The Right Hand Rules

A common mistake that many guitar players make is to allow the right hand follow the left. For strummers, pickers, riffers, and shredders this can cause overall rhythm and phrasing problems that stall development and musicality in many guitarist. It's really the right hand that gives the pros the advantage over novice players in touch, dynamics, articulation, and most of all rhythm and groove.

To break this down, I will use the example of a beginner guitarist learning how to strum through basic chord progressions. When I work with new students I will let them know that I expect them to be strumming along to the mp3s of the songs that they are learning sometime within the 1st month. Many of them think this is not possible and once they start working on the chords they comment that their chord changes are not fast enough to keep up to the music. I will do a simple demonstration of me playing the same chord progression and literally tapping my head between each chord change without stopping the right hand rhythm. The student sees immediately that I'm taking even more time between chords by tapping my head than they are with their slower chord changes but that the secret is to not stop the right hand strumming; Let the left hand catch up to or follow the right. To do this well the left hand has to start the chord change on the last part of the previous strum pattern (see below).

                                                                ^

                                                              Change point

By keeping the right hand moving you'll play seamlessly and smoothly through any chord progression in the very first month of your guitar playing journey. 

The same sort of principle will apply to all styles and roles you'll play on your guitar. Rhythm is the boss - the right hand is the ski-boat and the left hand is the skier.