Timing and Tempo Guitar Lesson

Chapter 1: (00:18) Lesson Introduction Steve kicks things off with a classic progression in the key of G major.
Chapter 2: (11:19) Timing and Tempo This lesson focuses on timing, tempo, and rhythm. Many members have been requesting more information about these topics. As a result, Steve has decided to provide a full lesson on this topic. For more information regarding this subject, check out lesson 30 from Dave MacKenzie's Phase 1 series. Also, check out Matt Brown and Jim Deeming's Phase 2 lessons pertaining to reading music and rhythms.

Note: If you have any additional questions concerning the information presented in this lesson, write in to the JamPlay teaching staff for extra help.

Rhythm: The Most Important Aspect of Music

Rhythm is the single most important aspect of music. Rhythm is the musical component that makes people want to dance, bob their heads, or start a mosh pit. When practicing any piece of music, rhythm should always be your highest priority. An incorrect note usually slides by unnoticed. On the other hand, unsteady rhythm typically results in a musical train wreck.

Note: the following information regarding the importance of rhythm is taken from lesson 1 of Matt Brown's Reading and Rhythm series.

-Rhythm is the single most important aspect of music. If you can't play something perfectly in time, then you can't play it. As a result, you should spend the majority of your practice time perfecting rhythm. This task can be accomplished in a variety of different ways. The important rule to remember is to practice with a metronome as much as possible. Playing along with recordings is also great practice.

-Rhythmic skills are essential to playing with a group of other musicians. As a guitarist, you can't simply say: "I'll just play along with the drummer. After all, the drummer is responsible for the rhythm." This is a horrible mindset to have. YOU must be responsible for rhythmic perfection at all times. That way, if the drummer is playing incorrectly, you can address the issue as needed.

Universal Language

Musical notation defies almost all language barriers. The same system of notation is used throughout most of the world. This system allows people from completely different cultures to communicate with one another through the art of music.

Many people have the ability to imitate the music that they hear in their head without learning to read music. These people are rare and posses and exceptional gift. However, these people cannot convey what they hear in their heads very easily to other musicians.

Friends Don't Let Friends Use Tablature

Tablature may provide an accurate description of which notes are played in a piece of music. However, it leaves out the rest of the equation. Tablature provides no indication of how rhythm should be played. It also omits important musical features such as phrasing, melodic resolutions, and the style in which a piece should be played. Due to inadequacies of tablature, it is absolutely essential that you begin to read musical notation as early as possible. You will not regret this decision.

Note: the following information regarding the importance of learning how to read sheet music is taken from lesson 1 of Matt Brown's Reading and Rhythm series. This lesson set is part of JamPlay's Phase 2 area of lessons.

-First and foremost, learning to read music will make you a better player. Reading skills will enhance the overall musicality of your playing. Continuing with these lessons will make you sound better. Period. After all, isn't that the goal we're all after?

-If you can't read music, you cannot interpret written music or tablature properly. This is due to a lack of understanding of how notes function with one another from a theoretical standpoint.

-It is impossible to learn music theory and audiation without basic reading skills.

-Musicians that play other instruments don't use tablature. You cannot communicate with these musicians without reading skills.

Time Signatures

At the beginning of a piece, right after the clef symbol and key signature, the time signature is written. Steve teaches the key concepts behind time signatures by providing some very common examples.

4/4 Time

You may have seen this written at the beginning of a piece and not really understood what it meant. The top note indicates how many beats are in each measure. The bottom number indicates which note value will receive the beat. This is where things get confusing for many people. Simply memorize the note value that is indicated by each bottom number.

16: Sixteenth Note
8: Eighth Note
4: Quarter Note
2: Half Note
1: Whole Note

Sometimes 4/4 time is indicated with an upper case letter "C." Before Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in about 1439, it was much easier to write a "C" legibly than writing 4/4. "C" stands for "Common Time." This traditional indication of 4/4 time is still frequently used today.

2/4 Time

Remember that the top number indicates how many beats are in a measure. The bottom number 4 indicates that the quarter note receives the beat. Consequently, this time signature features 2 quarter notes in each measure. Or, the sum of the rhythmic values written within each measure must add up to a total of two quarter notes. Many songs that are written in 2/4 can also be written in 4/4. This is due to the fact that four is equally divisible by two. Usually, pieces in which the chords change every two beats at quick tempos are written in 2/4. Most marches are written in 2/4 time.

3/4

This signature indicates that there are three quarter notes in each measure. This signature can be a little bit tricky because there is an odd number of beats per measure. The waltz is an example of a common rhythm played in 3/4 time. Refer back to the intro music that Steve played. This music is played in 3/4 time. In a waltz rhythm, the first beat of each measure is accented. This gives the rhythm a steady "oom pah pah" sound.

2/2 and Cut Time

These time signatures are written differently, but played the same way. In cut time, each note receives half of its written value. For example, a quarter note receives the value of an eighth note. An eighth note receives the value of a sixteenth note and so on.

Duple Meters, Triple Meters, and Irregular Meters

A duple meter is a time signature in which the number of beats per measure is divisible by two. This includes simple meters such as 2/4 and 4/4 as well as compound meters such as 6/8 and 12/8.

Note: Compound meters are explained later in this lesson.

A triple meter is a time signature in which the number of beats per measure is divisible by three. Some common examples are 3/4 and 9/8 time.

Irregular meters are time signatures in which the number of beats per measure is a prime number. Some common examples are 5/4 and 7/4. Chapter 3: (05:29) Duple Meter Correction

Note: Steve says that if the quarter note pulse can be divided into two eighth notes, then the meter is a duple meter. This definition applies to "simple meters," not duple meters. Not all simple meters are duple meters. A duple meter divides the entire measure into two equal parts. As a result, 3/4 is not a duple meter. 3/4 is the most common example of a triple meter.

Counting Eighth Notes

Steve explains the way in which eighth notes are typically counted in 4/4 time. Count "1+2+3+4+" for a measure in 4/4 that is solely comprised of eighth notes. The numeral in this counting pattern is referred to as the "downbeat." The "+" symbol indicates the "upbeat."

Steve's Marker Board

Take a look at Steve's marker board. A still image of his marker board can be found under the "Supplemental Content" tab. He has indicated where accents typically occur within a measure of each time signature. For example, in 4/4 time, beats 1 and 3 typically receive a slight accent. However, when playing in the swing style, the back beats (beats 2 and 4) receive the metric stress. In the case of 3/4, the first beat in each measure is stressed. Chapter 4: (07:00) Compound Meter 12/8 and 6/8

Compound meters are time signatures in which eighth notes are placed in groupings of three. Some common examples are 6/8, 12/8, and 9/8. The jig (often spelled gigue or giga) is played in 6/8 or 12/8. A slight accent is placed on the first eighth note in each beat. 6/8 is not the same as 3/4 due to the way in which the eighth notes are grouped. This alters where the accents occur in the measure.

Since eighth notes are placed in groups of threes in these types of meters, compound meters have a steady triplet feel. This rhythm is usually played steadily by the drummer on the hi-hat or ride cymbal in the context of a band.

9/8

This rhythm shows up very frequently in Celtic music. Three distinct pulses occur in each measure. Each pulse consists of three eighth notes. The slip jig is one example related to a particular kind of dance. The three eighth notes that occur at the end of a measure tend to pull you into the next measure. Since there is an odd number of beats, this signature has a lot of forward movement.
Chapter 5: (04:47) Triplets "Triplet" literally means three in the place of two. Triplets are used in duple meters to designate note groupings of three. There are several types of triplets that you will encounter as you advance as a musician. Eighth note triplets are by far the most common. Three eighth note triplets equal one quarter note. Quarter note triplets are also quite common. Three quarter note triplets equal one half note or two regular quarter notes. Sixteenth note triplets are quite common as well. Three of them equal an eighth note or two sixteenth notes. These groupings are sometimes referred to as "sextuplets." Half note triplets are quite rare. Three half note triplets equal a single whole note.

Counting and Playing Triplets

Any word containing three syllables can be used to count triplets. Chocolate, strawberry, apricot, and coconut are a few common examples. Many musicians prefer to use alternate counting devices such as "1 and ah" or Tri-pl-let." Regardless of the counting method you use, triplets must be played perfectly even. All of the notes under the triplet bracket receive the exact same value.

Tempo

The tempo of a piece is often specified as the number of beats that occur within the span of a minute. Usually the tempo is indicated by "quarter note=a specific number of beats." Italian terms are used to specify the tempo at which a piece should be played.

Prestissimo — extremely fast (200 and above bpm)
Vivacissimamente — adverb of vivacissimo, "very quickly and lively"
Vivacissimo — very fast and lively
Presto — very fast (168–200 bpm)
Allegrissimo — very fast
Vivo — lively and fast
Vivace — lively and fast (≈140 bpm)
Allegro — fast and bright or "march tempo" (120–168 bpm)
Allegro moderato — moderately quick (112–124 bpm)
Allegretto — moderately fast (but less so than allegro)
Allegretto grazioso — moderately fast and gracefully
Moderato — moderately (108–120 bpm)
Moderato espressivo — moderately with expression
Andantino — alternatively faster or slower than andante
Andante — at a walking pace (76–108 bpm)
Tranquillamente — adverb of tranquillo, "tranquilly"
Tranquillo — tranquil
Adagietto — rather slow (70–80 bpm)
Adagio — slow and stately (literally, "at ease") (66–76 bpm)
Grave — slow and solemn
Lento — very slow (40–60 bpm)
Larghetto — rather broadly (60–66 bpm)
Largo — very slow (40–60 bpm), like lento
Larghissimo — very very slow (20 bpm and below)

Member Comments about this Lesson

Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.