Foot taping and triplets.
Hello again David. I hope you're doing fine. I have a couple of questions again!
ex1.I am able to play eights with ease (1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and) and tapping my foot on the downbeat and raising it on the upbeat.
ex2.I am also able to play eight triplets with ease (1-and-a,2-and-a, etc) tapping my foot on the downbeat and raising it on the "a"
But what should i do with my foot when i want to play a more complex lick that uses many values, or even a whole song? Is the general rule to be able to tap it like i do in example 1, regardless of what i play on the harmonica?? How do you do it??
I find it harder to count with my foot like in ex1 while playing eighth triplets because the raising of the foot comes between "and" and "a" of the eighth triplet. Actually it's exactly in the middle of "and", i guess? So, i also guess, i just have to work it's brains out??
(My way of raising my foot in a, lets say, shuffle or a slow blues was like in ex2. That's bad isn't it? Because i feel that my playing is held back due to that "lack of freedom". What i'm trying to say is that i maybe feel like a slave of that triplet feel because of my foot. At least im working on it these days but i need your guidance.)
I'm so sorry for all those questions in such a small text!!!
Hello orestis. Paying attention to where your foot is on the upbeat is a way to help someone having difficulties playing a note on the upbeat for the first time. Now that you can play a note on the upbeat, it's time to "feel" where it is, stopping your focus on the upward travel of your foot and only on the downbeat.
The challenging rhythmic combinations I recommend you loop that portion of the music with a program like the Amazing Slow Downer and sing along with it, then sing along with it tapping your foot, and then stop the loop and sing while only tapping your foot. Each new rhythm you'll need to train your body to perform. The great thing is that once you learn a particular rhythmic sequence, you'll be able to perform it the next time you come across it in a new piece of music.
Best wishes on this... rhythm takes time... work hard, but be patient with yourself.
Actually, i thought of an excersise which i performed and it's a bit challenging. I think in sixteenths and perform
O-ne-A-nd-A-a,Tw-o-A-nd-A-a,Thr-ee-A-nd-A-a,Fou-r-A-nd-A-a (those syllables are not exactly how i pronounce it but you know, i divide the word into two sound). Then I'm trying to tap my foot in every beat and raise it on the "nd". Is this the way i shall always do it?