How to read rhythm

Overview

Rhythm is the pulse, drive, groove and feel of songs – it’s that one element that gets your foot tapping. An audience would instinctively know if you’ve got it! If you want to play along with others, or simply just improve your own playing, you need rhythm – it’s an essential skill to be able to read it and, as importantly, apply to the guitar.

This is the final level of our beginners series. TAB is great but it has limited rhythmic content! The overall aim is for to actually read rhythm in standard music notation and be able to say it out loud using some ‘pro tricks’ and then play what you read.

This lesson will cover the following:

1. Tied rhythms, quaver triplets, staccato and accent markings will be explained.
2. We will aim to sight read a selection 4 bar rhythmic passages in 4/4, 3/4, 6/8 and 12/8. These will include all the rhythmic elements discussed across levels 1, 2 and 3.
3. Alongside reading we will begin trying to aurally identify one bar rhythmic patterns. Being able to do this not only helps with your sight-reading but also leads well into transcribing.
4. Basic rhythmic transcription will be introduced. This will involve showing you how to hear a rhythm, play it and successfully write it down as rhythmic notation.

If you missed our previous levels?

We covered a lot basics in our Levels 1 and 2 but these were summarised in our Get ready for Reading Rhythm Level 3  We have prep materials for this Level 3 lesson available in the form of the ‘get ready’ course (PDF, audio tracks and videos covering levels 1 and 2: whole notes / semibreves, half notes / minims, quarter notes / crotchets, eighth notes / quavers and sixteenth notes / semiquavers. We also learnt about their equivalent rest symbols, dotted rhythms and the following time signatures 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8.)

If you’ve been on Levels 1 and 2 then you’re ready. We also ran a Get ready read rhythm level 3 course – this available in the buying options below.

In addition, our home practice materials will include:

1. Lesson PDF 7 pages
2. 22 lesson audio examples
3. 4 x identifying rhythm tests
4. Levels 0 – 2 rhythmic transcription exercises. Six tests per level
5. 2 pages of rhythmic exercises plus accompanying audio examples
6. 3 pages with four song examples and accompanying videos

Course suitability
This course is for low intermediate acoustic/electric players. If you haven’t been on any of our earlier courses the best prep/revision materials are those for 0ur Get Ready for Read Rhythm 3 courses (these are available to purchase –  see buying options options below).

Call us for a chat at any time
Whatever level you are, you’ll have lots of takeaways to work on later. If you’d like to go through the course please call or email.