How to practice the guitar for maximum speed development - common mistakes when learning to play the guitar at speed. The best music games The fastest guitarist in Russia
If you are serious about music and plan to play complex compositions in the future, you need to take the time to practice. Mastery always requires a lot of time and effort. Therefore, it is necessary to approach classes with all responsibility. In this article, we will look at various exercises for developing speed and clarity of playing the guitar, training a sense of rhythm. Let's start with warming up your hands.
Warming up before the game
Make it a rule to warm up your hands before playing. Warming up should be an integral part of your workouts and public performances. And the more time you spend on it, the better.
First, by straining unheated muscles, you risk injuring them. Tendinitis (inflammation of the tendons) and arthritis (inflammation of the joint) are occupational diseases of guitarists. A banal warm-up greatly reduces the risk of injury.
Secondly, hand gymnastics greatly increases the effectiveness of training. Try to warm up before the game - and you will feel how much faster and more accurately your fingers began to run along the neck. Personal observation: without a warm-up, the maximum speed of passage performance drops by 25-30%.
Gymnastics consists of 2 parts: with a guitar and without it. First you need to put the tool aside and prepare your hands. Start with the forearms and hands - do a few dozen circular rotations in both directions, as in physical education.
Then comes the stretching of the fingers. Try to spread the fingers of your left hand to the sides as far as possible. First stretch without the help of the right hand, then with it. Watch your feelings - you should not bring to pain. It will also be a good idea to bend your fingers one at a time, holding all the others. If you have an expander, you can work out a little with it.
By devoting just a few minutes a day to this, you will protect your hands from injury, as well as increase the effectiveness of your workouts. Pay special attention to the left hand - it is she who is loaded the most. But you should not forget about the right one either - a fast game also tires her.
Warming up with the guitar - developing a sense of rhythm
When you do a simple exercise, you can safely take up the guitar. Immediately playing at the limit of possibilities is fraught with trouble. You need to start slowly, gradually increasing the pace. Exercise for at least 10-15 minutes - and your hands will thank you.
Now is the time to pay attention to the rhythm. Rhythm is the basis of any music (except, perhaps, ambient). In whatever direction, and whatever instrument you play, you should not forget about the rhythm.
Start with a slow game. Perhaps you think that playing slowly is very easy and boring? Try to accurately hit the beats of the metronome with 4 notes at a tempo of 40-50 beats per minute. Most beginner guitarists won't be able to do this. You need to train at all speeds and without fail with a metronome. Metronome - best friend and a musician teacher.
Set the metronome speed to 60 bpm (beats per minute). Play the passage shown in the picture. After a few minutes, increase the speed to 70 bpm, then to 80, 90, and so on.
Walk around it a few times. First play 4 notes, then 8, then 16. You can combine them to get the simplest rhythmic patterns, such as a gallop (8-8-4 or 16-16-8), or use triplets.
Then run through the scales. Build a scale from any note on the 6th string - and play it in the same way. It is important not to "stay" in one place on the neck. Pay equal attention to both the first frets and the very last ones. Your fingers should always run confidently.
If you play as a mediator - try different ways attacks. Play the passage first with an alternating stroke, then with a downstroke. Owners of electric guitars are advised to practice both on a clean sound and with an overload. Their playing technique is slightly different, and it also needs to be worked on daily.
If you are in a hurry, work out for at least 10 minutes. This is much better than nothing.
Exercises for speed play
Learning to play fast is only half the battle. Many musicians can give out even 20 notes per second, but it is very difficult to make out at least some melody in this. The point here is the correct setting of the sound and the purity of the game. Sound is a very large topic and deserves a whole series of separate articles. But on a clean game you need to work.
First, determine the maximum comfortable speed for yourself. Choose your favorite riff or simple scale, turn on the metronome and play it. Then increase the speed and repeat. Turn it up until "dirt" starts to appear in the melody. Minor rhythmic inaccuracies, the screeching of the plectrum over the braid of the strings, the grazing of extra strings - all this greatly spoils the melody. Especially if you use overdrive or distortion in your music.
When you understand the limit of your capabilities, you can begin to expand it. Again: forget about playing without a metronome! Start with the exercise above. Choose any mode, build a similar passage from it and play. Keep clean. If you play dirty, you should slow down a bit or take a break.
Don't focus on one exercise. Tired of playing this passage - switch to other frets, to scales. Playing your favorite works is no worse. Choose an interesting quick song or an excerpt from it, learn it - and into battle! The most important thing is to play as accurately as possible. Never lose the rhythm. Never hit an extra string.
When it does, increase the speed a little. Just 2-3 beats per minute. You will almost not feel the difference, and you will play with warm hands without any problems. Even if you shift the threshold by 1 bpm per day, you will get a stunning result in a month.
Don't forget about different playing techniques. If you are interested in the sweep, be sure to practice it. Like tapping - add new notes to your exercises. Try, for example, to play a passage from the picture with both hands.
The letter T in tablature shows what sounds are played with the finger of the right hand. When tapping, pay attention to the volume of the note. Beginning guitarists are very lame in extracting sound with their little and ring fingers - watch this. Mute any extra strings to keep your playing as clear as possible. Your task is to bring your performance at the current speed to the ideal. Only then can you move on to the next level.
Summarize
Let's recap how your workout should go:
- Hand warm-up and stretching;
- Slow playing of scales under a metronome;
- Determination of comfortable speed for today;
- A game of exercises for speed play also under a metronome.
You may find this approach boring. Dozens of times to play the same boring riff, besides, keep track of hundreds of little things. But remember the proverb: "Repetition is the mother of learning." Rapid play is a very complex technique. Not every guitarist can boast of a clean performance of high-speed passages. To reach the heights of mastery, years of hard training are needed. Spend just 40 minutes a day on these exercises - and the result will not be long in coming.
Publication date: October 12, 2011
Faster!!! This word, like a beacon on the horizon, drives many aspiring guitarists. Especially when it comes to electric guitars. And no wonder, after listening to the recordings of such masters as Yngwie Malmsteen and Joe Satriani, almost everyone who is able to distinguish between fender and ibanez will burn with the desire to do the same - to repeat these incredible gashes and mind-blowing passages. Are you one of them? Then welcome to a series of tutorials dedicated to just one topic: "HOW TO PLAY FASTER?"
I would like to mention that YES - speed is not a fundamental factor that determines the skill of a guitarist. And if we compare, say, the same Satriani and Malmsteen, then, of course, Malmsteen plays faster. But more melodic, more virtuoso, more sophisticated, I would even say, of course, Satriani. And therefore these lessons are not for those who do not know how the Lydian mode differs from the Dorian mode, but would like to know. These lessons are for those who really need to speed up their game but don't know where to start.
And first of all, it must be said that there are a considerable number of ways to play the electric guitar. Some of them are aimed specifically at increasing the speed of the game. Let's consider them in order.
Alternate stroke (alternate picking). What we'll start with. Its principle is clear from the name. This is a stroke in which the plectrum constantly changes its direction. Down - up - down - up. And, despite the fact that the method itself is quite simple to master, it is devilishly difficult to achieve mastery in it. A good variable stroke requires good synchronization of both hands - and it takes years to develop.
Legato (legato). By this word, I mean a playing technique in which the mediator plays a small role, and the left hand does all the main work. Here, as you have already understood, no special synchronization is required, and therefore it may seem that it is easier to play legato than with an alternating stroke. Not entirely true, because legato requires additional muting of the strings. And already choosing from the need for this jamming and synchronization, everyone decides for himself what is easier.
Tapping. Tapping was invented by Eddie Van Halen. Undoubtedly, this technique was used before, but it was he who opened a new milestone in it. When playing tapping, the guitarist strikes (tap - blow) with the fingertips on the neck of the guitar, thus extracting sounds.
Sweep. Sometimes it is necessary to play a passage located on the fretboard according to the principle: “one note per string”. Most often it is an arpeggio. This is where the sweep comes to the rescue. When playing this technique of playing, the plectrum slides up and down the strings, and the fingers of the left hand pinch the right frets at the right time.
Economic vehicles (economy picking). A rather rare way to play, and probably designed specifically to play as fast as possible. The principle of economical technique is the combination of a sweep and an alternating stroke. For a more detailed explanation, I will have to use such phrases as external and internal strokes, and we have not talked about this yet. Therefore, we will return to the economical technique in the corresponding lesson.
So. What was the first item there? Oh yes! Variable stroke. As I said, this is a playing technique in which the mediator constantly changes the direction of his movement. good example of what heights can be achieved in a variable stroke is the composition of Chris Impellitteri 17th Century Chicken Pickin' from the album Screaming Symphony 1996. Be sure to listen if you haven't already. Do you feel the attack of the pick - this dense, buzzing sound? Never in your life, in any other way, be it tapping, sweeping, legato or even an economical technique, will you achieve such a sound.
When practicing the variable stroke, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First of all, hand synchronization takes a very long time to develop. And no one has yet become a master by holding a guitar in their hands for only a month. So don't quit before you start. It will seem to you that there is no progress in technology, and that someone who gives out twenty notes per second most likely has a talent for this. NO! They also practiced. Steve Vai trained, John Petrucci trained. And they succeeded because they practiced, not because of the gift of swinging the plastic triangle from side to side.
This is where the second point comes from. Put aside your doubts and proceed with the exercises that will be given in the next lesson. Never play faster than you can. After all, a poorly delivered technique is much more difficult to fix than to do everything right from the very beginning. Of course, you need to play at different speeds, but they should not go beyond the limits.
Thirdly, alternate playing on a clean sound with playing on a distortion. The first is for you to be really aware of what your hands are doing. The second is to learn how to muffle unnecessary sounds.
And since we are talking about jamming, we will put it as the fourth point. This is one of the most important aspects of the variable stroke game. Yes, by the way, and playing the electric guitar in general. You need to mute the strings with both the right and left hand. The right one lies with the edge of the palm near the bridge and muffles everything below the string that is currently sounding. And the left one - with the inner side of the phalanx of the index finger, suppresses everything that is higher. Over time, muting will become completely natural for you, and you will not even think about what you are really doing.
Fifth, all exercises must be performed under a metronome. In no case do not allow yourself to relax and refuse to use it. Only with the help of a metronome can you control your speed and develop rhythm. After all, many guitarists can play pretty fast, but are not able to play even a simple melody on drums. Hardly any group needs them.
Sixth, try to play economically. Keep your fingers as close to the neck as possible, control the range of motion of the pick. All this ultimately affects the speed.
And the last point, no matter how strange it may sound - play only with a variable stroke. The fact is that I know that for many (and I was one of them) it is quite difficult at first to get used to the idea that after a downstroke, an upstroke must necessarily follow and vice versa. After all, when playing slow short melodies (namely, they are played by beginners), it is much easier to play down - down than down - up if the first note is located, for example, on the fifth fret of the third string, and the second on the seventh fret of the second. Do not give in to this desire and you can be sure that it will pass very quickly.
Well, that's enough for one lesson, try to digest everything I've talked about here. In the next lesson, we will analyze the outer and inner strokes and proceed directly to the exercises.
Working on is useful not only for those who wish to become the fastest guitarist on this planet. Having started play guitar fast, you will feel more relaxed, your fingers will become light and flexible, and your guitar playing will be free. In other words, your fingers will flutter across the strings without any effort. Development of game speed is an important skill that a guitarist should work on and constantly improve. To save you from sudden disappointment, I will say right away - this is, first of all, hard work and patience, and only then - the admiring glances of busty beauties.
In order to learn play guitar fast it is important not only to work on it, but also to practice it in the right way, otherwise you will spend days, months, perhaps years of your own life, but you will not achieve the desired result - to increase the speed of playing the guitar.
How to develop the speed of playing the guitar?
Most beginner guitarists on a long and thorny path face a wide variety of obstacles, while the following tips will help you overcome the most common ones.
First, as paradoxical as it sounds, take your time. Remember that even Olympic champions in running, once, in childhood, began to walk slowly, gradually developing their skills. Most beginner guitarists try to play fast, but end up with a clumsy, sloppy set of sounds that can hardly be called music. Therefore, do not run ahead of the locomotive.
To learn play guitar fast start slowly, gradually increasing the speed. Make sure , also give the correct ( if you are right handed). Don't speed up until you feel like you're playing every note correctly, cleanly, and without discomfort.
Play guitar with alternating stroke
One of the key points game speed development on the guitar is to use an alternating stroke. There are other techniques that allow guitarist to play fast, for example - a sweep, but it is the variable stroke that is the simplest, but, at the same time, effective method, which will significantly increase the speed of your guitar playing. The essence of the variable stroke is as follows: you catch the string with a plectrum from top to bottom (towards the floor), then from bottom to top (towards the ceiling). Thus, instead of making an extra movement every time, bringing the pick over the string, you get another sound, and the speed of your guitar playing, respectively, doubles.
Use the metronome
Despite the fact that the benefits of a metronome have been described more than once in our previous articles, I will not fail to note that the correct rhythm, evenness, if you like, is a mandatory requirement for fast guitar playing. This is precisely the point of playing with a metronome, because you want to play not only quickly, but also legibly, accurately. You can buy a metronome, at an affordable price, in any music store, just as you can successfully and perfectly.
Avoid Excessive Stress
At first, when trying speed up your guitar playing, your fingers will probably feel a lot of tension. The feeling of tension significantly slows down the speed of playing, so try to relax while playing the guitar. Working on guitar speed development, do not let your hands tire excessively, otherwise, instead of the expected result, you will pick up some kind of joint disease. Do not practice for several hours in a row. If you feel pain or excessive tension in your fingers, wrists, hands, shoulders, or back, immediately take a break.
Play Fast
Once your level of guitar playing allows you to play every note cleanly, correctly, and comfortably, try increase game speed. Play faster, maybe even a little faster than you think possible. This process can be compared to lifting weights. If you try to lift too much weight, after a little rest, you will move on to a lighter load, and, to your surprise, you will find that it is lighter than before.
The same is true in the case guitar speed development. Sometimes it is worth speeding up the metronome, and speeding yourself up more than usual, so that later, returning to your usual pace, you will feel your own progress.
At the same time, keep playing the guitar slowly as slow playing develops clarity and accuracy. Fast play helps speed development.
Analyze your guitar playing
Analyze your own game during each session. Draw your own conclusions. Watch the position of your hands. Fix mistakes. Pay attention to the elements that do not work for you. Be creative - change the exercises you know and come up with new ones to eliminate these problems.
For example, if your ring finger and little finger are too weak to speed up, create an exercise for those two fingers to develop their speed to the required level.
Record your lessons on video
Video recording of your activities is a great way to see the sides of yourself ( analyze) and evaluate your own progress in guitar speed development. Acceptable video quality Suitable for almost any phone or tablet) will allow you to evaluate the correct position of the hands and posture while playing the guitar. You will be able to see some things that you usually don't notice.
Also, by comparing a recently filmed video with a recording two or three months ago, you will see with your own eyes how much your guitar playing speed.
Exercise regularly
As I already said, guitar speed development- It's not a matter of one day. To play really fast, you need to practice for months, and even years, but if you work on guitar playing speed right, the results will not keep you waiting, and, after just a few weeks or months, your fingers are much faster and more flexible than before, which will also significantly increase your overall guitar playing level.
That's why…
Regular practice is very important. If you are limited in time, then even fifteen minutes of daily guitar lessons will bring more benefit than a daily mockery of yourself on weekends.
The main thing is not the time spent on classes, but their quality. Remember this. At the same time, exercise regularly.
Guitar Speed Exercises
Three notes per string
It's pretty simple, but nonetheless effective exercises, which can be used to warm up before playing the guitar, to develop game speed, and also as an element fast guitar solo. To enlarge an image. click on it with the left mouse button.
Exercise 1. (The key is Em (E minor)
Exercise 2.
Exercise 2 is also played on the 5th (A) and 4th (D) strings, then another string down, and so on.
Exercise 3
Repeat exercise 3 as you move forward a fret along the neck of the guitar. For example, the next step would be 2-3-5 on the 6th (E) and 2-4-5 on the 5th (A) strings.
Learning to play the guitar is half the battle. In order to masterfully play a stringed instrument, you need real talent and constant practice.
And some in this business have succeeded so much that they have shown truly phenomenal results. Who exactly can bear the title of the fastest guitarist in the world?
The fastest composition - "Flight of the Bumblebee"
The famous composition "Flight of the Bumblebee" was not heard only by the lazy. The orchestral interlude was written by the famous Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov especially for the opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan in 1899-1900."Flight of the Bumblebee" from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan"
If you carefully study the opera, then the phrase "Flight of the Bumblebee" will not be found there at all. However, this name was firmly hooked on the music. Musicians say that this work is distinguished by incredibly fast performance. And the main task of the artist is to play with great speed. And it's no surprise that guitarists train to play this particular composition in order to develop their skills. And here is who especially excelled in execution.
The fastest guitarist in Russia
Russian musician Viktor Zinchuk entered the Guinness Book of Records in 2002. He was the first to receive the title of the fastest guitarist in the world. The record for his speed on a stringed instrument is 20 notes per second. And he showed such a result in 2001, playing exactly the interlude “Flight of the Bumblebee” in just 24 seconds. The speed of his game averages 270 sounds per minute.Virtuoso musician Viktor Zinchuk, who also works as a composer and arranger, has a number of regalia. He is a laureate of international festivals and competitions, he was awarded the prestigious titles of the Golden Guitar of Russia and Honored Artist of Russia, he has an order "For Service to Art" in his piggy bank. And that is not all. He is also an Honorary Master and Associate Professor of the International Academy of Sciences of the Republic of San Marino.
The musician's work, by the way, cannot be attributed to a particular style or genre. He plays different directions - from fusion to hard rock. In addition, it combines a variety of playing techniques and instruments.
The composer's collection of games is truly impressive. He has about three dozen rare stringed instruments. He brought almost everything from various tours. This is a Bolivian solid wood guitar, a Celtic harp, a zither, and an Irish bouzouki. And the leaders of the world market of musical instruments, namely the American company Fender and the Japanese Ibanes, every year present their best guitars and guitar equipment to Viktor Zinchuk. Such gifts are delivered to him as a sign of international recognition of his talent.
"Flight of the Bumblebee" by virtuoso guitarist Viktor Zinchuk
It is worth noting that Viktor Zinchuk plays with only nine fingers, not all ten. The musician has a non-working little finger on his right hand. The artist broke his finger while playing football. However, the composer insured his valuable hands with an insurance company for 500 thousand dollars.
The fastest guitarist combines playing instruments with playing football. The artist plays for a team of show business stars, despite the once injured finger. And he evaluates his entry into the international Guinness Book of Records as "pampering" and "circus number". He repeatedly stated this in his interviews. According to him, he set the record as a joke and does not take it seriously.
The fastest guitarist
However, there is another virtuoso guitarist who is ready to enter into a fair fight with Viktor Zinchuk. Brazilian musician Thiago Della Vega set another record and broke it himself. This happened thanks to the diligence and diligence of the guitarist. Therefore, even in his youth, Thiago became a leader and was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. 
Thiago Della Viga was born in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. And the young man became interested in music early childhood. At the age of five, he already learned to play the guitar. Over time, Thiago realized that the passion for the electric guitar smoothly flows into passion. Therefore, the musical instrument began to pay more and more attention.
The guitarist began to play the strings for several hours a day. And after a short time he achieved a phenomenal speed of execution. He demonstrated his abilities and capabilities in the groups AfterDark and Fermatha.
Thiago Della Vega - the fastest guitarist playing "Flight of the Bumblebee"
And already in 2008, Thiago played “Flight of the Bumblebee” at a record fast pace - 320 sounds per minute. A few years later, the record was broken by the American John Taylor. He performed "Flight of the Bumblebee" at 600 sounds per minute. In 2011, the musician broke his own and a new record, and played the same composition at a tempo of now 750 sounds per minute. Immediately after that, Thiago was entered into the Guinness Book of Records as the most virtuoso guitarist in the world. But the master does not stop there. He continues to improve the game and keep the prestigious title.
By the way, now Thiago is traveling around different countries world and conducts special seminars for their colleagues. In his lessons, he plays a seven-string guitar, which has 24 frets and is equipped with a Floyd Rose tremolo, the Andrellis TDV movement.
The fastest guitarist in the world
However, Thiago was left far behind, however, the new record has not yet been officially recorded. If the Brazilian manages to play 24 notes per second, then the Ukrainian Sergey Putyatov mastered 30 notes per second.First, a native of Donetsk was able to play 27 notes per second, and a little later he surpassed himself and performed 300 notes on an electric guitar in less than 10 seconds. Immediately after the demonstration of his abilities, Sergey was awarded a certificate, which confirms his absolute championship in Ukraine. Interview with the fastest Ukrainian guitarist
Now Sergei Putyatov's record is not officially registered, but the musician wants to get into the Guinness Book of Records by all means. By the way, he has already submitted an application there and is waiting for the commission's visit. In the meantime, he ends each of his performances with a demonstration of a super game on the guitar.
The successes of the guitarists can only be envied, all the records left to be recorded in the Book of Records. In our next article, you can read about the most expensive guitars in the world, because without an instrument it's just a person with musical abilities, but with a guitar - a musician.
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Metronome- This special device, whose main task is to set an even pace and highlight the share with the help of strokes. Mechanical metronomes have a special pendulum with a scale that indicates the tempo, and a weight that sets the same tempo. Electronic devices that have appeared now have a built-in sound sample - a blow or a squeak, which marks the desired speed.
Metronome needed any musician, no matter what instrument he plays. Now this is the only device that is able to count the tempo as smoothly as possible, and help in developing a sense of rhythm, studying patterns and sizes.
How the metronome works
The principle of the device of this item is as simple as possible. In electronic versions, you choose the time signature and set the tempo you want, after which you begin to hear a beep at regular intervals. Even in the simplest devices, you can set any time signature that is convenient for you, as well as the speed of beats. Sometimes you can change the sound to a more pleasant one for you.
The video is in English, but knowledge of the language is not required to understand.
Types of metronomes
Pocket type electronic metronomes
They are small devices with a screen and a speaker, as well as a headphone jack. They are easy to put in your pocket and, if necessary, get it anywhere. convenient location. This device is especially suitable for drummers who turn it on in their ears during rehearsals.
Mechanical metronomes
The very first models of these devices, which were used by many famous composers. In them, you can only set the pace yourself by moving the weight of the pendulum up or down - and you choose the size yourself. He does not expose accents, and this is somewhat inconvenient for beginner musicians.
This is already a full-fledged musical instrument. Drum machines have a whole library of different presets with drum sounds - ranging from the usual kick drum to exotic ones, such as cowbells and electronic sounds. If you want to play in a band but can't find a drummer, try a drum machine. Now you can even find similar programs on the Internet - for example, the Easy Drummer plugin or Addictive Drums.
CD Metronome
A rather outdated thing, which, at the same time, is still found in some musicians. Such a metronome is a CD on which beats are recorded at different tempos. On the disc itself, all tracks are numbered for ease of reference. This is an extremely inconvenient thing, because the number of speeds is limited and cannot be changed.
Smartphone applications
This type of metronome is in most cases free and always at your fingertips. Applications have standard functionality, the same as on a mechanical and electronic device. The most profitable and simple solution, especially for beginner guitarists.
Computer programs
Now on the Internet you can find a huge number of programs with a built-in metronome. The most obvious options are Guitar Pro or Fruity Loops, but you can also download pure utilities whose main function is to count the tempo.
Online programs that work directly on the site
You can use this program directly on our website. works directly in the browser. It is no different from the usual electronic devices and provides the same functionality.
Most likely, you will immediately abandon the mechanical and CD versions of this device, since they are not very functional. For homework, a site with an online metronome is well suited. You will not clog your computer with unnecessary programs, while not losing any opportunities and scope in setting the speed and size. If you play not only at home, but also at rehearsals, then consider purchasing an electronic metronome and headphones for it.
All songs have a clear tempo and time signature in which they are played. The perfect performance of a song implies that all the musicians are completely in tune with the rhythm and tempo. It is for training the sense of rhythm that the metronome is needed. Thanks to him, you will learn how to play smoothly, focusing your performance on the right beats. In addition, thanks to the metronome, you can practice the clarity and evenness of various rhythmic patterns, such as syncopation or swing. Basically, the development of playing technique occurs through playing hit by the device.
How to use the metronome
Understand elementary theory: measures, time signatures, beat, tempo
To begin with, you should understand what can be set in a metronome in general. This question is answered by elementary music theory: 
Tact- a unit of meter, which begins with the strongest beat and ends before it is equal in strength. In other words, this is a segment of the composition, during which the metronome has time to count the number of beats equal to its size.
Size- a unit that indicates the number of beats in a measure. Usually denoted by a slash - for example, 4/4. The first number indicates how many beats are included in the bar, and the second is the length of the notes that go there.
Share- one beat of the metronome. The share is strong - as a rule, it is the first, relatively strong and weak.
Pace- the speed at which the song is played. Changes in bpm - beats per minute - the number of beats per minute.
Practice playing to a metronome at a certain tempo. Find the maximum point at which you can still play passages and reduce it by a third. This is your most comfortable pace when you don't overexert yourself when playing.
Pace
After you pick up the pace for yourself, start playing the exercises, gradually increasing it. Ideally, you should increase the pace by 1-2 bpm every hour, and then your hands will get used to the new speeds. Acceleration of fingers and hands is a complex and long process, so you have to work hard.
Time Signatures: Common and Complex
There are only two common sizes - 4/4 and 3/4, as well as derivatives from them - 8/8, 6/8 and so on. Complex ones are combinations of simple ones - for example, 7/8 is a combination of 4/4 + 3/4, and so on by analogy. You will have to get used to complex sizes, because they have a peculiar rhythm and arrangement of shares.
Volume
Of course, do not forget about the volume. You need to rebuild everything so that you hear clearly , as well as the countdown of the metronome and, accordingly, your hit in it.
How to play a metronome on guitar
Learn a piece of music, piece or song
Take any of your favorite songs and try to learn it. Will it be a standard composition on acoustic guitar or an electric passage. Play it the way you want it, and when you've learned the lyrics, turn on the metronome and start playing to it.
It is likely that you will not be able to do this at the original tempo of the composition. In this case, lower the tempo to a more comfortable one for you and play the metronome beats clearly. Gradually accelerate and sooner or later you will reach the desired speed.
Focus on difficult areas and practice them
Of course, first of all, you need to monitor how you play. The sound should be clear, with a good attack and without unnecessary overtones. If you find it difficult to play certain parts of the song, then the best option there will be a decrease in tempo specifically in this section and a repetition of the place until the moment when you play cleanly at the right speed.
Practice the entire song or piece
As soon as the text is learned, start playing it in full. In the same way, keep an eye on the sound and be sure to hit the beat, attack, accents and clarity of the game.
When practicing a song, regularly increase the bpm of the metronome by 1-2 units, if at the current tempo you can already cope without problems. Thanks to this, the changes in your hands will occur smoothly, and they will gradually get used to the new speeds. Continue until you reach the original tempo of the song.
Metronome exercises
1 exercise
This exercise will allow you to feel the pulsations.It looks like this:
Set the metronome to a comfortable tempo, but not the maximum for you. Now for each beat of the metronome, you must hit the string twice. That is, conditionally, if the size in which you play is 4/4, then there should be eight strokes - that is, twice as fast. Then try playing three notes on each beat, and so on. This is difficult, but it significantly accelerates the hand, and allows you to understand how to accelerate evenly within the same pace.
Practical examples of the 1st exercise
Play on one beat 2 notes/string strikes
Play on one beat 3 notes/string strikes
Play on one beat 4 notes/string strikes
2 exercise
This will allow you to practice syncopation. Set the tempo and now play along with the beat shift. That is, instead of the standard "One - two - three - four" you will play "One - pause - two-three - pause - one-two" and so on. Through this exercise, you will understand how you can vary your playing and how you can interact with the beats within the music.
Practical example of the 2nd exercise. Listen to the audio to understand how to play correctly.
A metronome is an important and necessary thing for any musician. It is highly desirable that you start practicing under it as soon as you pick up the instrument. Thanks to this, you will not only learn faster, , but also immediately accustom yourself to a clear and even performance of the work.
Always start your workouts with a metronome warm-up - but never set the maximum values for yourself when you play at the limit of your capabilities. Watch first of all then how smoothly and cleanly you play - and not speed. That's when you reach great guitar heights.
