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Do you have good and bad rhythm days??...

Claymore

Claymore

Nov 10, 2019
924
2,154
Rhode Island
#1
Some days, I feel like I'm spot-on and my rhythm is right where it should be. Occasionally, for no apparent reason, it feels like my two playing fingers are suffering from Down's syndrome and they can't get out of each other's way. I have no logical explanation for why it fluctuates but I was wondering if this happens to anyone else. Does it seem like your rhythm is better some days than others and do you have any theories about why this happens?
 
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#3
you bet. some days/gigs I'm right on it, sometimes I've got to really work to get right on it.
normal

lots of depends in this question ..
depends on how familiar you are with the music being played
depends on how familiar (and locked in) you are with the other musicians involved
depends on where your head is at during the gig (focused, distracted etc ..)
depends on whether your really into the music being played, or just there to cover the gig

lots of depends
 
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#9
Definitely. Good days and not-so-good days for rhythm and many other things. But years ago I noticed that when I take valerian extract to help with sleep, my rhythm is slightly better the next day. At first I was skeptical about it, but over time I've become convinced it's true (for me), so unless I forget, I always take valerian the night before a show.
 
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#10
i definitely have good days and bad days, not only with rhythm but note selection. sometimes I can work the fretboard and just seem to hit the right notes, I call those my "good ear days", other days.....not so much. I hate going into gigs not feeling "it".
 
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#11
dvs20 said:
i definitely have good days and bad days, not only with rhythm but note selection. sometimes I can work the fretboard and just seem to hit the right notes, I call those my "good ear days", other days.....not so much. I hate going into gigs not feeling "it".
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I totally identify with this. Carol Kaye was talking about how some old jazz guys were advising her not to practice 24 hours before a gig so that way, you're going into it "fresh". She swears by it. I tried that once and I was not on my game the following day, so YMMV. I'll probably try it again, though.
 
#12
Claymore said:
I totally identify with this. Carol Kaye was talking about how some old jazz guys were advising her not to practice 24 hours before a gig so that way, you're going into it "fresh". She swears by it. I tried that once and I was not on my game the following day, so YMMV. I'll probably try it again, though.
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I like to run though specific passages the morning of a gig, I usually find out then whats going on
 
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#13
People have off days doing all kinds of skilled activities. Why do pro golfers sometimes totally stink or basketball playes can't make a 3-pointer all night? We're not machines, so we shouldn't expect to be totally on our game at all times.
 
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#15
I was talking to my DB teacher about this last week. I'll listen to a live recording of myself and hear places where my timing isn't "perfect" and I'll start getting really down on myself. The thing is, there are a lot of different factors that can come into play in a live setting: the other musicians, how well you know the material (and how comfortable you are physically with whatever patterns/phrases you might need to play, where you're concentrating your focus, etc. Being "in the moment" can require different things at different times and creating a good feeling on stage at a given moment might mean focusing more on, for example, energy than on perfect note placement. Having said that, I think it's good to not take timing for granted and to periodically "check in" by specifically focusing one's attention on that particular element of playing (whether live or during practise).
 
#18
Steve Martin wrote in his Autobiography (paraphrased):

"It's easy to be brilliant, once in a while. Anyone can do that.
What is difficult is being pretty good, all of the time.
That takes work, that takes practice."

In my mind we don't practice to be perfect. What we want is to be trained well enough that the glitches (internal or external) won't throw us off our game.

In other words: the prescription for bad rhythm days is practice
 
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#19
This thread hits home. Timing is everything. I have bad days but I bet that the overall trend is positive. Today's bad day -- hopefully not literally tonight! -- is better than my bad day last year.
 
#20
My rhythm isn't as good when I'm tired but as long as I'm moving something, even my foot I'm generally pretty good. I was a natural rock n roller consequently I loved playing on top of the beat, took me a long time to learn how to play behind the beat without dragging and still pushing at the same time. Playing with the beat was also easy for me.
 

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