this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2025
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Rhythm issue (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 weeks ago by Motorheadbanger@lemmy.world to c/guitars@lemmy.world
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I cannot play on time. Not in terms of missing beats, or losing the click in the middle of a song, but in that my timing is almost always off. I compared my played notes to the click in the DAW, and I'm usually rushing, sometimes by 30-40ms. I remember Adam Neely said once that 10ms is barely acceptable, so yeah.

I tried dividing the distance between clicks in my head, doubling the metronome tempo, moving with the beat, consciously conpensating for the rush, nothing helped. Therefore, my questions - how's your timing doing? What can I do to improve mine?

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[–] AfricanExpansionist@lemmy.ml 20 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Start slow, metronome at 65bpm. Put your pick on a string and play open string arpeggios, down-up-down-up with the click. Each time, reset your pick on the next string before plucking through. Aim for consistent tone quality and volume.

When you're satisfied, move up to 75bpm and repeat, moving up in tempo over time. If you make a mistake, restart. If you make two mistakes, back up and do it slower again.

Speed is not the goal. Tone and timing are the goals, training your pick hand to relax and your mind and body to feel the beat.

Once you get to around 90 bpm, go back down to 65 and start playing eighth notes. Follow the steps from above.

This should take you a week or more to complete. Then go up into higher tempos. Every mistake, roll back 5bpm

You can also try various arpeggios patterns and string combinations.

Good luck!

[–] macroplastic@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

This, but then after you can do this solidly start halving the click tempo while still playing at the same speed so you get 1 click per 2 beats, bar, 2 bars, 4 bars etc.

Benny Greb (well regarded German drummer with a lot of instructional content) has a free metronome app for this purpose called Gap click that may be helpful, he argues for this as an essential exercise in developing your internal sense of time.

[–] AfricanExpansionist@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 weeks ago

Oh I'm getting that app

[–] Motorheadbanger@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Why 65 bpm specifically? Why not start with 100-120 and go down in tempo, I think it woukd be easier this way

[–] AfricanExpansionist@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Because you want ample time to set your pick. Because it's harder than your way. At such low speeds it takes much more focus and your wrist and hand will be dying to play faster when you can actually relax. (this is a tense exercise at this speed!)

Speed isn't your friend. If you can't do it slow then you can't do it fast. Is it boring as hell? Yep. Do you want to be make progress and be better at your instrument? Then just do it for a few minutes. My teacher says quit any exercise after five minutes if I really can't stomach it. The key is coming back to it again tomorrow and the next day, not mastering it in one sitting.

This specific exercise will also train your hand for even tone and pick pressure.

This is how bluegrass guitar and mandolin players train from the beginning.

[–] Motorheadbanger@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

Alright, thank you