Q & A
Rhythm Guitar Questions & Answers
Question
I have been playing for about five years but I think I was guilty of running before I could walk as some tricky techniques are not a problem for me. As a result, I neglected my rhythm playing and even now my playing is very two dimensional. Any ideas? Thanks a million. - Stuart
Answer
It can be tough to break out of a rut. Here are some things to try:
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Use only the top four strings (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings) when playing chords.
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Strum a chord and then add a riff.
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Play all the chords as arpeggios (one note of the chord at a time.)
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Add space. Play a chord and hold it for a whole measure (or longer.)
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Create new rhythms. Use the same chords but try to come up with as many different rhythm patterns as you can.
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Use effects. Adding some Tremolo, or chorus, etc. can make you play differently. Play less and let the effects do their magic. Try playing arpeggios with Tremolo and a little crunch.
Try some fingerstyle playing.
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The idea is to do something you wouldn't ordinarily do.
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