Jump to content

Reality check.


Les Paul Lover

Recommended Posts

  • Members

Played an open Jam night last night.

 

Well {censored} me it's hard to keep up with a drummer. :facepalm:

Years of distorted bedroom playing means I obviously haven't paid too much attention to keeping to the rythm.

 

To top it all, a chap borrowed my LP and absolutely smoked it - that bloke was a top player no doubt about that.....

My poor LP.... It's gonna cry the next time I pick it up!!!!!! :eek:

 

 

At least, that's prioritised my GAS - next on the list will be a looper, that's for sure. Only way to improve my rythm control on my own!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

you guys are making me afraid...

 

 

of what?

 

...improving your timing and learning how to play at moderate gain levels will make an open jam a much more enjoyable experience...most people don't know it but the super-saturated stuff that sounds good in your bedroom just sounds ASS when combined with other instruments...and working on tempo and timing will make it easier to fit into the combo...

 

...don't fear it...embrace it and get ready to JAM!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

All drummers aren't perfect. Some speed up and slow down and don't even realize it.

 

The last bass player I had was lost as soon as I transitioned from rhythm to my solo. He was just jamming the whole time and never really learned any of the songs. The hard part to believe was that we'd been around the block and through the laneway twice already. (Verse&chorus) So he couldn't remember what we did 48 bars ago.

 

For me, timing is the groove. Everyone's got to be on top of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Defo something I have to work on!

 

Jello, I tend to play with average to low gain - I'm not a high gainer really, even though it can be fun at times. Edge of break to classic rock is essentially where I live.

 

Quite want to get a digitech jam man because it has a tap tempo feature too - that would probably come in handy.

 

Stevenjuel - nothing to be afraid off, just something else to learn. Struggling to keep to the rythm with a drummer is funnier than playing on your own. :thu:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

start practicing with a lot less gain, and start using a metronome...

 

 

Yah, this.

 

That and/or playing along with something. Sometimes a strict diet of metronome playing can make your playing sound...well... "metromomic" . You also need to get a feel for groove, swing, etc. Sometimes it's better to play a little behind or a little ahead depending on the song. So, pop a CD in of some of your fave music and play along. Feels better than a metronome as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I like just playing along to songs, mimicking the rhythm or lead guitars, sometimes taking off on my own tangent. It's good practice for learning to feel the grove so your timing eventually becomes second nature, IMHO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I find it interesting to play with different drummers, I am used to the way our original drummer did things so I enjoy the freshness that having a new take on things has.

Open jams can be a rude awaking for some of the reclusive bedroom players, but they also show you what you need to work on.

Get out and play with others it's the only way to grow as a musician.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Nothing beats playing with a band, because a metronome cant hear you.

But still, practicing with a CD metronome will will teach you to listen, which will help when you play with a band.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

i have this problem/fear as well. is there a drum machine we can program that's relatively cheap? i don't need something that's studio quality and has a 300 gb memory, just something i can plug a beat into?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

i have this problem/fear as well. is there a drum machine we can program that's relatively cheap? i don't need something that's studio quality and has a 300 gb memory, just something i can plug a beat into?

 

 

look for a used Alesis or Boss DR

http://drums-percussion.musiciansfriend.com/product/Alesis-SR16-Drum-Machine?sku=705531

http://drums-percussion.musiciansfriend.com/product/Boss-Dr.-Rhythm-DR3?sku=700510

Or theres software

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/iZotope-iDrum-Version-1.7-Drum-Machine-Software?sku=703576

or keyboards, you could prob find a almost free one at a yard sale with a few patterns in it

http://keyboards-midi.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-YPT220-61Key-Portable-Keyboard?sku=584564

As nothing beats playing along with records,

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=guitar+trainer

(there is also slowdown software)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I was shocked when I started going to jam nights just how good some people were - I've learnt so much by playing with awesome players - much more than I ever learnt at home.

 

Of course, once you've learnt *what* to do, you've got to take it home and practice it!

 

And by far the most annoying thing is when one of these guys borrows your guitar and makes it sound better than you can only dream of. And then says something like 'nice guitar, you should take these wimpy strings off. It'd sound great with 12s..."

 

:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

All good suggestions.

I've mostly gone with a looper, but do use CDs and backing tracks occasionally. Looking into drum machines/loops now, will count on my drum-interested daughter later...

Nice thing about the looper is that you could also work it into your gigs, seen a lot of that and it looks like a blast. Don't gig, though, so haven't tried it myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Get out and play with others it's the only way to grow as a musician.


Absofreakinglutely !!!! Dicking around by one's self only takes you so far .... and then there's the whole "synergy" aspect of playing with others - great fun (as long as the drummer is competent:lol:). When playing out, folks seem to think I'm quite good,when in all actuality, I've just been playing for so many years that I can fake it pretty well by instinct - I took lessons as a kid (end of the '60's, early '70's), but have forgotten most of the theory, etc.....my fingers just seem to know what to do...sort of. Sense of time/rhythm is extremely important in any style of music, but I've never had much issue with it myself ....it's usually the bassist or drummer's fault -that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!:thu:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Dearest Punk Rock,

 

Hey man, just wanted to thank you for all your quick changes, fast tempos, and frowning upon stopping for more than a couple seconds in between songs; for thou art hast carvest my sense of rhythm from stone, and forced me to be mindful of every sound our drummer makes.

 

Sincerely,

Noah

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...