ROCCO’STIPSFOR DEVELOPING GOOD TIME KEEPING FOR SOLOING AND RHYTHM PLAYING

DURING MY FIRST experiences in music I noticed the importance of rhythmic control both for strumming/comping and phrasing. I worked hard to improve my timing using a metronome and playing with good rhythm sections. In particular, I focused on two main parameters that continue to help me a lot.

The first was to practice with a metronome clicking on the back beat (clicks on beats 2 and 4) and get used to that feeling when playing. It is very liberating and strengthening because many timing problems are because of a weak perception of the beat. To hear the metronome beat on the 2 and 4 you have to imagine and feel beats 1 and 3 on your own. It’s hard work at first but very rewarding once good results start happening.

That sorted out my feel and internal metronome. The second area was to work on my alternate picking technique so I wouldn’t falter or trip due to poor technique (ie poor hand synchronisation and weak up picks). I wanted to work well with a metronome or drummer, having a downstroke correspond to a downbeat note and an upstroke with the upbeat when playing eighth notes. This would double up for 16th notes (picking down, up, down, up for each beat). The same approach will also work with rests, in this case the picking hand moves but nothing is heard (ghost notes). This is applicable for both a solo or a rhythm part, technically accommodating the silences.

Try this exercise; with a major scale fretboard pattern think of a rhythmic pattern such as pick, pick, silence and apply it to constant 16ths; the notes and silences you play will be staggered against the metronome (try a click every beat if you find clicks on just beat 2 and 4 awkward at first). You will feel the scale in a very new way, perhaps more musical (and/or funky) than you have felt in the past. Then expand the rhythmic pattern so it’s longer (eg pick, pick, silence, pick, silence, pick), still keeping to 16ths. Then try the same type of approach for triplets (eg pick, pick, pick, silence). There is a huge amount to learn and benefit from with this approach to rhythmic control using alternate picking!