Fundamental Rhythms in Various Styles

Uhh... ‘Proto Rhythm’? Did you make that up?

The word, yes. But not the idea. Most styles of music have clichéd rhythms underlying the structure of the genre. While these rhythms are rarely expressed constantly throughout the music, they are implied and create a sort of “grid” on which other rhythmic ideas can be layered.

For instance, the Bossa Nova style is built on the two-measure Latin pattern outlined below. Even if this pattern is not played in exactly this way, it is the basis of the music’s rhythm. This pattern is so well-understood by the players that it doesn’t really need to be heard. It can be felt.

Practice and study the Proto Rhythms below. Do you recognize any of them? Are you reminded of any songs or music?

Examples of Typical Rhythms

Key Tasks

As the creator of Hub Guitar, Grey has compiled hundreds of guitar lessons, written several books, and filmed hundreds of video lessons. He teaches private lessons in his Boston studio, as well as via video chat through TakeLessons.