How Rhythm Actually Works

Today, we’re diving into something absolutely essential but often overlooked in online lessons: rhythm.

You might have noticed that many tutorials assume you can just “feel” the beat or pick it up by ear. While some people have a natural knack for rhythm, my experience teaching hundreds of students has shown me that most beginners (and even some experienced players!) find it challenging to hold a steady beat.

The good news? Rhythm is a skill you can learn and develop, even if you feel completely lost right now. I’ve found great joy in helping students build a solid rhythmic foundation, and I’m excited to share the core concepts you need to know.

Why Rhythm is Key for Guitar Beginners

Before we jump into exercises, let’s understand why focusing on rhythm is so crucial:

1. It’s the Foundation: Rhythm is the backbone of music. Without a steady beat, even correctly played chords won’t sound right.
2. It Builds Confidence: Learning to control your timing makes playing feel less chaotic and more intentional.
3. It Unlocks Songs: Understanding basic rhythms is the first step towards playing recognizable strumming patterns for countless songs.

The Core Concept: Counting to Four

Almost all the music you hear relies on a simple count: 1, 2, 3, 4… 1, 2, 3, 4… repeated over and over. We already touched on this in our previous lesson’s chord switching game.

Let’s reinforce that now. Mute the strings of your guitar by lightly resting your fretting hand across them (don’t press down hard). This way, we can focus purely on our strumming hand and the rhythm, without worrying about chords.

Now, strum down on each beat as you count out loud:

1 (strum) – 2 (strum) – 3 (strum) – 4 (strum) 1 (strum) – 2 (strum) – 3 (strum) – 4 (strum)

Keep a steady, even pace.

Remember to download the free Crash Course Workbook for clear diagrams and illustrations of all the exercises discussed in each and every lesson for the course.

Understanding Quarter Notes (The Easy Way)

In standard music notation (don’t worry, we’re not reading music!), what we just did looks like this: four black dots with stems, called quarter notes, lined up with the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4.

For our purposes today, a quarter note simply means: strum down on that beat. Simple!

Introducing the “Miss”: Learning Rhythmic Space

Now, let’s create a simple rhythmic variation. We’ll keep counting 1, 2, 3, 4, but we’ll intentionally miss the strings on beat 2.

Important: Keep your arm moving in the same downstroke motion for beat 2, just aim slightly away so you don’t hit the strings. The continuous motion is key to good timing.

It looks and sounds like this:

1 (strum) – 2 (miss) – 3 (strum) – 4 (strum) 1 (strum) – 2 (miss) – 3 (strum) – 4 (strum)

Try it slowly at first, counting out loud.

Your Best Friend: The Metronome

A metronome provides a steady click to help you keep time. Don’t be intimidated! If you’ve been playing along with the videos, you’re already used to playing with an external beat. Think of the metronome as a reliable practice partner.

Putting It Together: Rhythm and Chord Changes

Once you’re comfortable with these basic patterns and your chord shapes (like the E and A chords from previous lessons), you can start combining them!

A great way to practice chord switching is to change chords during the “missed” beats. For example, using our last pattern:

• (Beat 1): Strum your E chord.
• (Beat 2): Miss the strings while your fretting hand moves to the A chord shape.
• (Beat 3): Strum your A chord.
• (Beat 4): Miss the strings while your fretting hand moves back to the E chord shape.

Practice and Next Steps

The core idea today is simple: strum on some beats, miss on others, but keep your arm moving consistently. Getting comfortable with this fundamental concept is vital for building solid rhythm.

Feel free to experiment! You can create many patterns just by deciding which beats to strum and which to miss. I’ve included some extra bonus rhythm patterns in the downloadable workbook for you to try if you like – they aren’t required, but they’re great practice using the exact same concept.

Keep practicing these basic counts and patterns. Internalizing this steady pulse is one of the most valuable skills you’ll develop on your guitar journey!