Clapping rhythms is a good way of learning to keep time.
A solid beat will help develope your sense of timing.
This has the knock on effect of helping develope a consistent strum and will help lead playing.
Part 1:
Learning to count: 1 2 3 4
The above picture indicates 4 beats to the bar, these beats are called ‘crotchets’.
Listen to the audio example again and try to do it yourself.
Remember to keep your clapping consistent and solid.
Try and do it more than once without stopping.
Try: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Part 2:
1 2 + 3 4
The above rhythm introduces two ‘quavers’ – this gives us ‘2+’ spoken as ‘2 and’
1 2 and 3 4
Listen to the audio above and try it yourself.
Exercise 1: Try and count and clap at the same time.
Exercise 2: Try and count and clap at the same time but repeat as many times as possible without speeding up or stopping – 1 2 and 3 4 1 2 and 3 4 1 2 and 3 4 1 2 and 3 4 etc
Part 3:
More rhythms to clap,
1 2 + 3 4+
1 2 + 3 + 4
1 2 + 3 + 4 +
