View Single Post
Old 01-08-2016, 02:02 PM   #185
soniclovenoize
Minion of Satan
 
soniclovenoize's Avatar
 
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 5,595
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by redbreegull View Post
hey teh b0lly, thanks for all the advice btw


do you have any recommendations for getting better at playing with a metronome? I have basically no natural rhythm and I have been aware for a long time that one of my biggest weaknesses is that I can't keep a steady speed when I play and sing. I've tried and tried to play with a metronome but moving focus onto following the sound of the click or the flash of the light actually seems to make the problem worse. Playing with an actual percussionist or a guitarist with better rhythm is not really an issue because I can easily visually follow the beat by following that person's movements. But it almost feels like my brain does not have enough RAM to run the playing guitar and singing programs and the listening/watching a metronome program at the same time.
Are you playing rigidly when you practice to a metronome? I can only speak for myself, but I try to have my entire body feel and be one with the rhythm. I find this much easier with a live drummer, to thrive off the natural rhythmic ambiance being emitted in the room/stage some way... But with a metronome or a drum machine, you have to make up for it by physically moving your body with the tempo and at the very least tapping your toe. You have to be one with the rhythm.

it takes some practice but you can do it... One of my bands, we lost our fucking amazing drummer this summer, and we moved into Drum Machine Land (and now apparently we're thinking about getting an electronic/laptop/programmer person to create synthetic beats & manipulations live--being the rockist I am, I am totally afraid of this, going out of my comfort zone, so it's going to be an adventure I'll be diving into!) and it took a while to get used too. After playing with live musicians for nearly 20 years, it was difficult to play to a drum machine, which was theoretically more accurate and predictable than a human drummer. But I just had to "channel the rhythm" a little bit harder and make more effort for my body to exude the rhythm itself (and to fucking crank the drum machine in the PA!).

 
soniclovenoize is offline
Reply With Quote