https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/nine-pound-hammer-build-a-break-mandolin
The most common question I receive is ‘How do you build a break for a song?’ In this mandolin lesson, we’re going to do just that by first learning the basic melody of the common standard, Nine Pound Hammer. Then, we’ll learn how to add simple harmonies to our melody. Finally, we’ll then add in some custom licks to finish out the break.
Need to confirm my perception. When I listen to the backing tracks counting 1, 2,3,4 it seems like in measures 17 and 34 it is not held for a full 4 counts., rather they are joined with the following measures, ignoring the indicated rests, effectively removing a measure from the length at each location. Looking at the tef file it appears they should be a quarter note followed by three beats of rest.
Can someone else confirm or deny my perception. I tried counting both the 150bpm and 200bpm backing tracks. Trying to figure out where things are off, the backing track, the pdf with the tab, the tef file, or me. I usually bet on me, but I need a third party to help me identify the issue as I am just not seeing it.
Thanks.
-Tim
Hi Tim! Good question!
It seems right to me. I counted through the TEF file several times.
It is a bit strange to count those rests where they are, and against the rhythm set by the noes being played around them.
Dave
Thanks for the confirmation.
Looking more closely at the tab and tef file vs the mp3 I think what is going on is that the mp3 leaves out the rests altogether, thus combining the quarter note at the end of measure 17 with the last three beats of measure 18 and the same with measures 34 & 35. I am not very fast so I usually start with the tef file and change the speed lower than the lowest mp3 until I can get it. I gradually increase the speed on the tef file and then when I have reached the speed of the slowest mp3 I move to it. For I time I couldn’t figure out why I kept messing up with the mp3. Hopefully this will help others. 
-Tim
Tim, I went back & compared the tef with the mp3 and you are correct! Great catch!
The rests in the tef file need to be left out to follow the rhythm tracks.
I just love watching my favorite musicians playing this song on jams on Youtube. Thanks for doing this lesson @BanjoBen
I looked at both the pdf tabs and the tef file; the tef file with the music staff and all the appropriate elements will usually be more accurate. In those measures where the 4/4 time appears to change to 3/4 time in the tabs, is really just a limitation of tablature. I.e., the pdf tef file shows us that after the quarter notes, there is a 1/2 rest followed by a quarter rest (4/4 time). However, in the pdf tab file there are just two vertical lines indicating some sort of rest, but without looking at the tef file we wouldn’t know what kind. In a case like that I have always assumed a typo and trusted the original key signature, which tells us the song has a 4/4 timing.