are very practical rhythm patterns that are used in countless songs in virtually every style of music.

EXERCISES 1 TO 5, CHANGING FROM CHORD TO CHORD
Ex. 1 whole notes. Use down pick strokes only.

Ex. 2 Half Notes. Use down pick strokes only.

Ex. 3 Quarter notes. Use down pick stroke only.

PAGE 28
Ex. 4-5 Changing chords quickly and in time.

EXERCISES 6-10 ESSENTIAL RHYTHM PATTERNS.
Ex. 6 This rhythm pattern can be used in a million songs in almost any genre. When playing eighth notes, use alternating down and up pick strokes. Always use a down stroke on the down beat. The downbeat is the numbers 1,2,3,4. Always use an up pick stroke on the upbeat. The upbeat is on the ‘and‘ between the numbers.

Ex. 7 Twelve bar blues. This is a form that is used in countless songs. There are variations of it. When the first four bars remain on G, as they do below, it is called the twelve bar blues with the slow change.