Get More Out Of Any Guitar Lick With Rhythmic Displacement
Exploring rhythmic displacement is one of the most exciting and quickest ways to enhance every lick you play.
It's common for many guitarists to begin their solos and phrases in the same spot, but by shifting where you start a phrase, you can completely revamp any lick, infusing your solos with fresh energy and excitement.
In today's video, I'm thrilled to share some tips on how to use rhythmic displacement to elevate your lead guitar playing.
To kick things off, choose a lick that feels comfortable for you to play! For this example, I'll use a pentatonic sequence made up of groupings of four, with a little twist on the second-to-last note. When most people solo, they often start their phrases right on beat one, and that's exactly how we'll approach this base idea. So, let’s dive in and play through this example together!
Now that we’ve explored how this lick sounds starting on beat one, let’s have some fun by displacing this rhythm! A great way to do this is by moving through the measure step by step. How about we shift the lick to the + of beat one? This small change will really transform the feel of the phrase! By altering the starting point, you’ll discover a fresh new idea and build your skills to start your phrases on any beat. This flexibility is super important for your soloing and improvisation. Let’s play this variation.
Let’s shift this phrase to the downbeat of beat two. Each time we make this move, you’ll really notice how it changes the feel of the lick. It might be a bit tricky to hear the difference unless you’re playing the variations yourself, so take a moment to work through this process with a short phrase you’re already familiar with. Pay attention to where the notes fall and how we land at the end—that’s where the real difference will stand out! You can enhance any lick by taking it through a process like this, so let's dive in and play through this third example together.
When displacing rhythms, you’re not limited to moving things in just one direction! We can definitely shift it the other way as well. This time, let's jump in on the upbeat of beat four. By anticipating the chord change just a half a beat earlier, we can completely transform the sound and feel of these familiar notes. Now, let's play through this example together.
Now that we have our four variations, let’s enjoy playing them one after the other. We’ll start with the main idea and then play them in the same order we learned them. This is a great way to showcase how just moving the same notes to a new starting point in the measure and displacing that rhythm truly transforms the sound of a lick. You can unlock so much more from any idea you're exploring by doing exercises like this. Let's play through this together!
If you're finding rhythm a bit challenging, don't worry—you're not alone! With just a bit of daily practice, you can develop an exceptional sense of rhythm that can really elevate your playing. This will make your solos sound much more diverse and engaging
I highly recommend watching my free video, “Six Easy Steps to Learn and Play Any Rhythm With Perfect Timing”. In this video, I walk you through each step and demonstrate how to effectively practice rhythm for optimal progress. Click the link below the video to get this free resource today.
Six Easy Steps to Learn and Play Any Rhythm With Perfect Timing