When I'm playing with a metronome I tap my foot but when I play eight notes instead of tapping along to the beat I accidentally tap everytime I play a note and I get off if anyone has any advice thanks
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Can't stay on beat
- Thread starter JlbassPlayer
- Start date
The text answer is always easier than the suggestion...
Anyway, sounds like a habit has formed that you want to stop.
I think you will need to slow down you eighth notes, play along with the metronome and focus on your foot going down when you want it to.
It is also good to practice lifting the foot for the next downbeat on the 'and' mid position, really helps with timing.
Slowly speed up, and after a few weeks, your done!!!
Will take a while, I doubt there is a quick easy fix, practice and hard work will correct it.
Anyway, sounds like a habit has formed that you want to stop.
I think you will need to slow down you eighth notes, play along with the metronome and focus on your foot going down when you want it to.
It is also good to practice lifting the foot for the next downbeat on the 'and' mid position, really helps with timing.
Slowly speed up, and after a few weeks, your done!!!
Will take a while, I doubt there is a quick easy fix, practice and hard work will correct it.
counting them out like "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and" helps with the eigth notes. just play everytime you say a number or "and".
Its impossible to answer your question without watching you play. Are you sitting or standing... Are you plucking or picking... Are you repeating notes or playing runs? I need to see the position of your bass.
Our body serves the instrument, which makes the music. The goal is to achieve a total merger like Hendrix. He could do ANYTHING and play most people cant. Dont tap your foot at all relax everything. It SOUNDS like you could be doing something(s) technically wrong that blocks your body from your instrument. Do you have a teacher?
I am also a firm believer in practicing with a metronome set on the offbeat.
Our body serves the instrument, which makes the music. The goal is to achieve a total merger like Hendrix. He could do ANYTHING and play most people cant. Dont tap your foot at all relax everything. It SOUNDS like you could be doing something(s) technically wrong that blocks your body from your instrument. Do you have a teacher?
I am also a firm believer in practicing with a metronome set on the offbeat.
- Jan 4, 2008
- 232
- 28
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: CallowHill Guitars; Aguilar Amplification; MonoCases
Don't tap your foot. Your foot is a distraction.
Concentrate on your fingers and the metronome. Internalize the rhythm.
Concentrate on your fingers and the metronome. Internalize the rhythm.
LayDownABoogie said:
I disagree. The OP needs to internalize the beat and feel the rhythm. Focusing on the foot MAY be messing with him. Sure the foot thing is standard teaching. I view it as a crutch, personally.
And I am in complete agreement with your disagreement. I would call it some of the best advice ever. I almost never tap my foot and I rarely have in over 35 years of playing music. If anything, you should strive to slow down the metronome and your foot so that you can play even eighths while tapping/hearing, to start, 1, 2, 3, 4, then 1 and 3, then 2 and 4, and eventually 1 only.
This is the best way to wean yourself from the mechanical crutches of metronome and foot and learn to feel and express the beat internally.
It's not easy, but it's certainly not bad advice.
+1. Counting should start out as overt, and obvious. If it works and is in time it's good. The learner should assume most things will get 'streamlined' when speed and internalized time is built. start out tapping, then try just playing dead notes (mute the string but pluck it) on each '1'. next try it on 1-2-3-4. then play that consistenly (slow at first). if you can play quarter notes at 120 bpm you are already able to play eighths at 60. Just count it as 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and. It's pretty straightforward.
Junior high school bands tap their foot... LOOK next time to hear a concert. Professional orchestras, performing the most difficult Stravinski, don't tap their feet. Yes, they have internalized difficult passages. Don't get kid tapping confused with tapping as in "groove" that jazz/rock/pop pros might do. They are certainly not thinking " a oneee and a twoee" to themselves.
Again, I suspect the OPs feet are the least of his problems. Get a teacher.
Again, I suspect the OPs feet are the least of his problems. Get a teacher.
I agree a teacher can make all the difference.
IMO once you start looking at sheet music in detail counting becomes clearer. Rests. If you have a rest for two and 7/16 bars you need to have some accurate, reliable method for coming in on time. I think people count until they don't need to. But they just count in a different way (focusing on the notes/chords typically, and counting with them, eg. instead of 1-2-3-and-4 it's E-G-D-C-A or the tones if not the names). That's my understanding anyhoo.
Adults are talking...listen...
I thought it was really good advice, except I'd ditch the metronome. Puts too much pressure on you to not make a mistake, and you need to allow yourself to make mistakes while you work it out. Plus a metronome doesn't give you good time...that has to come from you.
OP
Have you ever played to a recording or a drummer ? Play simple songs along with youtube or an ipod or whatever you people use for music these days. As you get better with the mechanics the musicality will most likely come. I will probably get crucified but I am not sure everyone can be taught to be musical. I have kids and step kids. My kids are all musical, no matter how hard I have tried to reach my step kids, they can't play.
Have you ever played to a recording or a drummer ? Play simple songs along with youtube or an ipod or whatever you people use for music these days. As you get better with the mechanics the musicality will most likely come. I will probably get crucified but I am not sure everyone can be taught to be musical. I have kids and step kids. My kids are all musical, no matter how hard I have tried to reach my step kids, they can't play.
If you cannot stay on the beat, it means your sense of beat is your weak point. Tapping your feet cannot help to increase your accuracy in counting and the beat you tap should be also out of beat too.
As mentioned above, practise slowly is the way.
As mentioned above, practise slowly is the way.
drum lessons? it seems like a problem could be your independence (foot from arms/fingers). A couple of drum lessons would give you exercises for independence.
Also try going slow. First do one beat and play 2 8th notes, then do two beats and play 4 8th notes...etc.
Also try going slow. First do one beat and play 2 8th notes, then do two beats and play 4 8th notes...etc.
I agree with everyone but LayDownABoogie, who criticized yet offered nothing to back up his/her claim. 
Personally, I tend to practice to a drum machine more then a metronome. For me, it's more interesting. Either way though, start out slowly and work your way into it. Also, I rarely tap my foot.
Personally, I tend to practice to a drum machine more then a metronome. For me, it's more interesting. Either way though, start out slowly and work your way into it. Also, I rarely tap my foot.
So Low Bass said:
Orchestras also don't have a drummer playing 16th notes to lock into. They have a conductor waving his magic wand AND they have to read the sheet music too. Kinda hard to WATCH the beat and READ the music at the same time. Tapping the foot makes sense in this situation...plus they are in junior high school.
I also don't frequent junior high orchestra concerts, so looking next time is gonna be a problem. You don't drive one of those creepy vans do you? Kidding...kidding.
