Playing "In Time"

A student on the forum of BluesHarmonica.com is having some challenges playing their study song in time to the provided jam track. Here's my response to him, slightly changed to fit this general audience... maybe you'll find this useful.

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Playing in time on your own, with the jam track, is no doubt a challenge.

Try this...

1) Play to the original (non-jam track) at 30% slow, first chorus, until you feel you have it.
2) Adjust the volume of the music softer than normal and play to the same track while recording yourself.
3) Listen back and critique your playing.

The MOST important part is if you hear, when listening back, that you're playing slightly after me in some places, that means you're using me as a cue. Look at the music notation and make note with a pencil (by listening) how long you need to hold a particular note before that starting spot/note in question comes... listen and count... then loop that area and practice until you're playing in the correct spot, using me as just a confirmation that YOUR rhythm was correct.

Then do the same thing with the jam track... 30% slow... record yourself... listen back to your recording with the sheet music and check that each note is in the right spot. Use target points in the form to help you stay on track... identify which notes land on the downbeat (foot down) and especially the downbeat of chord change (first beat of a new chord), these are areas that are easiest to hear while playing/listening. Use these as markers so that if you're a little late or early in time, you notice it and can adjust appropriately for the following phrase.

Once you've done this for each chorus at 30% slow... move to 15%... then full tempo. Recording is the key. This takes time (pun intended! ;-)... so just understand/embrace this and enjoy the discovery process and try to not get too disheartened... this is what I spend most of my lesson time on with students of your skill level.