Guitar 101 Lesson A- Mastering Rhythm & Syncopation Part 1: Whole Half Quarter and Eighth Notes

This section of the Guitar 101 series of lessons is divided into five parts to give you the best possible grounding in the basics of guitar playing.

These introductory parts will cover the following components of Mastering Rhythm and Syncopation:

Part 1 - Whole, Half, Quarter and Eighth Notes

Part 2 - 16th Notes, Rests and Dotted Rhythms

Part 3 - Triplets and Hemiola

Part 4 - More Fun With Triplets and Hemiola

Part 5 - Quintuplets and Nightmare Licks

Every musician should have a clear understanding of the fundamentals of rhythm. Even if you consider yourself an "ear player," knowing how to count and play different rhythms while keeping a steady beat is a valuable skill that will help you in a variety of real-life musical situations. By learning the arithmetic of rhythm on paper (trust me, it is no more difficult than learning arithmetic), you'll be able to accurately read and learn music from transcriptions, and you will no longer have to rely entirely on the recording for the timing and phrasing of the notes. Just as important, you'll be able to communicate with other musicians and bandmates and make rehearsals and performances go more smoothly.

You can enjoy the rest of this lesson and access the related tabs and audio files at Guitar World Magazine - Guitar 101.