timing

[Step]

Hi there,

last time with my jazz band we recorded a track we wrote ourselves to help make it stick, and upon listening it I noticed that the timing of our pianist is "slightly" off (we are a quartet: bass, drum, piano and sax)

what I mean by slightly that even upon casual listening I thought it was off. While reviewing the track with another friend of mine, who is also a drummer, we talked about this and he said the following:

"I don't think you can judge people on their timing, timing is overrated and something innate, as in that it can't be easily taught"
now, of course he wasn't talking about the rhythm section, they need to be tight and spot on with timing

he seemed to view timing as something akin to note choice in a solo. In a solo, almost no note can be dead 'wrong' if you use it in the right context (Sliding into or out of notes etc.)
in the same sense, if you subdivide time into infinitely small "beats" or fractions, you can always be on-beat

I personally think my drummer is wrong, and I think that what separates the good from the greats is spot-on timing and I always thought that was the consenus, however, that may not be the case

so TB, what do you say? If you think timing can be taught, do you think I should bring it up with my pianist? If you don't think it can be taught, what should I do with my pianist?

[colcifer]

I've used 'poor' timing as a musical effect before and in that way his comparison to note choice is correct.

Timing can be taught so tactfully bring it up.

[J-B'ass]

Yes I think timing can be "taught", or at least improved by practice. I wouldn't want to confuse the issue by saying that you can use 'bad' timing to good effect; timing is good when you are in control of it, and place the notes where you intend, be it on the beat or off. Bad timing is when the notes land in an accidental place because you're not in control of your timing.
There is no good use for bad timing.

[NateS]

i think it's weird that a pianist has bad timing? who knows.

i wouldn't say bad timing is ever a positive.
but i would say that someone who is very good at timing can "time" notes into very off-sounding beats, IF intentionally. otherwise, it's just wrong.