How's your internal metronome?

[nate_dennis]

This isn't so much a question about recording or even guitar gear. It's more about technique and timing. I recently got my first drum machine. I've been mucking around with it lately (I haven't gotten around to playing guitar to it yet) and I've made a startling discovery . . . . my internal timing sucks!! So I'm wondering if you all have the same issue at all. Can you keep a really super steady beat on your own or are you a little wavy? If you're steady, did you work hard to get there or was it accquired? I look forward to hearing your different possitions.

 

[Zaphod B]

Mine's pretty good, but I have to concentrate on it.

A drum machine or metronome is a real eye-opener, isn't it?

 

[dogonjon]

How many years?

Rhythm and tempo are a lot like ear training and intonation, you need to have your elementary school music teacher bang their ruler in time with the metronome as she runs you through the do, re ,mi's. If you didn't have this experience by the fourth grade it can't be reproduced later. I knew lot's of college music students who couldn't analyze music at all because they lacked this experience. I was lucky, my dad used to play piano by ear and transcribed tunes into his own fake book. When I started playing guitar at 12 I followed his lead and learned to play by ear and then figured out how to transcribe songs on my own. By the time I finished transcribing 'Light My Fire' (my favorite song in '68) I had a good handle on the practice and was transcribing my own material. I got several jobs in the mid 70's transcribing original songs for Seattle area musicians for copyright purposes. This payed off big time later in music school when transcription and analysis focused on Jazz solos. It takes discipline, good role models and early exposure to music theory to develop fluid transcription and analysis skills.

 

[WhiteStrat]

Me = sucks at it.

 

[mikemorgan]

I'm good to within 1/30th second per day. Not exactly atomic precision, but good enough for the crappy music I play.
I started using mtc sync when I was 3 and was sample accurate by 12.

 

[true-eurt]

1, 1 and a 1/2...2, 2 and a 1/2...1 7 5 3 4 ....there..I got rhythm...

 

[mixsit]

I think it's pretty good, but I asked my bass babe mate' just for a cross check- she says it's excellent.
That don't mean I never fall out of paying attention though.

 

[Valley Arts Kid]

Internally my timing is usually after my morning coffee, or with too many beers.

 

[noisewreck]

I have a tendency to rush, so I always have to constantly tell myself "kick it back".

 

[Dani Pace]

I used to think my timing was better than it is. About 8 years ago I got my first programmable keyboard, I started playing along to the rythms and chord patterns and quickly discovered I was not quite as accurate as I had thought on my timing. Playing guitar along with the keyboard rythms has improved my timing. I always found metronomes and click tracks to be boring, but playing along with drum loops (set to BPM I wanted or needed to work on) seems more natural and easier to get used to. Now I use a simple drum track instead of a click for many of my recording projects as well as for practice purposes. Other people I have recorded (especialy those who are not used to a click track) find this easier to get used to.

I find playing along to a set tempo has improved my timing (over time and with practice) and made subtile other differences in my playing.

 

[Milnoque]

Dismal....

 

[baby britain]

I think the most important thing to remember is your groove is better than the metronome. However, if it fluctuates too much your tracks will warble in the mix and ultimately sound bad. You have to unlearn your groove (muscle memory) and come back to it after you've practiced just tempo.

The trick to playing with a metronome (click) is practice. You'll know you've gotten good when you can record multiple parts to a click that sound "better" once the click is turned off and "good" while it's on. I do my albums to a click because I write and perform all the parts myself. You have to learn how to forget the click is there. (Just like we learn how to forget theory while we're improvising)

As well, always sing the most memorable part to the song in your head while you're setting the tempo. Often times people struggle with the click because they've chosen the wrong tempo. It would be like trying to fit your hands in a glove that is too small or too large. You'll feel the rush or drag instinctively and start fighting the tempo. Of course, when you're practicing, play the tempo too quick and too slow on purpose to get rid of that horrible muscle memory that makes it hard to play with the drum machine.

We all have certain tempos that we revert to. Think about when you're banging on a desk. You're not necessarily playing a song. You're probably just bobbing your head and hitting the desk. Think about it next time and find out what your internal speed is. Doing this can help you to find relative (if not perfect) tempo. That's just for fun though and now I'm starting to sound like a hippy. And no, I don't own a djembe. (sp?)

 

[Micter]

Most people (99%) can't keep time for two measures. Try playing to a click track then mute it for 3 measures then have it come back on. I guarantee you will be off the click.

 

[joeym]

pretty good...but I still use a click or a drum loop (striving for perfection...)
I hate bad timing.

 

[dogonjon]

Listen to a midi synch track and you will make the connection between pitch and tempo.

 

[hmmm]

My timing's pretty good, took a hell of a lot of work though. It's only in the last couple of years that it's been good, I guess that comes from 9 years in orchestras and the like. I'll still play to a click or the drum track when I'm recording though just to help.

 

[legionserial]

My timing in my late teens used to be great. 10 years and god knows how much weed later, and I suck.