Using a drummachine instead of a metronome
Sat, 11/23/2013 - 07:47
Would it be o.k. to assemble a drummachine with a simple and steady rythm instead of a metronome in the LOA tests, particularly in the Solo Harmonica section? I like to play much better with a drummachine than a metronome.
Sun, 11/24/2013 - 02:03
#2
Great answer
Hi David,
great answer on a simple question, didn't suppose so much stuff in there.
Thank you for the recommendations and the p.s. hint, I actually didn't took notice of it yet.
If you set it to quarter notes then it is the same as a metronome, and that's fine.
Where it doesn't work is if you set it to a shuffle or swing rhythm… then the metronome is doing all of the time-keeping for you. One of the training purposes of the metronome is to help you learn how to deal with the upbeat part of your rhythm (very important in music). The upbeat is where players commonly speed up, and the metronome helps one to compensate. Though the metronome can be aggravating, it tells no lies… if you're rushing, or dragging, you'll know it right away. This is why we use it… immediate feedback… of which is very important in skills development.
Try it this way…
1) Practice your examples with the shuffle setting first, to feel where everything fits in
2) Practice to the quarter note and try to keep the same feel for your shuffle in your playing. Where you get off is where you need to spend more time.
P.S., I don't know if you saw it, but I just leaded up some videos yesterday on using a metronome in the Solo Harmonica Study 1 lesson.
P.P.S., it's common to take lesson on rhythm training… I did for two years… it really helped me.