How's your timing, and how do you practice it?

TheBlueWolf

I practice using a combination of metronome and drum machine. One thing that helped me internalize the rhythm is tapping my foot and/or nodding my head to beats 1, 2, 3 & 4. Once I'd got that I could move on to coming in a little before or after the main beat.

Another part of my practice is playing along with backing tracks and songs that I like. That really helped my 'groove'.

I agree with recording your playing too. Yeah it's going to pick up every flaw but that will give you a much clearer idea of which areas need working on.

Sambostar

I'm not mentally set up for certain time signatures or making up certain group note ascending/ascending patterns on the spot, I'm alright but tend to slip some random legato in there and not stay on the pulse with the notes at speed.  Agree though, if you tap your foot and play slowly, you can work patterns out for new notes that sound half decent and then bring them up to speed until your brain remembers, then it becomes easier for new patterns in the future with that number of notes in each group.

blueskunk

Phil_aka_Pip said:

If you can discipline yourself to playing quavers then semiquavers to the crotchet tick of a metronome then well done & fair play to you. I think that if you can get a drum box and program some rhythms in, it helps you to internalise various beats as you play to them, partly because you went to the trouble of programming the box to start with so you know mentally what it is doing (eg an accent on every 3rd semiquaver in a bar of 4/4) and then you learn to sync your playing with it. By programming I mean step-programming, not trying to hit a drum button on the relevant beat, because you won't program the box correctly if you can't already do that.

Bet you are a good teacher Phil. Wish I was closer I'd be on your case for some lessons

willrejones

Lots of intriguing responses. Treating the click at 2nd/4th beat is quite an interesting one I've been trying for a while - still find it quite difficult to locate the one, as in its not absolutely natural.

One thing I've discovered is playing with a click at 40bpm or lower, which is quite a challenge but good for not being to rigid. A drummer friend was telling me he used to play to a click at 12.5bpm and the click was only on the 4th beat, mental.

Phil_aka_Pip

richardhomer said:

One thing I've learned over the years, is that recording your performances reveals whether your time is really up to snuff, or not.

wis just for that (although the rest of his post made sense too)

I was shocked the first time I heard myself just playing rhythm guitar on its own (with the intention of soloing over it). the timing was all over the place.

@blueskunk you are too kind. I don't teach these days ...