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Lesson 6 – How to subdivide the beat
Lesson 6 – How to subdivide the beat
This is the video transcript of lesson number 6 of the Beginners Guitar Course: How to subdivide a beat.
- You may read the transcript of the Beginners Guitar Course lesson one, here
- You may read the transcript of the Beginners Guitar Course lesson two, here.
- You may read the transcript of the Beginners Guitar Course lesson three, here.
- You may read the transcript of the Beginners Guitar Course lesson four, here.
- You may read the transcript of the Beginners Guitar Course lesson five, here
What are you going to learn?
- To identify the beat of a song, the bar and how to subdivide the beat, to create more intensity.
- A new song with the Dm and F chords.
What will you do differently after completing the assignments for this lesson?
- You will have proved to yourself that you are capable of learning on your own a song, by listening and understanding what you hear.
- You will be able to listen to music, feel the beat and hear what you need to play, to create the rhythm.
- You will further consolidate your learning, to help you progress quickly towards the song learning goal.
The Beat
What is the beat ?
The beat of this song is the pulse that all members of the band sync to, to play the melody and accompaniment. You identify the beat by simply tapping your foot to the music.
DO IT WITH ME!
Tap your feet to this song and when you are ready say one! Fill in the gaps between the ones!
The beats are grouped in units of generally two, three or four beats. We name the unit a bar.
Have fun with the beat
You will now learn to talk musically about the beat and start having fun with it. When we play rhythm, we define the beat and we talk about the beat with its subdivision.
Subdivision of the beat
Play with muted strings the following routine to learn how to subdivide the beat. Read once, then play twice, non stop:
- 1 2 3 4
- 1 & 2 &3&4
- 1 potato 2 potato 3 potato 4 potato
- 1 potato 2 potato 3 potato 4 potato
Play with your hands the following routine learn how to subdivide the beat. Read once, then play twice, non stop:
- 1 2 3 4
- 1 & 2 &3&4
- 1 potatoe 2 potato 3 potato 4 potato
- 1 potatoe 2 potato 3 potato 4 potato
The beat is constant in this exercise, and when you play more notes per beat, the music feels more intense. When you count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4, you divide the beat in two, the potatoes divide the beat in four.
Feel the intensity
Play with me the C and Am chord with these variations, and feel how the intensity changes. Learn how to subdivide the beat.
Complete the assignments and submit.
Dm and F Chords
The Goal
Listen to the song you will learn.
Learn the song in steps.
Step one – Chord Learning routine
Learn the Dm and F chords.
Apply the chord learning routine.
When you have practiced sufficiently complete the assignment of step one.
Have you submitted it, if so, press play and continue.
Step 2 – Join them
The chords share this common note that I highlight in red. In order to join them, practice the following routine.
On your own
Please stop the video and practice the routine on your own. Apply the check questions for self assessment and complete the assignment of Step 2.
Step 3- Play the chords
The Goal
Your goal in step 3 is to play the chords with potato subdivision, and accents on beat 1 from start to finish.
Learn how to do it ?
First of all you need to count how many beats each chord lasts, and then how many times they are repeated from start to finish.
The first chord is a Dm. How many beats does it last?
The second chord is an F. How many beats does it last?
How many times are they repeated?
Download the audio file dmfchordsstep3 and apply the L.I.S.P routine to answer the previous questions and to learn to How to subdivide the beat. Practice the chords with the audio file until you are fluent with the accents and structure.
Complete the assignment and send it.
Press play and continue.
Step 4 – L.I.S.P Melody 1
Download the audio file dmfmelody1. Complete the assignment and send it.
Step 5 – L.I.S.P Melody 2
Download the audio file dmfmelody2. Complete the assignment and send it.
Step 6 – L.I.S.P Melody 3
Download the audiofile dmfmelody3. Complete the assignment and send it.
Step 7- Play the full song
Play along with me the full song. On the screen you will be able to see the choices you have to play.
Chord + melody 1
Play the chords and then melody number 1.
Chord + melody 2
Play the chords and then melody number 2.
Chord + melody 3
Play the chords and then melody number 3.
Assignments
The Beat Assignment 1
- Listen to the songs I have shared with you, clap your hands on one, fill in the rest of the beats and write the answer to the question, how many beats in a bar in each song? and submit to the forum.
- Listen to the songs I have shared with you, clap your hands on one, fill in the rest of the beats and sing the most comfortable subdivision the song uses. Write down your replies to what is the subdivision of each song and submit to the forum.
- Record yourself playing your three combinations of 4 bars of muted rhythms.
For example: 1st bar one note per beat, next bar 4 notes per beat, next bar two notes per beat, next bar 4 notes per beat.
Before you play your combinations, count in sync with a metronome:
- 1 2 3 4
- 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
- 1 potato 2 potato 3 potato 4 potato
- 1 potato 2 potato 3 potato 4 potato
Then play your 4 combinations.
Please choose the slowest tempo you are comfortable with, and apply the corresponding check questions for your own self assessment. Once you are satisfied with your results, please submit your recording to the teacher. Practice your combinations until they sound correct, then record, so you can assess how well you are progressing.
Dm and F Chord
-
Step one – Record yourself
Record yourself in video, with your phone, playing the Dm and F chord learning routine. Your recording must answer yes to the following check questions. Once you are satisfied please submit your recording to the teacher.
Check questions:
- Did you turn on your metronome?
- Did you tap your feet while recording?
- Are you in sync with the beat?
- Did you count it in?
- Did you sing what you were doing?
- Did you play the chord for 4 bars non stop?
-
Step 2 – Record yourself
Record yourself in video, with your phone, playing the routine of Step 2. Your recording must answer yes to the following check questions. Once you are satisfied please submit your recording to the teacher.
Check questions:
- Did you turn on your metronome?
- Did you tap your feet while recording?
- Are you in sync with the beat?
- Did you count it in?
- Did you say when you are changing fingers and have you moved them exactly as you count them?
- Did you sing what you were doing?
- Can you hear every single note with clarity?
- Step 3 – Record yourself
Record yourself in video, with your phone, playing along to the backing track called dm f chords step 3. If you are able to do so then you have successfully learnt the chords.Once you are satisfied please submit your recording to the teacher. Please proceed to Step 4
-
Step 4 – L.I.S.P melody 1
Write the replies to:
- Per Beat: How many notes?
- Per Note: Same, up or down?
Practice the melody with the track you L.I.S.P to. When you are comfortable that you have learnt it, record yourself in video, with your phone, playing along to the backing track dmfmelody1.
Once you are satisfied please submit your recording to the teacher. Please proceed to Step 5
- Step 5 – L.I.S.P melody 2
Write the replies to:
- Per Beat: How many notes?
- Per Note: Same, up or down?
Practice the melody with the track you have L.I.S.P to. When you are comfortable that you have learnt it, record yourself in video, with your phone, playing along to the backing track called dmmelody2. If you are able to do so then you have successfully learnt Melody 2. Please proceed to Step 6
-
Step 6 – L.I.S.P melody 3
Write the replies to:
How many bars before the melody starts?
Then
- Per Beat: How many notes?
- Per Note: Same, up or down?
Practice the melody with the track you have L.I.S.P to. When you are comfortable that you have learnt it, record yourself in video, with your phone, playing along to the backing track called dmmelody3. Once you are satisfied please submit your recording to the teacher. Please proceed to Step 7.
Music Production and Songwriting
Music is fun and the most enjoyable experience is to write your own music. Read some of my articles on how to write a song, record and produce it to your utmost satisfaction. To view all available courses please visit the main website of my Sydney Guitar Lessons.