"Jared James Nichols muses on the noticeable variations in the Mississippi Queen intro when he performs it versus someone else, attributing the difference to playing ahead and behind the beat as essential elements to exceptional blues guitar playing"
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In the world of music, timing is everything, and guitarists have found creative ways to manipulate the relationship with the beat to create tension and a variety of expressions. This article delves into the "behind the beat" style, a technique that adds a laid-back, groovy feel to music, much like driving a car and slowing down while traveling.
Let's start with Figure 1, which showcases the rhythm playing on the Free classic All Right Now. Here, the lick alternates between A5, Dadd4/A, and D/A chords, but is played behind the beat, giving the music a relaxed and soulful vibe.
Spoonful, another classic track, provides a great example of this technique, as demonstrated in Figure 3. In this instance, the band, including the legendary Eric Clapton, plays a little bit ahead of the beat, with Clapton pulling back against the groove to create tension and character.
Figure 4 offers another approach, where a repetitive lick moves between G, A, and E, and the player can subtly "warp the time" to create tension in the music. This method is similar to the technique used by Leslie West, a guitarist known for the band Mountain, in the Mississippi Queen intro. West's unique take on the tune, possibly due to his playing behind the beat, sets it apart from other interpretations.
Modern players like Jared James Nichols also employ this style, as he demonstrates in his lessons. By pulling notes just behind the quarter-note pulse, Nichols effectively changes the music's vibe, as shown in Figure 5.
It's worth noting that playing "on top of the beat" can also have a significant impact on the music. Playing either squarely on the beat or a little bit ahead of it ("early") will give your playing a sense of urgency. Figure 2 illustrates this concept, where the lick moves between the notes G and E in the key of E, and is intentionally played a hair behind the quarter-note pulse.
The examples provided in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 demonstrate how manipulating the relationship with the beat can be a powerful tool in guitar playing, adding depth and character to your performances.
Subscribing to our website may offer savings, and you can discover more about these techniques and other aspects of guitar playing. Whether you're a fan of Eric Clapton, Jared James Nichols, or any other guitarist known for playing "behind the beat," understanding this style can help you add a new dimension to your playing.
[1] Reference: [Link to the original article or lesson]
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