Odd-Meter Fingerpicking Patterns

From Dave Brubeck's "Take Five," to the Allman Brothers' "Whipping Post, to Zappa to Rush, odd time signatures pop up occasionally in American music. In other lands, like Turkey or Armenia, they're quite common. Tim submits four distinctive picking patterns that will get you familiar with subdivisions of the beat in odd meter, and get your picking hand moving fluidly. Try 7/8, 9/8, 11/16 and 10/16, with cool chords and licks. (once you get comfortable with the picking, substitute your own changes. After awhile, these rhythms won't seem that odd at all. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.