I can't keep time

[Johnboch]

So lately I've been having trouble keeping time. With walking basslines, there's little issue, and when playing heads to tunes I stay in the pocket. My issue lately has been with locking in grooves and fills (especially in odd meters, but sometimes with complicated funk lines) and playing 2 feels in slow jazz ballads. Also, when the band plays two or three hits, rests, and comes back in in unison, I'm always the guy who's too early or too late.

I don't know why I've been so unsure of my time feel in the last few months. I practice regularly with a metronome and I'm gigging a lot, but this issue just isn't getting better. Does anyone know how to fix my problem?

 

[jallenbass]

What helps me the most is vocalizing the drum part as you practice. Sometimes it's easy but mostly challenging. IMO. The metronome is not going to be of much help until you are able to put this all together and then use it to see how steady you are.

 

[DougD]

Stop using the metronome so much and rely more on feel. It could be that you are the only one that is in time, so learn to feel where your drummers time is.

 

[JimK]

Also, when the band plays two or three hits, rests, and comes back in in unison, I'm always the guy who's too early or too late.

Sometimes...you need to count.
Better if you can count/feel the 1/16th subdivisions, too.
I hadda learn the hard way...playing with a drummer with "polyrhythm" as a middle name (seemingly always something odd played over/under 4/4)...I had the rug pulled out from under me a lot until he reminded me that he was not responsible for keeping me in my place...I was. Ya gotta count.

Unless you're a natural, it takes time/effort to internalize "time".