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

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

Very helpful, thanks!

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

Excellent video ! 👍👏👍

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

Man that staink

this is awesome!

great lesson!

If we all lay behind the beat we are just playing slower together.

Great! Thanks!

Great concept!

Sounds great. Buy you're right, can't teach feel

For those of use who can't seem to keep up withe beat this comes naturally. lol But seriously I think it helps to groove with the bass player instead of the drummer and it will come more naturally.

: )) 
(especially the exercise with clapping laid back.....)

Just listen to BB King's The Thrill is Gone... absolute perfection as an example...

Amazing lesson! Thanks dude!

I don't think it really is behind playing. I think it's a saying. It's more about syncopation. Letting the beat breathe by accenting before or after.

real question is where can I buy that shirt?

awesome lesson!!!

How do you learn the fretboard- What is the best method ? Any suggestions, from a beginner . Thank You. I enjoy your clear ideas. Cheers,....

So be like a slap back delay

Thank you for this!!

Cool lesson, thank you!

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

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

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

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!

Always very informative!

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.

🎸👍

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!

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.

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

john mccrea 🤘

It is the Great Lesson! I want to meet you at TrueFire.

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

It's very hard for me to play behind the beat. I'm usualy more on time than a drummer with my guitarplaying. Too much listening to Malcolm Young and not enough skills I guess. Shouldabeenadrummer

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

The clearest explanation I've found so far!

And very nice playing as well :)

ha! i recognize you! i saw you live in bucharest with judith hill. good good! i will try to take some time to learn from your videos!

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

Just now discovering your channel. Great content for us musicians. Subbed and thanks!

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...

Hey R.J. can you boil it down to counts say 'come in on the "E" of 1 E & A, could you dial it in that succinctly, where you practice coming in on the E? Or is it shorter than that 16th note? Thanks.

Excellent!

Jimmy Vaughn does this well

That's the only way I can play :))

Who on earth can put a thumb down? your ex? An angry neighbor? Thank you Sir for this new tool.