Lesson #042, Rhythm and Counting V

Hi Everyone,

Lets go back to the 1/4 note just for a bit. Remember the 1/4 note is equal to 1 beat..... we know there are 4 beats in 4/4 time. Remember the top number 4 is beats per measure....... the bottom number is the type of note..... or the 1/4 note or quarter note.

I'd like you to play the banjo over the guitar track using the 1/4 note. So each measure you be playing four notes on the Banjo. Lets count to four gain........ 1 2 3 4...........now using the 1/4 note you will be playing a note for each number. Your foot goes down on 1....you play a note.....your foot comes off the floor.... you play a note........your foot goes back down on the floor...... you play a note......your foot comes back off the floor....... you play a note. Four beats per measure......Four 1/4 notes per measure!

You'll be using these 1/4 notes quite a bit in your playing. Mostly in your back-up, but also in your soloing.

I'd like to talk at tempo as well in this lesson. Tempo is a word used in music for the speed at which you play a tune or a song. You can play a tune or song as fast as you want........as long as everyone else you are playing with is playing at the same speed! Whoever starts a song ...will set the tempo... its up to everyone else to keep that same tempo throughout the song. Always remember when you are learning new things to keep a very slow tempo..... then gradually build up your speed.

David