Playing by Numbers

Have you ever painted a picture by numbers?

I remember the one I did when I was very young; it was a scene of a flock of ducks flying over a pond, out in the countryside. But though it may have had its rewards, painting by numbers didn’t really teach me how to paint. Had the outlines and numbers disappeared, I would have been left with a blank canvas and a palette of colors I had no idea of what to do with, and though I may have been learning how to wield a paintbrush, if I were to really want to be a painter (and an artist), I would need to learn much more about composition, shading, and proportions.

I observe many new users playing by numbers – that is, to be following a set of directions: play 3 strums of C, 8 strums of F, 8 strums of C, 8 strums of G, 4 strums of C, 4 strums of C7, etc. Playing this way may, at first, help you to play along to “This Land is Your Land,” but should you miss one count, or miss one “strum” of any one chord… well, you would likely to be get lost. You’d be staring at a page full of instructions yet not knowing where you were, or where to look.

On the other hand, had you known that those “8 strums” were actually two bars of 4 strums each, and that they weren’t necessarily even called “strums,” but rather beats, you would have had a better sense of where you were and able to get back to playing. You would have recognized those three odd beats at the beginning as simply the last three of four beats of a full measure before starting the song. Soon, you would have been noticing the composition of the overall picture:

Now, on your way to better understanding how a seasoned musician “looks” at music, you would be able to add new techniques and flourishes as you learn them: rhythmic enhancements & variations, dynamics, and even chord substitutions – much like the seasoned artist knows how to add shadows, light, and depth to his or her paintings.

So go ahead and paint, er…. I mean, play by numbers, but don’t be afraid to actually learn what you are doing as you do so. And though another “paint-by-number” player may be eager and willing to help, ask a more experienced player if they would be willing to give you a few tips here and there, or take a few lessons from a professional to get you started.

That painting I did of those ducks – I wish I still had it, as I was sure proud of what I did, and how far I have come.