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Chapter 5: Positioning the Right Hand for Rhythm and Lead
81
Figure 5-8:
A straighteighth
progression
in A that
uses
common
syncopation
figures.
A7 D7 A7 E7
Track 10, 0:00
Figure 5-9:
A shuffle in
A that uses
common
syncopation
figures.
Shuffle (qr=qce)
A7 D7 A7 E7
Track 10, 0:16
Stopping the String Ringing
(Just for a Sec)
Listen to blues rhythm guitar and you hear that it’s not one repetitive wall of
sound, but an open, varied sound with breathing room and subtle breaks. It’s
these breaks that prevent the chord strums from running into each other and
creating sonic mush. The little gaps in sound keep a strumming figure sounding
crisp and controlled.
To create a rhythm guitar part with some breathing space between the notes,
you need to stop the strings from ringing momentarily. And I’m talking very
small moments here — much smaller than can be indicated by a rest symbol in
the music. You can stop the strings instantly with the left hand — letting the
left hand go limp is the best and quickest way to stop a string from ringing —
far faster and more controlled than anything you can do with the right hand.
This left-hand technique may seem out of place in a chapter devoted to the
right hand, but it belongs here because it’s a coordinated effort between the
two hands, which can only occur when the right hand plays.
TEAM LinG