Learning to play with a metronome is an essential skill for all musicians (not just guitarists). When we're singing and strumming at the same time, the strumming part is keeping a steady even tempo (aka Time or Beat).

Playing with a metronome may feel robotic at first, but it WILL improve your inner timing. Most beginners don't work on their timing and rhythm, but the guitar is a RHYTHM instrument.

• Set you metronome to 60bpm

• Play the chords in your song along with the metronome. Don't worry if you drift out of time at first. Watch the metronome if you feel that helps. Focus on even strums, not perfect chords for the time being.

• Then, bring the singing in. Start singing 1,2,3,4 as you strum on the down beats.

• Next keep strumming the down beats, whilst singing the "and" of every beat. As I do in the lesson, you can sing each chord name on the "and" beats.

• Take a new rhythm that uses up beats, like 1 2 3 +4+ and play this along to the metronome. Feel free to come up with your own rhythms to assist your practice.

• Take a rhythm that has up beats and get used to singing on the up beats. This will greatly improve your syncopation.

Video 7 - Putting the song together - Step 1