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Keep losing count on Blues Shufle
I have been trying to learn guitar now for about a year mostly just on my own. I have 3-4 songs down with open chords but thought I would give this a try. I am practicing the blues shuffle and I have it pretty much figured out but I keep losing count. Any tips
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12 Replies
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I had to learn counting through repetition. I had thought I could play by feel but that became problematic when I started playing with other people.
I had to slow stuff down and I would exaggerate my foot tap. I would also use dynamics to remind myself of where I am. Playing the first beat of the measure more loudly also reminded me where I was.
Keep at it. I remember being pretty frustrated at times but that was not helpful. Dogged determination was the key for me.
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Jumpinjeff
Thanks for the info I will try the the first beat louder that might help. One thing I have learned through this journey is you have to practice, practice,practice
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👍
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Hi Dean ( @Deacap ), @jumpinjeff has given you some good things to think about regarding timing and tempo – very important things in music. I would like to call your attention to the “tab” for the Blues Shuffle. You can find that by clicking on the music notes icon, located just below the video box, to the right of the heart icon – they’re very light grey icons and easy to miss. Anyways, once you bring up the tab, you can print it out or use the picture-in-picture feature and play along with Tony. The nice thing about using the tab (Tablature) is that when you follow it, you won’t loose count!
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Thanks for the info on where to find the tabs for the music. I like to pull up and print the tabs, and it helps me follow along a bit better.
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Hi @Ronlad , So sorry to hear about the recent events in your life, my heartfelt condolences to you and the rest of your family. I hope that music can give you some comfort in your life going forward – I know that it has for mine👍
Always here to help,
BB
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Thank you Bill! Music has always been my go-to throughout my life so far. I would say music is engrained in me somewhat. Music soothes the soul (just my opinion).
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Bill
Thank you I do have the tab part figured. The other crazy thing is when I tap my foot which I have been told countless times to do it screws me up. I have been just bobbing my head which for some crazy reason isnt as difficult for me.
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Hey @Deacap , It’s all about whatever works for you👍 One of the most important things at this point in your journey is to keep it fun🤩
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😀
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Howdy @Deacap. I know lots of folks don’t like to hear this but one of the most effective ways to learn to keep count and play at tempo is practicing with a metronome. I am a firm believer! It takes some time and patience to learn to use a metronome effectively but it is well worth the effort. Tony did a recent Acoustic Tuesday episode with pointers on using one. Perhaps around AT 190 +/-. Lots of other great vids on YouTube with excellent ideas. The main thing is you will have much more fun in the short and long term if you learn to play in time – on tempo. How you keep time can vary. Some use Tony’s 1 and 2 and counts. I find that confusing to me so I tap my foot. But I always do a few metronome sessions each week to be sure my foot is keeping proper time.
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PhilBarru
Thank you yes I struggle with both but I just need to practice
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