Syncopation

ABILITY RATING

Easy/Moderate

Info

Key: Various

Tempo: Various

CD: TRACKS 41-44

Will improve your

Fingerstyle technique

Digital independence

Syncopation and feel

Syncopation describes what happens when the melodies we play don’t line up with the main pulse of the song. Syncopation is a common part of modern music. However, in fingerstyle blues it presents a challenge because our thumb still needs to be playing steady, un-syncopated quarter notes. So in essence we’re requiring our thumb to play ‘on’ the beat and our picking fingers to play ‘off’ the beat. This level of independence is obtainable, but it takes focused and careful