Members zehn Posted January 23, 2009 Members Share Posted January 23, 2009 I have no "solid" answer, but it's a good question. Here's one person's answer: Reverend Wright explains black and white hand clapping difference. In the late eighties, I'd sometimes accompany my black girlfriend to her church on Sundays (I never heard anything negative towards whites and they never failed to make me feel welcome, by the way.). During the music, I always noticed that I was the only one "on-beat." Well, thanks to Reverend Wright, I now see that my black brothers and sisters at the church weren't rhythmically "deficient;" they were just acting on their genetic inheritance- "different. I also agree it can't be taught. Following a metronome or click will work once one gets used to using it, but it also can sound mechanical at times. Drugs and Booze do effect musician's rhythm. Our lead player sometimes takes off and I struggle to stay in the pocket with the band, and compensate for him. I talked to him just last Saturday night at a show about it. I asked if he could hear me and he said yes. I can then only attribute it to smoking weed, or he's just a white redneck. I like him don't get me wrong. But it can be frustrating at times. I think you have to take the drugs/alcohol on a case-by-case basis. I smoke a lot of pot and it hasn't ever seemed to affect my rhythm too badly (and don't tell me I'm too high to tell the difference, I know when I'm playing poorly). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skinthrasher Posted January 24, 2009 Members Share Posted January 24, 2009 I think some people have natural rhythm and some don't. Just like some people have perfect pitch and other's don't. Or some have natural ability to throw a football and others don't . That's not to say that someone who doesn't have natural ability can't learn it and be proficient. It's also not to say that someone with natural ability doesn't have to work at to be great. I fall in the un natural side I think. For a long time starting out and for years and years I got thrown out of band after band and lost audition after audition because of slowing down/speeding up.I even considered quitting once. I've been working on it a lot since. I practice with a metronome a lot and it's gotten a lot better. I've even been complimented on my good time lately. At a blues jam at Dan's Electro Guitar Bar in Houston (there's some great blues jams in Houston) a guitar player who was watching my set said I was a "metronomic drummer" who was always right there and precise yet soulful. This was the best compliment I could get. So, it can be developed if don't have it naturally. I'm living proof.Guitar players on the other hand. We have one song we do in our band where the guitar player counts it off and then comes in by himself at about 2/3 of the time he counted off every time. The bass player and I know now to come in at the proper tempo. It works because after the guitar intro, the guitar quits, the drums come in and then the bass. He says he pracitces with a metronome.As far as why some people have natural rhythm and others don't, genes. Pick your parents wisely! Dan Electro's ROCKS!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ryan Carranco Posted January 24, 2009 Members Share Posted January 24, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3Vp9fQ616k&NR=1 0:15 - 0:30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted January 24, 2009 Members Share Posted January 24, 2009 I've played with many a musician who will "skip a beat" every now and then, even though their meter is good. Usually happens (for instance) when coming out of a chorus into a verse, or some other transition of that nature. As stated elsewhere, it's probably an issue of them not paying attention. This seems to happen a lot in jam sessions. As 'passages' get carried out and convoluted, somebody'll always take the lead where the beat is most comfortable and glitch all the tension you were building. Anyway ahma hasta agree with Rumstick. Sounds like an actual explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wellhungarian Posted January 24, 2009 Members Share Posted January 24, 2009 As drummers here, I'm hoping you all have some natural rhythm...How many of you have played with other musicians that just can't find the one when playing by themselves? lol For example - a guitarist having to do an intro on his own with no backing just can't play bars of 4 (assuming it's in 4), or singers that lose or gain a whole beat here or there when they're singing?I've played with guys that can sing and play great with other guys, but as soon as they're alone, any sense of a time signature disappears. Just to be clear, this is about rhythm and naturally being able to find the one. This is not at all about meter.Also curious, is anyone aware of any web sites that may discuss this?Thanks! I don't know of any websites that discusses this issue, but there is a whole movie about it starring Steve Martin. It's called, "The Jerk." He plays Nathan Johnson and it's about his quest to find, "the one." According to the movie, it can be learned. Rejoice. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rfdias Posted January 24, 2009 Members Share Posted January 24, 2009 +1 with race81. feeling a rhythm and maintaining tempo are TWO DIFFERENT SKILLS.I know musicians who can do both, neither, and one OR the other.The best can do both. The rest, well...No real rhyme or reason. Though there was a recent study out of the UK (?) that was able to relate higher IQ to the ability to keep better time. Hypothesized that time keeping was related to basically "number of operations a brain can do at one time" the more neurons firing, the better the time keeping. No mention of whether they could feel a reggae beat from a bossonova however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cewill Posted September 2, 2013 Members Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thanx for addressing this issue. I quit playing my instruments for over 20 years because I could not figure out what was missing from my performance and development. I have decided to get back into playing an instrument again because I miss being a musician. Here is an article that neurophysiologists have termed 'beat deafness'. Enjoyhttp://www.nbcnews.com/health/cant-feel-rhythm-you-may-be-beat-deaf-1C6437334 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cewill Posted September 2, 2013 Members Share Posted September 2, 2013 Thanks for the inspiration. What exactly does one who lacks rhythm learn to listen for or pay closer attention to even when playing unaccompanied? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 jwideman wrote: Well, what do you do as a drummer to develop your natural rhythm? Practice with a metronome, of course. Some non-drummers don't do that, especially singers. In my studio experiences, I've run into as many drummers as anything else who couldn't find the 1. And a lot of drummers who have apparently never heard of a metronome... the kind who rush through their fills and end them a quarter note early, or who rush the tempo so much the BPM has increased 30% by the time they've finished the song, etc. There are tons of drummers who can't follow a director or play to a click. You don't see them all the time, but believe me, they're out there. The problem isn't limited to non-drummers, although I do agree with the wisdom of your suggested solution. Practice with a metronome... I'd also add practice along with recorded music, and spend a lot of time playing with a variety of other musicians. Then there are those who intentionally mess with time as part of their style or phrasing. The rhythm guitarist described earlier could possibly be one of those. Maybe he doesn't play the exact same part all the time, but can he groove? Does it work against what everyone else is doing? Another example is a drummer who pushes and relaxes the tempo throughout the song in a musical way that feels great. I've got no problems with that in the appropriate circumstances. My wife is a pro singer - had a deal with RCA, was on TV multiple times, did lots of session work, etc. She's got huge power and lots of soul, and actually has really good time, but she loves to play with phrasing, and she expects the band to follow her. I don't always agree with her on that... even after all these years, it's still kind of hard to read her mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Longfuse wrote: I've also known a few drummers that couldn't dance, but kept time no problem. I find that strange, too. I'm a hack drummer at best, but a pretty decent guitarist and bass player, and all modesty aside, I have pretty darned good time. I also come from a family of people who loved to dance, and most of them are pretty good at it, although none of them were really musicians. I've never been able to dance to save my life. That, coupled with my musical ability, has always perplexed my family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarville Posted October 2, 2013 Members Share Posted October 2, 2013 coyote-1 wrote: Not true. I'm a case in point. When I first started taking lessons I had no concept of rhythm. 39 years later: I can funk, I can swing, I can do latin grooves, I can lay down the odd meters of prog, I can get heavy.... and do all that without speeding or dragging. It is definitely a learnable skill IF you want to learn it. Some people also have natural feels for different kinds of rhythm.You either have the funk or ya don't. Don't think it can really be taught no matter how much you work on it. BTW, I got it at about age 17. After playing with a couple bands for a little while, suddenly I started listening and stopped struggling. So I contend that those who "lack rhythm" actually lack a willingness to listen.I agree about the willingness to listen with all awareness will help those that maybe challenged in one way and with the willingness to stick with, one will grow in rhythm and timing. But natural rhythm does exist in some people. I think that comes apparent when you watch your children grow musically or see them dance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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