Hey what’s up? In the previous video, we discussed eighth notes, quarter notes and quarter rests. In this video we will focus on the eighth rest. You can find links to everything discussed in this video in the description below. OK! Let’s get started.
This is an eighth rest.
Eighth rests have one flag.
The eighth note and the eighth rest equal half a beat.
Two eighth rests equal the duration of one quarter rest.
Wherever there is an eighth rest you should rest for half a beat. When we count this rhythm, we count ONE and TWO and THREE and FOUR ONE and TWO and THREE and FOUR. We only count to four, because there is an eighth rest on the AND of beat four.
Rhythm 1
Now that we’ve covered the basics of the eighth rest, let’s dive into rhythm number one! The tempo is at 85 beats per minute. Here we go!
Rhythm 2
How was that? Did you rush the rests? I’ll say this again, because it is a critical piece in the development of good timing. Count out loud! Look, I’ve been where you are right now and felt the same way that some of you may feel. I wanted to learn, but I hated counting out loud. Here’s the thing: over time I came to realize its importance in the development of good timing. Let's keep it moving and play another example. Here we go!
Rhythm 2
Let's do it again, but this time let’s focus on playing clean strokes while not rushing the rests. Trying to play clean and identical stokes while not rushing may be a challenge at first, but with good practice habits, it will work itself out over time. Here we go!
Rhythm 3
We’re going to keep it moving, but I want you to be honest with yourself. If you are making a lot of mistakes, slow things down and work on the rhythms, until you can play them consistently. Once you can play it without making mistakes, then go ahead and move on to the next rhythm. Alright, let’s move on to example three. Here we go!
Rhythm 4
Now that you've got the hang of it, let's do rhythm four. Remember that we want our strokes to sound identical. We also want them to be evenly spaced apart. One of the most important keys to being a good scratcher is great timing. Here we go!
To get the hang of this, it's going to take some practice. Which means that you may have to slow down the tempo and work it out, until you get it. Don’t get discouraged. Failure is part of the process of getting better. Over time, your strokes will get cleaner, and your timing will improve. Thanks for watching! If you have any comments, please leave them in the comment section below. See you soon! Peace!
