Guitar riffing tips: How to get tight and stay on time

7

Tips

By Aditya Shukla - creator of the brain-based guitar method

Black Section Separator

Tap your foot or move your neck

Sense of timing is related to repetitive body movements. Use your body to keep track, practice tapping your foot or moving your neck to a metronome.

1

Black Section Separator

Partition your Riff

Complex riffs need to be broken down into chunks that feel easy. Get the groove for those and then combine.

2

Black Section Separator

Use vocal substitutes

Forget the riff, first hum and sing the riff correctly on time. The brain adjusts timing through voice better.

3

Black Section Separator

Use the lowest notes possible

If you can practice a shape on a lower tuning, do it. The brain understands time better at lower  sound frequencies.

4

Black Section Separator

Trust muscle memory for tightness

Your brain has to trust muscle memory to correct its errors naturally. Make adjustments without looking at the fretboard.

5

Black Section Separator

Use the "BONOBOBO"  technique

Each syllable Bo No Bo Bo is a note. Sing your rhythm as syllables first. Change the pacing of the words to match the beat.

6

Black Section Separator

Use a backing track or programmed drums

If a metronome is stressful, use a -1 track, drum loop, or programmed drums. The brain likes context. Metronomes don't give context.

7

Want more tips?

More brain-based guitar mastery tips here