How to Add a Backbeat to Your Rhythm Playing

Helpful Tips

Adding a backbeat (slap) is one way to add a dynamic/percussive quality to your rhythm playing. The easiest way to do this is to keep your right hand curled in (like a claw) and slap directly over the strings. It is totally fine to hit the instrument when you slap. The trickiest part is getting the timing down. Practice slowly and work at synchronizing your left and right hand to this new technique.

* Bonus Lesson: Watch THIS lesson after the one below to learn how to alter the chuck/pluck technique for use with strumming (i.e. chuck/strum). And if you need a more in-depth explanation of this, check out this lesson from our instructor, Matt Dahlberg.

Lesson Video