Description
Playing rhythm in a band doesn’t always get the respect that it deserves. Rhythm is essential to any ensemble of musicians and is the glue that holds everything together – defining the parameters of the song. This blues guitar lesson is made up of 3 very different sounding rhythms that you can be played over the same 12 bar blues backing track. Notice how the feel of the song completely changes depending on the rhythm that is played.
Rhythm 1 - Free Guitar Lesson
Rhythm 2 - For Premium Members
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Rhythm 3 - For Premium Members
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Slow Walkthrough - Rhythm 1
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Slow Walkthrough - Rhythm 2
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Slow Walkthrough - Rhythm 3
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Video Tablature Breakdown
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When I first joined this site, I was excited. However, I thought I’d give a month or two and that should be enough. That was eight months ago, and I won’t ever leave. This is quite simply a phenomenal site and worth every penny. I really, really enjoy it week in and week out. Thanks Brian.
Thank you Brian for your detailed and easy to understand lessons.I just became a premium member last week and I feel it is the best money I ever spent. I am a 57 year old beginner however I did own and played a Stratacaster 35 years ago. I just purchased another used one in March and I am relearning to play using your lessons.
Thank you Brain for your easy to understand detailed lessons. I became a premium member last week and feel it was the best money I ever spent. I`m a 57 year old beginner, however I did play a little 35 years ago. I am relearning to play my Strat now using your lessons and I am really enjoying learning so much in a very short period of time.
Wow! I think I just received my Premium Membership’s worth in this one lesson. Come hell or high water, I will learn this. Thanks Brian.
Whoa, just wanted I needed. Great timing on this for me Brian. Will be a fun weekend I can see now.
Another great one thanks Brian. It is very timely for me because I’ve been up until now been focusing on lead and woefully neglecting rhythm guitar. Now that I’m at the stage where I want to jam with others, or put down a rhythm track and play lead over it – I’ve suddenly become aware of how weak my rhythm playing is.
I’ve recently been working on it and have found, to my surprise, that I’m not only getting a real buzz out of playing rhythm, but that it has also forced me to really work on my timing – which is benefiting my playing overall. This lesson will be a great help.
Thanks again Brian.
Rick
Yes – really a nice lesson – lots of ideas for improvising without being a guitar genius. Thanks Brian.
Now somebody out on those lush hills of Tennessee is actually listening to me!! I’ve been hankerin’ and jonesing for more cowbell….I mean cool blues rhythms and Brian has delivered here in triplets!! Now I’ve gotten adventurous and connected back to several of Brian’s earlier original blues/jazz rhythms (like my favorite once again…..good ole Robben Ford or EP031 and his nice ‘lead ins’ with 13th chords) and before long I feel I can almost withstand any jamming challenge!! Tons of ground covered here in EP167 just in time to have to work over the weekend and I’m truly beginning to see the real connection Brian discusses here with great rhythm and confidence translating into very tasteful and not run of the mill soloing!! It’s almost like……….Brian’s done this lesson for my birthday present (yesterday but better a wee bit late than never!!)!! Jim C.
fantastic Brian…what a great and practical lesson……this type of lesson is why AM is the best site out there…..
Thanks
Roberto
Cool for cats Brian very informative and very enjoyable great with the backing tracks lots of different things you can input into this lesson, every week look forward to see what you come up with then I try to add my input. Great site Great Teacher cheers mate.
Brian this lesson scores a bulls eye for me it will be incredibly useful. Judging by the resppnses to it so far it is a dead centre for most. Thanks John Strat.
Brian this lesson scores a bulls eye for me. It will be incredibly useful. Judging by the resppnses to it so far it is a dead centre for most. Thanks John Strat.
Thanks, Brian. AM members will be jammin’ all over the world!
John
Great !!! I want more videos based on rhythm guitar.
Absolutely love the rhythm lessons.
Another belter Brian.
Thanks
I lllllooove it.. The third just drives me crazy
Thanks brian
Ale
I feel the love too! very important explanation of what to expect should one (like me) should I decide someday to get out and play.. Should anything go off wrong after this lesson , i’ll just blame the drummer and bass player lol ..but yes this is fun and excellent lesson!
You hit a grand slam with lesson…GREAT material!!
Great lesson Brian Thanks,
The Gibson sounds really good,
Do you still have the 52 Tele you used in the early lessons.
Jon
Hey Jon, sadly I don’t have that Tele – I traded it to someone for an old Gibson acoustic. Really miss it though and regret the trade.
This is great Brian. I think we all need more rhythm lessons. More would be welcomed in the future. Thanks again.
Another great lesson Brian! I play rhythm with another guitarist and can’t wait to try this out with him. Could you go into more depth in another lesson on some of the fills we might use with this to build a little library to choose from?
a very most excellent lesson- a lot of fun -and informative as always….I especially like the 3rd part with the “mary had a lil lamb” vibe. I love that song. the SRV version kills and the buddy guy version is pure rocking blues. I play it almost very day to warm up-….thanks
I REALLY like this…..would like to see another. besides learning great rhythms, this lesson allows me to practice the pentatonics scales in between the chord changes.
Hey Angelo – yes – this week’s upcoming lesson is going to be about taking these rhythms and applying fill licks to them 🙂 You’ll like it.
Another really great lesson………………….just need a few weeks to catch up! I’ve told myself not to even start rhythms two and three until I’ve got the first one down?
lessons like these are really helping me fat out my sound, thanks, I am looking forward to more.
Great Radiators like rhythm on the first one. I had an old nylon in my hands and yes it gets too high from the D up.. but if you use the A form for the D and do the little lick it is easily reachable …. first hammer on in the D position.. the second using the D (A form).
Yet another one added to my favs list. When will I find the time?
This is the style I really love! Great lesson again Brain!
By the way, I find it easier to wrap my thumb around the neck to hit the low E string (position 5) rather then using my indexfinger. My personal preference.
Hey Brian,
One question – is there a methodology behind NOT having the lesson follow a traditional blues progression – a la AAAA DD AA EDAE? It seems to my ear and the tab, that all three follow a AAAA / DD / AA then EE / AA in the last 4 bars ? vs E/D/A/E in the last 4 bars? Any insight or expansion on the lesson you could provide would be of great help in getting my “sea legs” in playing the blues stronger – especially in the turnaround portion of those last 4 bars.
I noticed the same issue in EP 127 Key to the Highway and didn’t realize what was happening until my jam mates pointed out what I wasn’t doing right! Thanks for the great lessons otherwise!!
Great rhythms for sure! I would like to know of some blues songs that go along with these rhytms. Any help would be great!
Great lesson, or should I say great 2 lessons. It has been a busy time for me, had family visiting, so not been able to really get to grips with it. They have all gone now so I can , at last, get on with it.
is it possible to add a tempo adjustment feature to your practice jam tracks? I would like to play along at a slower speed and gradually increase the tempo. The features in your video breakdowns would work perfect because when you click the gear icon you can change the tempo and even transpose to another key. If you can add that feature you wouldn’t have to post your jam tracks in multiple keys anymore as that option would already be existing.
I’m 67 and picking up the guitar again after being lousy years ago. I learn so much from your lessons still lousy but fun making better informed noise and having a lot of fun thanks
Will this video be helpful to beginner acoustic players?
Hi Bryan,
just love your lessons, however I can’t get anything in the “Settings” to operate when I click on the “cog”. (My system is windows 7)
Can you please help ?
Kind regards,
Al from down under
Dear Brian
(sorry for my poor English – ist not my mother tongue)
Thanks for this great lesson!
With regard to the 3d rythm, 2nd bar,4th measure: in the instruction part you indicate an upstroke, here, but in the other versions it seems to me that you prefer a downstroke.
with kind regards from Switzerland
André
Hi Brian, I am loving your site. Every lesson has some great “take aways” Only problem, I am having trouble with the player for the second part of the lesson. It craps out part way through. I start over with same result. An y suggestions?
Wow, this is great. I have been focusing on a lot of your 12 bar blues lessons to get as well rounded as possible in this area. This lesson was a really good idea. Thank you!