I just have been, especially subdivisions of quarter notes. I have done this via Mark Wein's materials, and some online lesson guidance from him. I was never really taught to count in on music as a kid (piano). As it turns out, my leaping back into music in mid life, and trying to play a bunch of songs right away, learn how to switch chords, find my scales, etc., did not develop as rock solid a sense of time as I thought.
Particularly, my 8th note strums back up sometimes lag due to my "over energetic" downstrokes.
So I have been working on my consistency in that regard, and to at the same time carry the quarter note pulse (of most songs I play) in another part of my body such as my tapping foot.
I had been tapping my foot to songs in the car, etc. Along with strumming on my pant leg, to work on timing. I did not realize that my upstrokes sometimes lagged though. I have since been working some exercises with a metronome, clapping, counting, strumming, etc. Dry, yes. Somewhat boring, yes. Generates results in improving said timing, yes.
Steve Thompson
Sun Valley, Idaho
Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay
love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
- j. johnson