Take It Easy CORRECT RHYTHM!

Many people hear and play the beginning of "Take It Easy" by the Eagles incorrectly. It's wrong to begin strumming the first chord on the downbeat of measure one because the chord actually falls on the "and" of 4 in the previous pickup measure. From there, all the chord changes fall an eighth note before each measure. As you listen to the original recording, if you hear the first chord falling on beat 1, then the beat gets turned around when the drums enter at measure 9 just before the verse begins. Some music publishers fix this problem by adding an extra eighth note to measure 8 using the 9/8 time signature, but that isn't the right solution. The right way to play it is by beginning an eighth note early. This is how the Eagles recorded it even though you don't hear a count-in on the record. In live versions, however, you can clearly hear them count each other in and all begin on the "and" of beat 4. I explain and demonstrate all of this in this video. How have you been hearing and playing it? Let me know in the comments!

[johnzampini]

I’ve noticed this for years but was never able to figure out why the beat changed when the drums came in, thank you!!!
Great video!

[Precision_Productions]

Since this is a focus on music theory, it should be noted that the practice of preceding a song with notes or words before the very first measure of the song is known as "Anacrusis" (a-nə-ˈkrü-ˌsēz). The most common (and little known) example of Anacrusis being, you guessed it, "Happy Birthday". The 'Happy' precedes the first measure, which actually begins on 'Birthday'. If you count it to 'four' from 'birthday' the 4th beat lands on 'you'. Anacrusis, ladies & gentlemen, and now you know!

Great guide! Few teachers discuss such nuances of music, yet they are absolutely crucial to playing in the pocket. Thanks for making & posting it.

[harrycrowe]

I figured this out years ago, but every time I hear the song after not hearing it for a while, I hear it backwards again and have to relearn it in my head. It's something that makes the song interesting.

[grumpyoldrummer]

I play drums and the "kicked" intro confused me for years. Watching the tubed live performances cleared it up for me but your tutorial nailed it, thankyou. I still need a solid count in though, it's so easy to fall into what the "feel" dictates!

[BCRSIX]

Thank You so much! That lost beat has been driving me NUTS for 50 Years. I’ve played that song in so many bands for so many years, and saw so many bands play it, but I have never heard it played correctly. I would sit for hours counting, and just figured an added eighth note was put in, and tried to get drummers to do it, but it never worked out. I just figured they were playing by intuition, and just sort of added that beat by feel, not even thinking about it. This cleared it up for good and I can’t thank you enough.

[jtwashere]

Thank you!!! You've saved me (more) decades of driving myself insane trying to land on on the One....

[geneweygandt]

one of the very vest lessons I've ever found online. thanx, Desi!

[Max]

Awesome! Another song that always tripped me up with this was the intro to Dire Straits - Money For Nothing. I applied this same rhythm "on the and", and it's the same. Thanks Desi!

[nicholasrichardson]

Listening to both versions (right and wrong), the “correct” version is so much more interesting. That push, on the up stroke, makes the song move so much better. THANK YOU!

[FDT-FEM-]

Coming in on the ‘and of 4’ gives the song that driving rhythm and sounds better imo.

[ianrobinson]

That apparent rhythm change had always bothered me. Thank for making sense of it - and for the correct intro chords!

[Supertramp_Scott]

I recently completed the Desi Serna essential song pack bundle and was adding this song to my repartee. I watched a video from a Angela Partelli and she did a great job of teaching the song, but she never mentioned the rhythm. She just said that the cord changes for the intro are done with an upstroke. I was having a tough time because something just seemed off. Now after Desi’s video it makes sense and I get it. Thanks again Desi!

[thirei]

I always sensed something to be rhythmically 'wrong' in this intro. Thanks to you I now see the light. Thanks ... 🙂

[vintastico]

Guilty! I have always played on the down beat... not any more...excellent tip! Thank you!

[johngrattan]

Thanks Desi (ultimate teacher), that makes perfect sense! I have always struggled with that strumming in this great song👍

[davenorman]

Thank you, Desi....have always admired your intelligence and am very appreciative of you sharing that with us.

[hydroman]

Great video. I continue to be enlightened by various guitar pro files for many songs. My jam group would always screw up the outro for "take it easy".

[jimm]

Great clarification on the rhythm lesson. Also, great guitar. I love my PRS A50 se.

[MatthewNipper-dc]

Fantastic job! I'm constantly relearning the rhythm

[keithlaw]

Thanks for bringing it up I have never noticed it otherwise