How to Count Difficult Guitar Rhythms: A Simpler Way
Have you ever looked at sheet music and thought, “There’s no way I will ever be able to play that rhythm because it doesn’t make any logical sense,” and then immediately wondered how you are even supposed to count something like that?
It has happened to me quite a lot recently since I started working on more difficult classical guitar rhythms and learning more advanced fingerstyle pieces, where the issue is not just the notes but how the rhythm actually fits together. Most of my difficulties involved triplets — not just 8th-note triplets, but also sixteenth-note triplets, quarter-note triplets, and even awkward combinations like dotted 16th notes mixed with 32nd notes, which can very quickly start to feel overwhelming.
The Usual Problem
Like most people, I went through the usual process of trying to figure this out online. I checked Google and found nothing I didn’t already know, and then went on YouTube, only to find it full of random tutorials that show you how to count certain rhythms but don’t really explain why they work.
That’s the real problem. You can copy it, but you don’t actually understand it.
Discovering a Different Method
Luckily, the YouTube algorithm eventually threw something useful at me — a completely different counting method that is not based on numbers but on syllables. It reminded me slightly of Kodály and Takadimi approaches that I had heard about before, although I never found a proper structured resource for those, so I didn’t go any further with them at the time.
This one is different.
The method is called the Tik-A Tee Method, developed by Ron Castonguay, and after watching a number of his videos, it became clear that this is not just a trick but a full system for understanding rhythm.
You can explore his work here:
How the Method Works
What I liked straight away is how clearly everything is structured. The book is organised into 36 weeks, each focusing on a specific rhythmic idea, so you build things step by step rather than trying to understand everything at once.
At the same time, if you already have some experience with the numerical system, as I do, you can move through several of the weeks more quickly and combine topics where it makes sense, which makes it flexible as well.
Why This Method Works
The biggest difference is how much mental effort is involved. The traditional numerical method is heavy on your brain CPU, forcing you to constantly calculate subdivisions in real time, which is where things start to break down.
This method does the opposite. It frees up your brain capacity and allows you to process rhythm ahead of time instead of reacting to it in the moment.
The author shows you how to break down difficult rhythms and, more importantly, helps you identify where the beat actually sits, even in patterns that previously made no sense. Once that clicks, you are no longer guessing or trying to survive the rhythm — you actually understand it.
The Metronome (Essential)
One thing that cannot be ignored is the use of a metronome. You have to practise with one if you want this method to work properly, because the whole system depends on developing a solid internal pulse.
It also matters which metronome you use for this kind of work. Ron talks about this in his videos, and his suggestions are worth following.
My Experience So Far
I have been using the book together with the YouTube videos for about a week, and the difference is already noticeable. I find that I have much more freedom when it comes to understanding and verbalising rhythmic patterns, and things that previously took me a long time to figure out are starting to make sense much faster.
As a guitar teacher with nearly 20 years of experience teaching both adults and children, I would recommend this method to anyone who struggles with sight-reading and rhythm, especially when dealing with more complex material.
It works across styles, whether you are playing fingerstyle, blues, rock, metal, or classical guitar, and it offers a clear alternative to the traditional numerical system, which tends to fall apart as rhythms become more advanced.
The idea of “musical sight words” is particularly powerful because it allows you to recognise rhythmic patterns in the same way you recognise words when reading, rather than decoding everything step by step as if you had to spell every word individually.
Overcoming the Initial Resistance
It is worth mentioning that some people may initially find the Tik-A-Tee verbal system strange, awkward, or even slightly embarrassing. You end up verbalising rhythmic phrases that make very little sense to non-musicians, and at first it can feel unnatural.
You are also encouraged to sing or vocalise the rhythms while counting with the metronome, which helps you sustain note values correctly and internalise the rhythmic pulse more deeply. From the outside world this may sound odd, but that should not matter. The goal is not to sound clever to other people — the goal is to train your rhythmic understanding and improve your musicianship.
Many effective practice methods look unusual to outsiders. Athletes, actors, singers, and language students all use repetitive training systems that would sound strange to somebody who does not understand the process behind them. Rhythm training is no different.
If you apply yourself consistently and work through the exercises properly, you will begin to recognise rhythmic patterns much faster and with far less mental overload.
Buy The Book
If you wish to give this method a go the UK Amazon link is here: Rhythmic Sight-Reading: The Tik-A-Tee Method
If you are in based in the US it would make sense to buy it directly from the author here: Tik-A Tee Method Book
I would imagine that Amazon in your own country may also stock the book, so it is worth checking locally as well.
🎸 Call to Action
Do you struggle with reading music? Perhaps you find strumming patterns confusing, or maybe you have been told that your timing and rhythm need work. If so, I would love to help. I would also be very happy to introduce you to the Tik-A-Tee method, which I am now beginning to incorporate into my lessons, with students already showing some very encouraging results.
If you’d like to start guitar lessons, I’d love to hear from you. I teach from my home studio in Epsom, welcoming students from Ewell, Stoneleigh, Worcester Park, Ashtead, Chessington, Banstead, Surbiton, and New Malden.
For those further afield, I also offer Zoom and FaceTime lessons. I currently teach students in different cities and even countries, so wherever you are, you can join in and learn with me. Even many of my local students choose webcam lessons when their schedule is tight, making learning more flexible and accessible.