Counting In Triplets And 1/16th Notes
You should be feeling somewhat comfortable with the 1/4 notes and 1/8th notes before you try this one because it will build upon that same idea.
So assuming you are doing okay with that, let's move into triplets and 1/16th notes.
Remember, as I said the most important thing is to count out loud. I don't know why, but I know it works... every time.
Downloads
This Video (MP4)Mac users should use the MP4 version to download the video
- This Video (WMV)
Windows users should use the WMV version to download this video.
30 Comments
Randy j
January 14, 2015I’ll be counting out loud for sure thanks
Scott waller
January 14, 2015Randy,
Do you do individual guitar lessons? If so how much are your lessons?
I play acoustic guitar and like blues. I know many cords, make up my own songs, but have know formal training.
I have played for years but totally stuck.
My name is scott and I live in Riverside.
Thank you,
Scott Waller
951 365-4253
JDK
January 22, 2015Honestly, if you’re not able to learn, it might not be the pursuit for you. I took lessons, studied the stuff here and elsewhere, and it just isn’t music, not the way musicians perform. My wife and I had a challenge of sorts; her mom was naturally gifted, could barely read and write, NEVER had a music lesson of any sort, and could play piano like Jerry Lee. She told me that I didn’t have it and I said it could be learned, but after 2 years, I believe she is much more correct than I. Good luck, but it should come very easy if it was meant to be.
Bernie
March 4, 2016wow totally wrong dude. Any one and i mean anyone can learn if they really want to and are prepared to put the effort in. You need to be guided by the right teacher that is all -one who has gone before as it were but can teach too there is a difference! Check out Jamie Andreas for the correct principles of guitar practice and more. Along with Griff, anyone can get to where they want to be with guitar
Mark from Murrieta
March 4, 2016Scott, you can track him down in Corona from Google and the contact page on his main site. From what I’ve heard he’s over flowing with students. I live down in Murrieta if you need somebody to spend some time with. Sounds like I’m a little more learned than you, not by much, but I might be able to help a little.
Juan Carlos Nunez
January 14, 2015I do think you are an exceptional music teacher. unfortunately I am almost 80 ,retired , and struggling to make
the ends meet, otherwise I’ll be buying your material which I believe is priceless.
warmest regards,JCN
Ed
January 14, 2015Great Stuff Griff, you are limited by how fast you can play 16ths and by how long you can keep it going(endurance). My practice routine includes a few minutes of 16th note scales to a metronome so I can chart my progress.
Len Lawson
January 14, 2015Hi Griff,Thanks again,I know this will really help me,Len.
Paul Warner
January 14, 2015This is great stuff and well worth learning, or if you know it making sure you are doing it three or four times a week,
and I love metronomes, because not only do you hear and feel the beat, but it surely lets you know if you are making progress, or if you have to go back and restart again to get it right. I hope you do 32nds and 64ths just to get an idea of what it’s like. I appreciate this stuff that you teach and how to go about it and I hope you get into more stuff pertaining to theory such as the 4/4 2/4 8/12 times. It’s all very good. Thank you very much.
Good Rockin' Dan
January 14, 2015At what bum do you have the metronome set. I’m a little confused , the email you sent last week mentioned a certain bpm of 40 & 60 and you haven’t mentioned what the bpm is here. Pls clarify
GRD
jeff
January 15, 2015Rockin Dan, I think Griff mentioned it was still 60 bpm. Its just getting quicker with 1/8 & 1/16 notes.
Jack
January 14, 2015All good stuff. The difficulty comes with 8th notes, 16th notes and triplets all in the same measure. And with alternate picking and only one triplet in the measure, you have to either do two down or two up strokes or else you’ll end up on a down stroke in that measure.
dale
January 15, 20151e and a 2e and a 3e and a 4e and a………… Thanks Griff..gotta learn to count, sure a problem for me…..
Rob Shaffer
January 15, 2015Thanks Griff that was very helpful.
Rob in Maryland
02KnowBetter
January 15, 2015Thanks Griff. I sense another course to jones over. My backlog of classes to buy and complete is already way too long. Your classes are always worth the time, effort and cost but I only have so much time! I really wish that I would have started playing guitar earlier but when I was in my twenties I couldn’t find a teacher that fit (among other conflicts) and you weren’t even born. Learning guitar is going to keep me going way past my hundredth birthday.
JOHN BENTLEY
January 15, 2015hi griff,great teacher,i am now feeling i am getting to grips with this,a little bit of catc up to do.
i will b buying the course dvd set.i love the blues,slow blues is what i would like be able to play
and with your teaching skills i know i will get there.
keep on playing.best wishes to all blues players out there
john
Paul Hachey
January 15, 2015Hey Griff, great lesson well presented as always. Easy to understand; not quite so easy to do!! Gotta keep trying till I get it right. Be happy, be healthy & keep the lessons coming. Thanks!
Manhattan Mark
January 15, 2015Hi Griff, In this 16th note vid you mentioned that you didn’t know why counting out loud worked but that it did. Once I heard a story about an Old Southern Minister who when asked how he got his congregation to remember his sermons he replied… ” Well, …. first I tells’m… then I tells’m again… Then I tells’m some more …then I has’m tell me back.. then I tells’m again” .. “By then… They’s got it”…. Must be something to that brain muscle memory aye Griff??? (Amen Brotha)..
Thanks..
jim
January 15, 2015Good lesson! It’s about TIME(ing)! But, I was cringing every time your wedding ring hit the neck on that beautiful guitar! I’m imagining hundreds of “dings” running up and down the neck! Stop that!
Chief Rick
January 15, 2015For those who are ready for a larger challenge, if you have triplet quarter notes in 4/4 time, you need to be able to play three equal notes every two beats. I’ll capitalize where the notes are struck for two sets of quarter-note triplets in a single measure: ONE and A two AND a THREE and A four AND a. Griff, jump in if you have a simpler way.
Scott Johnston
January 17, 2015You are the best online teacher for a beginner like myself. THANK YOU !!
Gus
January 17, 2015I’m counting out loud, and it’s going to take a while to get my fingers up to speed. Partly because I learned the box scale incorrectly! A big thanks for correcting that for me, and looking and reading tab helps a lot.
your lessons are awesome! Thank you. Thank you.
Gus
Jeff
April 1, 2015It really works I tried it.
Boyd
September 25, 2015Thanks for making your demonstrations so clear and simple. All ii need to do is practice more….. great job!
Rob
January 11, 2016So why don’t you call these 12th notes instead of Triplets?
For 16th notes I like One da and da, rather than one “eee” and a. No “eee” for meee.
wgb
January 11, 2016One thing that’s not mentioned is pick direction (for those of us who use a pick). Figuring out whether to use an upstroke or a down stroke is important. Down strokes for quarter notes, down and up on the eighth notes (down on the beat and up on the “and” – DUDU) is pretty straightforward, but triplets pose a problem since staying on the beat is easier by using a downstroke on the beat. From the video, it looks like Griff is simply using DU, which really messes me up when the measure is of mixed note durations. Looks like I need more work on thus one! Wonder id playing the triplet as DDU work work?
Bob
January 11, 2016Griff,
When I was learning snare drum (and later kit) throughout my childhood, I was taught to count triplets as 1, trip, let. I think this is more accurate than 1, &, ah. Only because 1, & , ah is actually parts of the 16ths counting, 1, e, &, ah. This is how I explain it to students, and in my experience helps separate the very important difference between the two. Consequently, I recommend you count triplets as 1, trip, let. Thanks for all your work.
Ian Elliott
January 12, 2016Your teachings are giving me a lot. Thanks, Griff.
tony
March 4, 2016love your guitar neck remove your ring first, just picking on ya. definiately sound advice . none of the guitarist i jam with do not use a metradome . probably why when we do its all over the place . the thing is they have played so long without one and jam alone with a certian tune they want to learn . its probably taken them for ever to learn anything. i have jamed with my brother drummer since high school . many have said we sounded like the entire band with just us two. guess we were in great time. i just use a drum simulator now can speed up or down . yer right on the mark with crossroads . any fast rock is around 130 bpm. briskly, moderatly fast, faster .
Marek
August 2, 2021Griff, Thank you for your continual and fantastic instructions how to play the Guitar!!!
Each video tip is a milestone.