timing

Let's use an example of a common error when performing a memorized piece of music to a backing track or live band. Let's say that you accidentally rest for 5 beats after a phrase instead of the required 6. You've worked on your song so much to memorize it that you have the spacing worked out between each lick so well that if you're not saving some of your mental power for listening to the band as you play to make sure that you are where you're supposed to be in the form, then you'll most likely stay out of time for a loooong time.

Here's a tool you can use... continue reading...

It’s challenging to perform a piece of music. There are techniques (precise bending, tongue blocking, articulation, etc.), movement (conjunct and disjunct), dynamics (volume and tonal), rhythm (individual licks and their chaining together into phrases) and everything else involved in playing a particular piece of music well. continue reading...

Watching your foot while playing is helpful. If you find your foot stall, then you don't own that particular passage. This is what I said a couple of tips ago. Now let's make sure you REALLY are in time. Set your metronome to the desired tempo of the song you're working on and place it next to your foot. This will help you to stay in time with your metronome by giving you a visual confirmation of the tapping of your foot. As you develop your awareness of what your foot is doing this won't be necessary, but this is a good way to get started.

Once you can tap your foot in time while playing (this takes practice in your formative years), it can be the best indicator of when your rhythm gets off. If your foot stutters or stalls, this indicates a part of the song you don't own the rhythm of yet. Practice this part of the song in isolation until you can comfortably play the passage without your foot hesitating.

P.S., it doesn't matter whether you tap the front of your foot (ball), back (heel), alternate between the two or tap both feet alternately... as long as something is tapping consistently.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Now take a listen to John Lee Hooker's famous "Boom Boom." A harmonica approximation of what he plays is 4-dip 5 4' 3 2 2" 2 and the band follows with 3 4+ 3 2 2" 2 (Bb harmonica). Using yesterday's information, see if you can figure out what's going on, especially where each of John Lee's licks start in time.

My music instructor in college would often say for us to move our bodies while playing music, it helps with the rhythm. I sure have found this to be true through my years of playing and teaching. Though tapping your foot is a valuable tool, it's a fast muscle structure and can easily rush or drag without much indication to you while playing. When moving your body, the pendulum effect of the bodies large mass makes rushing or dragging less likely. Instead of your foot being influenced by your playing (faster/slower tapping), your body is influencing your playing (more consistent rhythm). continue reading...

Actively trying to play behind the beat is another great way to fix rushing. As you play each note, make a point to delay its delivery ever so slightly to help pull your playing behind the beat. If your tendency is to rush, then now you're not rushing… you're playing on the beat. Playing behind the beat for those that don't have a tendency to rush is also a cool effect… it's a way to make your music sound relaxed, but still swinging.

Most players have the tendency to rush (playing faster than the tempo and then commonly adjusting back into time where there is rest or long holds). Where is the most common cause of this?... pickups. Players tend to start their pickups slightly too early and play it too fast. So... in most cases... rushing can be fixed by giving attention to slowing down when your start your pickups and the rhythm of the pickup itself.

When you move out of time it's usually for one reason... you're too focused on what you're playing. Relax... clear your mind... enjoy the music you're creating with the other musicians (live or on recording) and focus not on what you're playing, but the composite effect of what you and the band are playing together.

It can be challenging at times to anticipate when chord change is going to happen in a song. Maybe the tune has very smooth transitions between chords (no telegraphing) or the volume mix of the instruments on stage is such that it makes it hard to hear the collective chord change. continue reading...