Table of Contents1) **2)**3)How to Play Reggae Rhythm Guitar
Bob Marley 4)Three Little Birds5)Stir It Up6)Redemption Song7)One Love8)No Woman, No Cry9)I Shot the Sheriff10)Jammin11)Waiting in Vain12)Is This Love13)Concrete Jungle14)Buffalo Soldier15)Could You Be Loved16)Satisfy My Soul
Bruno Mars17)Lazy Song
Sublime18)Santeria
How to Play Reggae Rhythm GuitarLeft Hand
First rest your left hand on top of the strings without applying any pressure and it will mute your sound. Then you quickly press down on the top three strings when the right hand strikes the chord. You are trying to create a short, staccato sound. Practice first with the strings muted, and then progress to pressing them down.
Right Hand
The right hand plays a strong down stroke motion on the offbeat of the rhythm. You are not trying to “strum” the strings, you want to “chop” them. Put some power into your picking attack and make use of the guitar as a percussive instrument. Also remember to play only the top 3 strings.
Reggae strumming patterns
The most common reggae rhythm guitar pattern involves playing a downstroke on the offbeat of the rhythm. So if you are counting in 4/4 time then you would play a downstroke on the + (and )of the beat.
The second most common reggae guitar pattern is a down & up stroke. The down stroke is played on the offbeat and is followed by a quick up stroke on the top strings.
“Three Little Birds” Bob Marley
“Stir It Up” Bob Marley
“Redemption Song” Bob Marley
Intro Riff 2x
“One Love” Bob Marley
“No Woman, No Cry” Bob Marley
“I Shot the Sheriff” Bob Marley
Riff
“Jammin” Bob Marley
Rhythm
“Waiting In Vain” Bob Marley
Rhythm
“Is This Love” Bob Marley
Intro Riff
“Concrete Jungle” Bob Marley
“Buffalo Soldier” Bob Marley
Rhythm
“Could You Be Loved” Bob Marley
“Satisfy My Soul” Bob Marley
“Lazy Song” Bruno Mars
“Santeria” Sublime
Intro Riff