Right Hand Movement
The most important thing to remember when you are using a syncopated rhythm is that although you will not strum one of the down strums. the right hand must still move downwards across the strings as if a down-strum is being played, The right hand should move in exactly the same way as every other down-strum except the strings will not be struck.
Missing the strings on a down-strum is indicated by a broken arrow as shown in the following rhythm where the third down-strum in the bar has been eliminated. The rhythm is counted 1 and 2 and MISS and 4 and.
Apply this rhythm to the following chord progression which uses several seventh chords learnt earlier. This chord progression is eight bars long and has a distinctive Ragtime sound to it.
Now try some variations using syncopated rhythm. The first variation is the same rhythm used in the previous two examples except the up-strum between the first and second beat has been eliminated. The rhythm is counted, 1, 2 and MISS and 4 and.
New Chord: F Major
F
The F Major chord is one of the most difficult basic chords to learn. This is mainly because the first finger of the left hand must fret the first and second strings at the same time (as indicated by the curved line). When a finger frets two or more notes across a fret at the same time it is called a bar.
Example 21 uses the rhythm learnt in Example 20. The new chord, F Major is also used.
The last rhythm in this lesson is counted 1, 2 and MISS and 4.
Apply this rhythm to the following chord progression.
