Blackberry Blossom - Create Your Own: Rhythm

Rhythm is the most important aspect of playing with others in a jam setting. It's a skill you need to know. Being aware of chord changes is also crucial to improvising and creating your own variations as a lead player. Rhythm is arguably the most important aspect of music making in general, so working on precise timing for your backup playing or the accuracy of the rhythm in your leads will improve your playing on both fronts. It's a win-win.

Blackberry Blossom is tough in regards to the melody and rhythm because of all the quick changes. Use the focus featureto practice a few chord changes at a time. You can also create your own exercise to work on switching between just 2 chords at a time over and over until that switch becomes easier. If you are not familiar with Bluegrass rhythm playing then check out the Learning Path for Rhythm Guitar. There you'll find video lessons, songs and exercises you can add to your practice routine.

Check the licks to learn some rhythm options for the chords and chord changes. There are simple options and more complex. Take a look at the guitar tab. It's blank, but the chord changes are listed above each measure. Notice there are some measures that have the same changes. Measures 1 & 3 are the same. Measures 4 & 8 are the same. Measures 5 & 7 are the same. So practice a rhythm pattern using the focus feature for one measure and you'll have the other down. Something else to notice that will help you truly create your own rhythm: there are 4 "boom-chucks" per measure for the way we have written this tune out. Use your ears and practice listening with the player to hear this pattern.