goods songs to improve rythmic and dynamics?

[Milo]

hi, i would like to know which songs you advise me to learn to improve rhythm.. it can be both acoustic or electric... coz i have a lack of rythm, a good technique, but when i have to play rythm, i sound sloppy and my rythmics dont sound "even", even in some nirvana songs (!), you now what i mean?
thanks

[jazzIII]

hi, i would like to know which songs you advise me to learn to improve rhythm.. it can be both acoustic or electric... coz i have a lack of rythm, a good technique, but when i have to play rythm, i sound sloppy and my rythmics dont sound "even", even in some nirvana songs (!), you now what i mean?
thanks


Well, there isn't any song that will improve your SENSE of rhythm. That comes from being aware of the problem and fixing it when it occurs...using whatever tune you're currently playing.

One sure way to improve this situation is to learn how to read and FEEL different rhythms. Grab a Mel Bay book, suffer through some lame tunes, and start at the beginning. Better yet, consult a teacher (if even for a few lessons) to get you on track.

I could go on and on recommending different thing to try but, in the end there are no short-cuts to truly UNDERSTANDING this aspect of music. Just as a painter is fully aware of the fact he is using red in his work, you too should be in control of rhythm.

I know I assumed alot here and forgive me if you've got this covered. My rant was based on first impressions from your post.

Good luck!

[ashc]

An important aspect is to be able to Rhythm read from the music notation. My pitch reading is lamentable but when I read tab for the pitch I'm reading the staff for the rhythm as well. You see I think a lot of the trouble is that people don't know what rhythm there are actually trying to play.

Learn this stuff so when you see e.g. a beat of two 16ths plus and 8th you know what it should sound like. And when learning a song do a lot of tapping the foot and hand drumming the rhythm. Tap you foot when you play too.

[ReinierK]

An important aspect is to be able to Rhythm read from the music notation. My pitch reading is lamentable but when I read tab for the pitch I'm reading the staff for the rhythm as well. You see I think a lot of the trouble is that people don't know what rhythm there are actually trying to play.

Learn this stuff so when you see e.g. a beat of two 16ths plus and 8th you know what it should sound like. And when learning a song do a lot of tapping the foot and hand drumming the rhythm. Tap you foot when you play too.

I agree.
I now regret that I didn't learn how to read written music prior to tab, because it's a nice shortcut, but in the end it takes you so much time to re-learn all of it.

I now try to focus in reading scores, simply because it's universal. Then translate it back to the guitar.

Sorry for hijacking the thread, but my point is that by learning everything from staff, you don't have to re-learn rhythm etc.

My 2 € cents.

[ashc]

Right, Rhythm reading after all is not that hard compared to pitch reading for guitar. I can't say I can sight rhythm read fluently or anything, for some solo parts and funk rhythms I have take it beat by beat, bar by bar really slowly until i've got it.

It can really help to learn small one beat "cells" with special keywords. Someone here posted a load a while back, my favourite was a beat composed of two 16ths and an 8th "po-pa-dom"!

[oRg]

Well, there's some metal songs out there that I would recommend to learn just in case you don't want to use the metronome, just play along with the CD's. The metal songs ar epretty much from one band and they're definitely rhythmically difficult expecially for me at times. Their name is Meshuggah. For rhythm I would start off with a few songs off of their CD "Nothing" like "Straws Pulled at Random", "Stengah", or "Perpetual Black Second". Then I would learn some of their earlier songs like "Neurotica", "New Millenium Cyanide Christ", "Future Breed Machine", and "Acrid Placidity". The song "Acrid Placidity" is a very slow jazz-fusion sounding song. It reminds me alot of Allan Holdsworth's playing but it definitely does the trick for getting slow rhythms.

[Milo]

the problem is, when i play with a drummer, i get confused when he changes his rythm drumming pattern (gets eventually faster, or louder) when he wants to make a transition between, lets say, the bridge and the chorus. how should a follow the "real" rythm? count in my head?? what esle??
thanks

[phantom]

tap your foot milo!

as steadily as possible.

if the drummers is getting faster or slower in some passages because he can't keep time, it is his fault and not yours however.
then it is now wonder to get thrown out. check if that is the case. ;)

[rguitar87]

Heed to the almighty pulse. "click. click. click. click." Let your ear find the pulse, and feel it with your body. I think my rhythm benefits from early clarinet / band program as a child for 3 years, we were taught to tap our feet. It's dorky looking but it never fails if im insecure in a jam situation. Then when you really want to have fun tackle 5/4, 7/4, and 9/8. :)