Use a pulse you can follow
Set a metronome to 60 BPM. Each click is one beat. Count one, two, three, four; then start again. Tap your foot without the guitar for a few bars before adding a chord. If you rush, make the exercise simpler rather than turning the metronome off.
Add downstrokes
Hold an easy chord and play one gentle downstroke on each beat. Let the wrist move naturally. Aim for even spacing rather than perfectly equal volume. Start with four bars, rest for one bar and repeat. Keep counting through the rest.
Hear the space between clicks
Say “one and two and three and four and.” The numbers are the beats; “and” sits halfway between them. Keep downstrokes on the numbers at first. Later, add a quiet upstroke on one “and,” keeping the other spaces empty. Add one thing at a time.
Practise a deliberate rest
Play on beats one and three; stay silent on two and four. Continue the arm motion gently without striking the strings if that helps. Silence belongs to the rhythm. Stopping the sound intentionally is a different skill from losing the beat.
Choose your next tempo
When several repetitions feel even and relaxed, add a few BPM. If the rhythm becomes tense, return to the previous tempo. Write the comfortable tempo in your practice notes. Speed is a result of control, not a substitute for it.
One Riff One Day editorial guide · Updated 31 October 2026