# My Idea On Practicing Rhythm



## mozilla2004 (Nov 1, 2020)

Hey Everyone

I'm still junior to intermediate on the guitar, and i'm self-taught . But when it comes to understanding rhythm, i'm completely terrible. I want to fix this... So I came up with this approach, and would appreciate any insight people have?

1. I downloaded a metronome app to my phone. The metronome app has a button that says, "Tap your beat", where you can tap a certain frequency, and the metronome will play that beat back to you indefinitely. Great, i'm ready to find a song to practice with. Move to step 2.

2. I pick any piece of music that isn't overly complex and sounds like it might be 4/4 timing. Songs I might pick are pop music, music with a pronounced melody line (eg. Nintendo 8-bit music or movie sound tracks)

3. Play the song on my phone, then start my metronome app and tap out the beats. The metronome will say something like, "You are tapping at 80BPM. Would you like to start the metronome at 80 BPM? Yes/No" . I press Yes.

4. I turn off the song on my phone but leave the metronome running.

5. Then I practice humming/whistling the music with only the metronome running. I try to pay attention to what I "think" I should be starting a new measure (aka the first beat of a measure) and emphasize any notes that falls on what feels like should be a special beat. 



Is this an ok approach?


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

Once you can clap along with the metronome change the metronome to only sound on the two and four. Once you can clap all four beats at that setting set the metronome to only sound on the four. I learned this from a Cory Wong video. It is a great way to learn timing.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Sounds like what your doing will help, and Kerry gives good advice, though I would try the click on one and three before two and four, and one before four respectively. If you want your guitar rhythm to get better, you should play guitar with the metronome as well. 

Metronome work benefits from having someone who knows what it should sound like listen to you. I've seen lots of people practice with a metronome clicking while they play, but their playing is completely disconnected from the clicking.

Lots of stuff on YouTube about working with a metronome. I would start with someone like JustinGuitar.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Hmm. I’ve never used a metronome but maybe I should. I can keep the beat well when playing rhythm but I often start with the tempo a bit off when I have to set the beat at the start of a song. 

What I’ve found works well for maintaining the correct tempo is using your foot, head, body or whatever to follow the rhythm


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