Learning Music is more than plucking strings or pressing keys. There is something that seems to flow through a good player. It is their expression of themselves that seems to put their playing on another level.
A few years back I was traveling in Missouri with a friend. We came across a bar on night that had music pouring out of it. It was loud, soulful and awe inspiring before we even stepped into the door.
From the outside it sounded as if B.B.King had found this small club in the middle of Columbia, Missouri. Each note that was played was so on point, he was not just playing the blues, he was feeling every happy and sad moment in his life and sharing them with us that night.
There were no fancy effects, no faster than the speed of sound finger moves; there was nothing but this man and his presents.
That was the moment that I realized it didn’t matter if you played one note for an entire song as long as you played it at the right moment every time with every little bit of energy you have to share.
It’s Not What You Play, It’s The Way You Play It
Rhythm
Everything you ever play comes down to the same thing every time. Rhythm. Music is about precision. I don’t care what type(s) of music you listen to; the best players are meticulous with their rhythm.
The best thing you can do for yourself is go out and spend $20 on a metronome or if money is less of an obstacle get a drum machine and play with it every time you practice.
Using a Drum machine is a great way to understand rhythm from a drummer’s perspective when you don’t have the ability to get a drum kit of your own.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to be able to take a basic rhythm and be so steady with it that the rest of the band can count on you to be there for them when they falter.
If you have good rhythm people want to play with you. Your fretboard skills will improve with time.
Don’t rely on the drummer to drag you along and show you where you are supposed to be. Keeping time is not the drummer’s job alone.
Attack your rhythm in the same manor you would learn chords and melodies. Take time to learn the Bossa Nova, Waltz or Samba rhythms. Turn on that metronome and put it on 80 bpm (beats per minute). Play your songs slowly with each click of the metronome.
Break each song or rhythm into small parts and learn on part at a time.
When you have that first one down add the next, when you have those two parts learned add a third part until you have each section down. Before you know it you will be playing song after song better than you ever imagined you could.
If you take your rhythmic precision seriously people will begin to feel the pulse in your play and that is a key element to becoming a great soulful player.
For more information about how to build your confidence, improve your creativity and make better music visit http://www.bebop2pop.com and get your copy of 9 secrets to better music.
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