• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Homestead on the Range

Abundant Living in Flyover Country

  • The Lifestyle
  • The Farm
  • The Garden
  • The Skills
  • The Business
  • The Sunflower State

3 Tips for Playing Rhythm

May 19, 2015 by hsotr

3 Tips for Playing RhythmMost musicians in a group setting aren’t going to be playing lead 100% of the time.  Sometimes you will be expected to back up a singer, while other times you will be playing rhythm while another instrumentalist takes a turn.

Playing rhythm really can be enjoyable, whether you are on the guitar, the mandolin, or the banjo.  Fortunately, it is a pretty simple skill to pick up.

Here are three tips to help you master the art of playing rhythm, regardless of your instrument:

  1. Play considerately.  Remember, you are in the background.  Don’t overdo the licks, and don’t play too loudly.  Your job is to provide a backdrop for the sound of the lead singer or instrumentalist.
  2. Play in time.  Develop your sense of rhythm.  Practice playing with recordings of talented artists to get into the habit of playing in time.  If you need to, practice with a metronome.
  3. Play to bring out the best in the song.  Try to hear what the song is asking you to do.  Stock a mental toolbox with the different licks, patterns, and techniques that you can use on different songs.  Sometimes you may want to try out a mellower tone, a fingerstyle accompaniment, a bluesy break, or a different strum pattern.  Listen for ideas from your favorite artists, and feel free to experiment.

Your ear is your best friend when it comes to learning how to play rhythm.  Train it by absorbing good music, then listen to what it tells you to do.

Keep Reading...

Filed Under: The Skills Tagged With: Music

Avatar for hsotr

About hsotr

Motivated by her experience growing up on a small farm near Wichita, Kansas, Michelle Lindsey started Homestead on the Range to supply Kansas country living enthusiasts with the innovative resources that they need to succeed and has now been keeping families informed and inspired for over five years. Michelle is the author of three country living books. She is also a serious student of history, specializing in Kansas, agriculture, and the American West. When not pursuing hobbies ranging from music to cooking to birdwatching, she can usually be found researching, writing, or living out the country dream.

Before Footer

Footer

Stay Posted

Enter your email address to receive new posts via email.

Topics

Animal Health Birdwatching Books Breeding Cattle Dairy Dogs Draft Animals Enterprises Faith Family Field Crops Food Fruit Goats Health & Fitness History Horses Insect Pests Links Livestock Marketing Music Native Americans Nature Nutrition Ornamental Plants Outdoors Pastures Pets Planning Plant Health Poultry Quotes Scripture Passages Sheep Small-Scale Farming Soil Stewardship Supplies The West Travel Vegetables Water Weather

More Resources

  • Our Books
  • Our Guides
  • Our Newsletters
  • Quick Start Pages
  • The Gallery
  • The Homestead Bookshelf
  • Your Path to Abundant Living in Flyover Country

Affiliate Disclosure

Throughout this site you will find affiliate links to items that we have read or used and highly recommend. If you decide to use the links to make a purchase, please be aware that we will receive a small compensation. For more information, please read our affiliate disclosure. Thank you!

  • About
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Updates

Copyright © 2013–2021 All rights reserved. No content on this site may be reproduced in any way without prior written permission. By using this site you are agreeing to our terms of use.