Playing Behind The Beat - "The Art of Laying Back" | Guitar Lesson w/RJ Ronquillo | Tutorial

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Free backing tracks at the end of this video!
In this guitar lesson we will talk about the concept of "laying back" and "playing behind the beat" to really get into the groove.
BACKING TRACKS used in this lesson
08:11 - 2pac style in Fm
10:22 - Soul style in Am
You can find the blues backing track here: tommyharkenriderguitar.com
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[@RJRonquillo]

Hey all! I hope you are enjoying this lesson video. I briefly listed a few musicians that employ this technique - I'd love to hear about other musicians and even links to song examples that do this as well. ~ rj

[@RJRonquillo]

Of course some great drummers like Chris Dave!

[@youpeopl_music3220]

I'm glad you mentioned D'Angelo. Among the other fine musicians he has on the 'Black Messiah' release, like Pino Palladino, Jesse Johnson and Amir "Questlove" Thompson (all instructed to 'lay back' on the album - doing a fine job, I might add). D has one shining example of the latent, or "glitch" beat, James Gadsen on 'Prayer'. That is some ankle-breaking stuff! Nice video, R.J. Thanks!

[@kckrye]

Taz from Soulive

[@postlude1]

Leo Nocentelli

[@timoarthur1001]

I've recently discovered your videos. They are gold, brother. Very useful stuff and you offer your knowledge and tips in a very personable way. God bless you, bro!

[@michaelsilva2171]

You are so busy, which makes you even more generous with your time and knowledge. Thank you!

[@TheLakeJake3]

So casually mentioned he recored bass and guitar for Tupac track!!! Let alone for Thugs Mansion RJ you are a goddamn legend!

[@rockysloan3434]

I have been watching you for quite a while now. My mind is blown that you played on that track. I listened to that so much growing up in a rough area, and a rough home environment. I guess that means I have been a fan of you for more years than I thought lol!

[@JensLarsen]

Great video on an important topic! 👍 🙂

[@MrJoeyBoombotz]

In drumming it is called a flam, one of the basic drum rudiments. The hard strike comes directly on the downbeat, with a grace note right behind it. For those that also play drums and read drum music, that is an easy way to get the basic idea across. The drumming as quite deliberate and exact. Playing behind the beat while improvising is more laid back, subtle and random like you said/demonstrated. When I first heard of this years ago it made me think of flam, but that didn't stop it from being uncomfortable. We are always expected to respect the beat and tempo and laying back is uncomfortable at first. But it also helps you relax when you have the right context, Great lesson. Thank you!

[@rnemchev]

Finally somebody explains that concept in an understandable way ! Excellent job R.J.!

[@Sokko13]

laid back stank face makes this video! My new fave channel!

[@sidewaysrain7609]

Bravo! Well articulated. Jeff Beck groups "Rock my Plimsoul" (rock me baby) with Ronnie Wood on bass and Rod Stewart on vocals. This is an exquisite example, in and of itself the riff is pretty simple. Beck is playing the guitar riff behind the bear, Rod Stewart's vocal phrasing is in front of the beat. Now Ronnie Wood's bass playing is way behind the beat to Jeff Beck's riff to the point that it almost echoes Jeff Beck. I found this arrangement quite genius. Recorded in 1966!

[@ryanreeves8931]

Dexter Gordon was a master at playing off the beat! Great video RJ!!!

[@RJRonquillo]

Yes!

[@jasonmitchell1537]

From a drummers perspective it always sounds great and funky when your guitar or bass player has learned the art of Laying back!!! Great tips bro and this is coming from a Drummer!!! I'm a Jazz drummer trapped in a Metal drummers body!!!

[@TommyHarkenriderguitar]

Great lesson!!!

[@jazzboxrecordings3414]

Great lesson RJ, and some killer animation skills.

[@cvolume]

Really cool and useful concepts, RJ. Thanks!

[@neiljolly3941]

Awesome lesson RJ! Thanks so much!

[@stevehogan8829]

Thank goodness. It's about time someone talked about this. Singers especially can use this as long as they know how to use it. same with Guitar players or actually anything that is playing a melody position.

[@pclifford1577]

Smart video. The backing tracks at the end are a cool bonus. Thanks ----

[@CKC411]

You are one of my guitar heroes. Anything you put out there I will be thrilled to watch.

[@gridbooknation]

This is amazing dude! BRAVO!!

[@sermorel]

One of the best lessons in the internet about playing behind the beat. You don't see this subject being explored like this. Great !!

[@tomasw.mitchell153]

Very cool! I really enjoyed it especially the backing tracks at the end so it gave me chance to actually practice what you taught!

[@dundretful]

awesome lesson!!!

[@pasha355]

This is bloody awesome! Thank you! Great lesson!

[@01kid01]

thanks a lot for this lesson RJ.

[@dubshockmedia1110]

killer video!

[@sam127001]

definitely something to work on - thanks for putting this together !

[@dannyjonze]

great video. ive never heard anyone cover this before and its one of my favourite areas. this is what I love about jeff 's playing. he does all this with a very effortless feel.

[@marcalving1753]

These kinds of lessons are very helpful.Im saving your videos for references.i watch them whenever I'm not doing anything in the office.thanks RJ! Cheers from the Philippines!

[@burroughs334]

You're the man, RJ. These are really well done. Super relevant, necessary subject matter framed in a way that makes it really click. Thanks!

[@tbobmann229]

Excellent!

[@peteserravalle4723]

Probably the best video on this concept on youtube. Well done, RJ. You da man.

[@natfuqua1287]

Always very informative!

[@richyriff]

Outstanding lesson, RJ! This greatly helped me pinpoint a technique that i've heard for a long time, but never gave much technical thought. In additional, this was a great reminder for me to not be so robotic trying to stay on the beat for my album recordings - that it's okay to "lay back" a bit. Thanks again!

[@rexturner4728]

I've been playin a long time & this is the first time I ran across this topic taught. Very much appreciate the lesson. Thanks!

[@dngrhndz]

great lesson!

[@marcossoria5385]

That´s a very cool lesson. Thank you RJ!

[@tricko2286]

Awesome RJ !

[@BrettPapa]

Awesome vid man! Great topic!

[@Blue_3rd]

Cool lesson, thank you!

[@javierortega1653]

In my case it is the only video on KZbin that I understood, it helped me a lot, thank you very much!

[@eanroad]

Great lesson!

[@choplass]

I love this lesson, very useful. Thanks R.J.

[@theguyfromberlin]

Thanks very much. Exactly what i was looking for. GREAT vid. Thank you R.J.

[@danilosalis6391]

Awesome! Thanks!

[@rockers2rockers616]

In a digital age this lesson is even more priceless. Feels good!

[@postlude1]

This is a great lesson. Found it really helpful.

[@manuelcrespo6395]

Excellent video!. First time I see this topic cover in a wonderful way!!!

[@davidcolizzo2749]

Really did your style man - and your approach to teaching...thanks!

[@Beemerboy324]

Excellent explanation. Very clear and understandable.

[@thomasd9237]

Excellent video ! 👍👏👍

[@PeterSnauwaert]

Great video ! Thank you very much for sharing RJ!!!

[@CharlesEBusa]

Great concept!

[@KitchenGuitarist]

What a great lesson! Finally someone covering this super-important topic!!! There should definitely be much more vids about how to develop proper timing etc...

[@voodoofab]

well covered ! you made something clear appear clearer !

[@theoversouls]

The difference between good and great! Awesome vid, very well explained and demonstrated. Thank you!

[@kurtishanson1038]

LOOOVE IT!

[@SMATF5]

Great video! Really helped me understand the nuances of playing with this kind of feel (and having backing tracks right afterward is great for trying it out).

[@christianmarasovic2865]

Thank you so much for this. Great framework to visualize the feel. A lot of people do this naturally but knowing how and why gives you that much more power to really grease up the grooves. Cheers!

[@jfranciskay]

What a great video. Your teaching skills are incredible. You make this stuff easy to understand! Thanks!

[@piperguitar]

Thanks for this buddy. Great job! Will defo practice the examples.

[@andyknightguitarist]

Yes mate! Love it!

[@bongosock]

The clearest explanation I've found so far! And very nice playing as well :)

[@soloist88]

Your lessons are just tasty and usefull!! Thanks!

[@kuringmundo]

lots of tasty licks here. awesome!

Thank you for this!!

[@brianpetersen3429]

Nice tips!

[@PODseidon]

this is awesome!

[@skatetodeath666]

This is exactly what I have been trying to figure out the past few weeks. Ill get it then loose what I got its a odd thing to get the hang of. But this lesson will help since you put it in a way that makes sense. Thanks my friend.

[@grantrobertdavies]

Great - GREAT lessons man!!! One of the best on KZbin :) Thank You...

[@semilivesixstringstrumist5595]

Very cool man!

[@SamBellGuitar]

Amazing lesson! Thanks dude!

[@WilmerLebron]

This was such an amazing lesson Bro! Thanks 🙏 for this!! 🎸🎶🔥🤘🏻

[@MarcoZaniRovereto]

Very very interesting ! Thanks.

[@TrevorMarty69]

Wow, that's great thanks.

[@NicolasEngelMusic]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@struong57]

Dude, as ALWAYS, your playing and your lessons are on POINT! 👊🏽💥

[@giuliogalli1164]

thanks so much for talkin about this! subscribed!

[@bluesfuze]

Well done...I will use this as a teaching aid

[@nathanmcclellan8078]

Not an easy task to switch back and forth feel-wise like that...respect!

[@RockabillyRambler]

INTERESTING!!!! Now im gunna hear it everywhere.....

[@echoesofthe65gravitations34]

Great stuff...very good cover...very interesting..

[@SONICBOOMERSOONER]

When I was in college I bought a book transcribing Stevie Ray's In Step and I think it was Little Wing where in the performance notes it said "performed loosely behind the beat". I had been struggling with the feel and just trying too hard in general. I remember getting goose bumps when I read that and taking a deep breath and changing my whole approach. My playing was forever different, and better.

[@jonathanhandsmusic]

I just watched this, a year late, but I have a comment anyway. Playing behind the beat, as you demonstrate, is really only learned by years of playing. I say this because I have played guitar since the mid sixties but never studied music in a formal way. Only through lots of practice and playing in lots of bands of varying styles did I learn the sort of stuff you are talking about in this video. It's pretty complex, and I don't think I could explain it as well as you, but it is still great to watch and play along with. Which is what I did. As usual, this is a good video. You explain things way better than most, and don't just show off, like a lotta guys do. Thanks

[@benhockey3288]

Absolutely beautiful feel and playing from 5.30 . Envious! Great video 👌

[@phonicwheel933]

Nice job: an easy to watch and understand video!

[@JohnNT]

Great lesson, I love this style of playing! Another benefit from laying back: It makes mixing/live sound easier. When the instruments don't stack up right on each drum hit, it allows the punch of the kick and snare to come out better. Thanks for the video! :)

[@haroldbelfast]

John Bonham is a classic example of laying back behind the beat. It was one of the things that gave Zeppelin their heavy sound...it wasn't the guitars, it was the heavy drums (and bass) that laid just behind the beat.

[@raybbaby]

I don't believe the drummer can play "behind the beat". He is playing the beat.

[@jkf9167]

Yes they can. Al Jackson of Booker T and the MGs used to describe it as "swatting the beat on the behind as it walks by." Of course you need other instruments to give it context. The genius of Bonham is that he could play with his right foot on the beat but his snare just a touch behind.

[@adamkorner1651]

I slammed that subscribe button when you did the laid back line right after the straight line, awesome nugget, awesome video

[@CesarAllGuitar]

This is actually a great video and a great lesson...Just found your channel, some of your videos are really good. Keep up the good work!

[@embreesmith7613]

priceless Intro .. !! :)

[@wilsonbethlehem3101]

Snare & Kick Drum. Thanks man.

[@zvonimirsarcevic7928]

wow...cant belive I ran into this...:)...thanks man..

[@r4x2]

Excellent video, excellent technique! I picked up on this style because of J Dilla's beatmaking, but it's prevalent in things like Bill Ward's drumming, or Parliament's bass synths. Developing a stanky groove isn't implemented in this age of quantization as much as it should be, so, thank you for highlighting it!

[@RJRonquillo]

Absolutely! I was just watching a video of a drummer playing a J Dilla style groove. I never thought of Bill Ward too, but you're right!

[@ParsevalMusic]

fantastic player btw like your fender

[@chrisbaird3963]

You are awesome. Thank you.

[@ruihenig]

Please do more lessons of this sort!

[@mr.yellowstrat3352]

I got so lost in that 6-5-1 Am progression that you scared me when you came back. Lol I think I finally figured it out! Thanks again

[@DisabilityExams]

Being able to play behind the beat is important for bass players, too.

[@patrickjaroch5084]

YES miseducationof lauryn hill was the EPITOME of layingback

[@physiciansassist1]

I learned this from John Zeigler when i was his student. One of the most crazy feels. Really great when a drummer can do it...

[@RJRonquillo]

Nice, John Z is a great guy!