Regular Fretter
Help with timing and rythm
I have a problem with timing and rythm. Sometimes I find myself singing along to a song without a problem, but as soon as think about what I'm doing, I'm off. Even when trying to sing along to a song that i know I miss the beats. Naturally, I have the same problem when playing. Any suggestions on how to improve?
/Hampus
Contributing Member
The only thing I can suggest is good old woodshedding with a metronome or looper pedal, and basic rhythm exercises maybe even before that to practice. With the looper, you can load a long you are learning, and slow it down until you can get it right by playing along with the slowed down version. You can do this on a computer too. Hope that helps!
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
Regular Fretter
Try singing along with some of your favorite songs and slapping out a drum beat on your knees, even just a simple beat. When you can feel it inside you don't have to think about it so much. This will find it's way into your playing.
--Jim
Electrics: Hamer Newport, Fender Clapton Strat, Ibanez AF86, Line6 Variax 700
Acoustic Guitars: Taylor 514CE, Martin J40-M
Dobro: Regal "Black Lightning Dobro"
Mandolin: Morgan Monroe Mandolin
Amps: Egnater Rebel 30, Vox AD120VTX, Roland Cube 60
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandid=301718
Contributing Member
Oh yeah, that is a good idea. And you can do that in the car as you drive tapping on the steering wheel or if it is safe to take on hand off, moving your thumb and forefinger over the seam of your pant as though you were holding a pick, in time with the music, while singing along. Spud told me that one. If you want to get real fancy, you can tap out the rhythm with your left foot, especially if you are driving an automatic.
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
Lefty O'lman
Good ideas.
You might also try listening to a slow/medium tempo tune with more emphasis on the drums and bass.
That will make the tempo more obvious, then you can tap your foot, snap you fingers, etc. along with the beat.
Once that becomes second nature, and you're not even thinking about it, your timing will improve.
Guitars
Wilburn Versatare, '52 FrankenTele(Fender licensed parts), Fender USA Roadhouse Strat, Fender USA Standard B-bender Telecaster, Agile AL 3000 w/ WCR pickups, Ibanez MIJ V300 Acoustic, Squier Precision Bass,
Amps
Ceriatone Overtone Special, Musicman 212 Sixty-Five, Fender Blues Jr., Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Reverb, Traynor YCV-40 WR Anniversary w/ matching 1x12 ext. cab, Epiphone SoCal 50w head w/ matching 4x12 cab (Lady Luck speakers), Avatar 2x12 semi-open back cab w/ Celestion speakers
Pedals
Digitech Bad Monkey, Digitech Jamman, DVM's ZYS, Goodrich volume pedal
Regular Fretter
Thank you for the advice all. I'll do that at work, maybe not the singing, but listening to music and beating. I've had thoughts of buying a metronome in the past (long ago), but always thought it was a boring thing to spend money on. Now I just downloaded an app for the phone. Been playing with it today between making dinner and watching the baby and I can hear/feel a difference already. I just strummed the muted strings, 1/4, then 1/8 and then 1/16 changing back and forth. Then went on to playing scales to the metronome.
Still don't have it in the body though but will keep working.
/Hampus
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote