timing needs serious work

[Wademeister63]

My timing gets all uneven and out of whack if I don't have someone to follow. Kind of like trying to walk a straight line while drunk. Or extremely drunk in my case, I just can't seem to keep it steady on my own. It hasn't been a problem with the songs we've been playing for ages where the drums never stop, but now we're moving into some new stuff that has me right out there on my own and I need to get it straightened out.

I think a big part of the problem is from practicing along with the MP3 where the beat is always there, but when it's gone I get lost immediately. Any suggestions on how I can get my internal clock nice and steady and consistent?

[251]

Originally Posted by Wademeister63

My timing gets all uneven and out of whack if I don't have someone to follow. Kind of like trying to walk a straight line while drunk. Or extremely drunk in my case, I just can't seem to keep it steady on my own. It hasn't been a problem with the songs we've been playing for ages where the drums never stop, but now we're moving into some new stuff that has me right out there on my own and I need to get it straightened out.

I think a big part of the problem is from practicing along with the MP3 where the beat is always there, but when it's gone I get lost immediately. Any suggestions on how I can get my internal clock nice and steady and consistent?

Here's a lesson to sharpen your timing using a metronome;
Korg - Artist Details

[gre107]

You need to internalize the beat. Talk to Anthony Wellington in the ask the expert section. He'll get you straightened out. He has a lot of good ways to help with that and everything else as well.

[jallenbass]

Can you vocalize a drum beat while you play? It's painful at first but pays off big. Kind of like learning to ride a bike.

[dtiii]

Drum trainer online - Metronome, Tempo trainer, Speed exercises, 20-300 BPM - Best Drum Trainer .com

[Wademeister63]

Originally Posted by jallenbass

Can you vocalize a drum beat while you play? It's painful at first but pays off big. Kind of like learning to ride a bike.

Man, that sounds brutal. I can sing just a bit while I play if it's not too complicated but syncopation isn't really the issue I'm having. It's' more like this, where the 0 represents the beat and the dots are time between...

....0....0...0.....0....0....0...0...0....0......0 ....0...0....0...0....0

I can't keep them nice and even like they need to be when the drummer drops out. Besides just sounding bad, it really makes things difficult for the singer. I want to be right on the money so he can follow me without struggling.

Looking forward to checking out the metronome links tonight and will check in with Anthony.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by 251

Here's a lesson to sharpen your timing using a metronome;
Korg - Artist Details

Yip this is a great exercise and i would say the end result execise is the correct way to work with a nome. Not on every beat but the start of the bar responding to the time sig so you work out and feel the sub-divisions.
4/4, 12/8, 6/8, 2/2 etc its their sub divisions that change within the bar adding more or less notes rather than beats. The beat will still be on the start of the bar when you are learning these simple ideas, but sub-division of feel is not an issue for time sigs. when playing by ear, its not so much a matter of knowing the beat or even knowing where it is, but where it will be.