How To Count While Playing Guitar

How To Count While Playing Guitar: Count Music For Guitar

How do you count playing guitar? How to count guitar beats? What is a measure on guitar? How to keep musical time while playing on a guitar? These are just some of the questions that are frequently asked when it comes to musical time and guitar. Although this topic is one of the most basic guitar lessons, surely many are still unfamiliar with this lesson, as most guitar players skip learning this topic. This is why I have felt the need to give some light on some who are still unfamiliar with beats and measures.

So, what is a measure? In terms of music theory, a measure is a single unit of time that features a specific number of beats that are played at a certain tempo. If you are unfamiliar with the term, then maybe you have heard of the word “bar,” then they usually refer to each other. Each measure indicated is purposely there to satisfy the specified time signature of the staff.

An example of the measure would be a song written in 4/4 time, which means that it will hold four quarter note beats per measure. Another example is a song written in 2/4 time, which also means that it will hold two quarter note beats per measure. That is how a measure works.

On the other hand, what is a beat? The beat is known to be the basic unit of time. For musicians, they use it to be able to count the notes that are played while staying in sync. It is also usually associated with the term, pulse, as listeners tend to feel when listening to music. Although you frequently hear the word beat for percussion instruments like the drums, they are for everyone and not just for specific instrument groups.

Why Musicians Should Learn How To Count

As all musicians’ job is to be able to play in rhythm with the song, you should also be able to develop your skills when it comes to rhythm, and the best way to develop a strong rhythm is to learn how to count. When you start to play guitar, the songs that you will usually encounter when practicing are grouped into four pulses. The rhythms are created from groups of four beats, either by dividing them into smaller parts or combining them all together.

In the end, musicians are supposed to play in time to be able to do their job correctly, which is being able to know how to count will not only keep you from staying on the beat, but also will improve you totally as a guitar player and a musician.

How To Count While Playing The Guitar

How To Count Guitar Beats On Your Own

To be able to play the guitar properly, you must know how to count and be able to develop the feel of the beat and back beats. This will improve your skills to become a better rhythm guitar player.

To start, practice strumming with a down pattern and count from one to four. You will notice that when you execute consecutive down strums, your strumming hand will naturally move up on its own on the backbeat. Many people usually call this the “and,” as this usually happens between each down strum. In general, each beat gets a down strum in a guitar, while a back beat gets an up strum.

Backbeats are usually written in a “+” sign, is when it says “1+2+3+4,” this means that the counting would be “one and two and three and four,” as you will read the “+” sign as “and” and not “plus.” The “+” sign here means that you strum the strings in an upward direction.

The important part of learning how to count beats while playing the guitar is to say the count out loud. Make this a habit of yours when you are practicing, as this will surely be a great help to you when it comes to counting. Once you get used to strumming while counting out loud, start to tap your feet on the beat while counting out loud. This will help you in the development of your rhythm skills.

How To Count Guitar Beats With Recorded Music

Another way you can practice counting guitar beats is to play along with a piece of recorded music. This can be a little difficult for some, but many prefer to do this as they feel that it is an easier way to learn how to count beats.

When there is a piece of music you like to play along with, try to identify its meter. If you are not familiar with the term meter, it is the way pulses are grouped. Most songs have the pulses either grouped in four or three, so you figure it out first and check which of the two sounds right.

Tap along with your foot to what you feel the beat of the song is. This is a great way to help you count the guitar beats. Then, count along loudly. So, if the meter of the song is four, then count the beats by saying out loud, “one, two, three, four.” When the song needs to include the upbeat, then count out loud, “one and two and three and four and.”

It would be a huge help if you will be able to identify the meter of the song, as it will also improve your skills on how to count the beats. I understand you will feel bored after some time, but you will have to develop counting beats as a habit of yours, as this will help you greatly to become a great musician.

A device you can also use to develop your rhythm skills is the metronome.  A metronome is a small device that is made to keep a beat at a specific timing indefinitely.  Using a metronome will surely help you stay with the beat, as even professional musicians use this device for the same purpose, whether for recording or playing live.

So, how do you count while playing guitar? When you play along with a song, you try to identify its meter and use this to count the beats. If its meter is four, then count out loud, “one, two, three, four” if only pure downbeats, while count out loud “one and two and three and four and” if their upbeats included.

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