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No matter what your goals are, it’s important that you know that the guitar is a rhythm instrument first. Developing a great groove and sense of rhythm can go a long way to making all aspects of your playing sound more impressive and musical. In this lesson, Kent is going to show you a funky approach to building your groove through the use of a 16th-note strumming pattern.
A 16th-note is a single quarter note beat divided into four smaller beats. These are typically counted as 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a. To learn the basics of this strumming pattern, we’ll be using an E9 chord shape. There are a couple of ways to play this shape so it’s best to find the one that works best for you. As we progress through the lesson, you’ll add muted strums, stabs, and more complex accents.
If you can, use a metronome (search “metronome” on Google for a free one!) to stay locked in. Start slow and take it one step at a time. Developing your groove can take time and isn’t a skill you can learn in a day. Add these exercises to your daily practice routine and you’ll notice the improvements they can make to your playing over time!
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