Re: [Harp-L] FEELING THE GROOVE and reflecting it physically

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

David M Scudamore wrote:
<Ok, I'll bit, any help in this area would be appreciated. At almost 60, and still a <beginner, I have trouble keeping time to the music. I watch youtube and try to tap <my foot in time and lose track. I am in awe of Kim Wilson's ability here. I can't <help but notice he often "marches" in time with the music, using both feet <alternately. The amazing part to me is that he has such a sense of the rhythm that <he can change to one foot tapping, obviously twice as fast as alternating feet, and <then go back to both feet! It is clear to me that the music is inside him and just <has to get out.

The best way to improve your timing is to play with a metronome, or better yet, a drum machine.  I had a lot of problems with my timing when I was in my teens and early 20s.  Practicing with a drum machine really helped.  Any constant clock source can do the job, but it's more fun and inspiring to play along with something that sounds like a drummer.  

Decent drum machines can be found used for well under $100 on eBay or from daddy's junky music (daddys.com).  Older drum machines in good condition will work fine for this purpose, assuming you don't care whether your machine has the latest hip hop/techno/whatever sounds and grooves in it.  Good makes include Alesis, Boss, Yamaha, and Zoom.  If you need something free and don't mind getting a little more deeply involved in software, you can download free MIDI drum patterns, drum samplers, and software to loop them (play them over and over without stopping) on the internet, and then run all that stuff on your computer.  The Hammerhead drum machine is a decent one-stop solution and it's free, although its sounds are very much oriented to electronica.

Playing with real people is a lot more fun in most cases than playing with a drum machine, of course, but when you're trying to fix basic issues like timing problems, it's good to put in plenty of practice with the drum machine.  

Regards, Richard Hunter

  


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