How To Teach Your Guitar Students Rhythm
How To Teach Guitar Students Rhythm
Mastering rhythm is as crucial for guitar students as mastering melody. However, traditional methods of teaching rhythm can sometimes fall short in engaging students effectively. Actually they can be so damn boring! That's why I’m always seeking innovative ways to enhance my guitar students rhythm teaching strategies.
In this blog post, we'll explore three creative methods that guitar teachers can incorporate into their lessons to improve their students’ rhythm skills. By implementing these dynamic techniques, instructors can make rhythm practice more engaging and effective, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of rhythm in their students' musical journey.
Whether you're a seasoned guitar instructor looking to revitalize your teaching approach or a beginner seeking fresh ideas to enhance your rhythm instruction, this post is for you. Let's dive into these innovative strategies and discover how they can elevate your guitar teaching game.
Teach Rhythms Through Guitar Riffs
It kind of goes without saying that you should teach rhythms through riffs but I am amazed at how many guitar teachers teach rhythms through boring clapping exercises with a metronome or super long theory lessons about note values.
One of my favourite guitar method books to use is the Hal Leonard Guitar TAB Method Book. I’m not affiliated with Hal Leonard at all but I just love how it teaches rhythms through popular riffs that your students will know and love to play.
It begins by teaching students basic note values like crotchets, quavers & rests and provides examples of popular riffs that use these rhythms. By teaching via this method, you’re teaching two key areas of guitar playing in picking & rhythm. The best part is, riffs are super fun to play!
Also, whenever I teach riffs that are separate to a guitar method book, I love to break down the riff into 2-4 difficulty levels. It’s important that the riffs are written in TAB form but still include the rhythmic notation with each note. Level 4 is normally the original riff and Level 1-3 are simplified versions of the riff with simplified rhythms that students can read easily.
This way, my beginner students can start on Level 1 and work their way up the levels and my advanced students can start on Level 3 or 4. Either way, they are both implementing their knowledge of rhythms in a practical way that is fun for them.
2. Use The Random Riff Writer Activity
A snippet of the Level 2 Random Riff Writer activity sheet
Bit of a shameless plug here but I use the Level Up Random Riff Writer Activity all the time with all of my students! It is such a fun and effective way to dramatically improve your guitar students’ rhythm skills while simultaneously improving their picking and creativity skills.
Students firstly clap & sound out the riff’s rhythm, and then tick off the first challenge box. Students then write random fret numbers or note names of a popular scale (Harmonic minor scale is so fun to use!) into the boxes to create a random riff. The last challenge is to play the riff 5 times without a mistake. By the time they’ve completed all 3 challenges, they are playing their own riff super well.
You’ll be surprised how good the riffs sound, and the students will be so stoked to have created a cool sounding riff!
You can get the Random Riff Writer (Levels 1, 2, 3) Here.
3. Teach Your Students How To Use A Loop Pedal
Utilizing a loop pedal can be an exciting way for students to learn and understand rhythm through layering. My students absolutely love it when I bring in my loop pedal for our Guitar pedals masterclass or regular classes.
I normally start by demonstrating how to create a basic rhythm loop, such as a simple chord progression or a riff. Students then add successive layers, each with different rhythmic or melodic elements. This could include adding a bass line, a syncopated strum pattern, or melodic leads. By listening and fitting their playing into the existing loop, students dramatically improve their timing and rhythmic feel. Additionally, this approach encourages creativity and improvisation, as students think about how different rhythms interact and build upon each other in real-time music production.
As a guitar instructor, adopting these innovative techniques can revitalize your teaching approach, making your lessons more dynamic and enjoyable for you and your students. These strategies not only help students develop a solid sense of rhythm but also keep them motivated and excited about their musical journey. Try them out today!
