8/9/2019 berklee_rhythm_guitar_basics.pdf

1/3

FREE music lessons fromBerklee College of Music

A Modern Method for GuitarVolume 2

William Leavitt

Rhythm Guitar—The Right Hand

Press ESC to cancel sound.

Check out Berkleeshares.com for more lessons just like this one.

 © 2003 Berklee College of Music licensed to the publicunder http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd-nc/1.0/  verify at http://berkleeshares.com/legal-notice

http://www.berkleeshares.com/http://berkleeshares.com/legal-noticehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd-nc/1.0/http://www.macromedia.com/http://www.adobe.com/http://www.berkleeshares.com/

8/9/2019 berklee_rhythm_guitar_basics.pdf

2/3

Rhythm Guitar—The Right Hand ( 4 4 and 2 Beat)

For a good rhythm section blend, all notes of a chord must seem to explode into sound at the sameinstant. This can be accomplished by a combination of downward, rotary forearm and loose wrist mo-tion, as if flecking something from the back of your hand. The pick must travel very quickly acrossthe strings to match the sound of the production of a pizzicato note on the bass violin.

NOTATION: 

Downstroke≤ Upstroke

Strike muffled strings; fingers in formation, Release pressure immediately after chord sounds

 All strokes labeled “Basic” are usually best when used with a guitar alone or with anincomplete rhythm section.

Basic Stroke: Orchestral: The “Chop”

Four, Four, and Two Beat Four, Four (often slightly amplified)

Chord duration must For use with organ groups

match notes of bass violin. and similar small combos.

■ EXERCISE

Practice in all three styles, with emphasis on the orchestral stroke.

The principal difficulty in the above orchestral stroke is in producing the sharp, explosive attack whilekeeping the chord duration long.

Orchestral

“Two Beat”

It is sometimes advisable in practice (and in use) to lightly hit the (muffled) top strings on the

returning upstroke where rests are indicated.

■ EXERCISE

Be sure to practice at slow, medium, and fast tempos. When learning this style of rhythm playing, it isnecessary to tap the foot. First tap on beats 1 and 3, and later tap on 1, 2, 3, and 4.

16

44   Û-≥ JÛ>≥ ‰ Û-≥ JÛ>≥ ‰   44   ,Û-≥   ,Û-≥   ,Û-≥   ,Û-≥ 44 JÛ≥ ‰ JÛ≥ ‰ JÛ≥ ‰ JÛ≥ ‰

& # 44 ..   ..’ ’ ’ ’G6

’ ’ ’ ’ A bº

’ ’ ’ ’ Am7

’ ’ ’ ’D7 b9

’G6

44 or C   Œ   Û Œ Û

*¿≤ ¿≤

& # 44   ..   ..or C   Œ Û Œ ÛG6 Œ Û Œ Û A 

bº Œ Û Œ Û Am7 Œ Û Œ ÛD7b9 ÛG6

8/9/2019 berklee_rhythm_guitar_basics.pdf

3/3

Orchestral Fast to Very Fast “Four”

Tap the foot “in two” (i.e. on beats 1 and 3)

Make the upstroke sound as much like the downstroke as possible by favoring the lower strings withthe returning upstroke of the pick. There will be a slight natural accent on beats 2 and 4, becausethe downstroke hits the heavy string first. This is good, as it is comparable to the drummer’s use of the hi-hat cymbal on these beats.

■ EXERCISE

This right-hand technique is difficult to master but is extremely valuable. It allows you to maintain very bright tempos (steady as a rock) with very little tightening up.

Chord Etude No. 7 38: Eighth note (e) gets one beat 

 All notes connected by a curved line must be kept ringing.

17

C   ,Û≤   ,Û≥   ,Û≤   ,Û≥

& # 44   ..   ..Û Û Û ÛG6 Û Û Û Û A 

bº Û Û Û Û Am7 Û Û Û ÛD7b9 ÛG6

& b 83   ..   ..œ ≥

œ ≤ œ ≥.œ 

Moderately Fast Waltz

œ ≥

œ ≤ œ ≥.œ œ  œ  œ .œ 

%œ  œ  œ .œ    œ  œ  œ .œ    œ  œ 

 œ .œ    œ  œ  œ .œ 

œ   œ   œ    .œ œ 2 œ 4 œ 3 œ   œ   œ .œ    .œ œ 4 œ 2 œ 3 œ   œ   œ .œ    .œ œ   œ   œ   œ   œ   œ 

œ   œ   œ .œ 

To coda fiœ   œ   œ .œ    .œ œ   œ   œ   œ   œ   œ   œ   œ   œ .œ    œ   œ   œ b.œ 

  ‰  œ 

2

œ 4

.œ 3

‰   œ 2 œ 4.œ b1 ‰   œ   œ .œ œ   œ   œ b   ‰   œ   œ .œ    ‰   œ   œ .œ bRall.‰   œ   œ n.œ 

D.S. al coda

..œ œ œ b   œ   œ 

bCoda

Rit. (poco a poco)fi   .œ œ   œ   œ   œ   œ   œ   ‰≥ œ œ 

≥ œ œ œ ≥

.œ  Fine...œ œ œ gggg ‰   œ 

 V