Playing on the click

Practice your material to a metronome. A lot.

 

Continue to practice to a metronome or drum machine. The more you do it, the better you will get at it.

Dave

 

The more that you can subdivide the beat internally, the better. Practice everything that you play (scales, songs, etc) very slowly (quarter note @ 60 beats per minute) and count 16th notes to yourself (Four beats per click.). The more that you play with a metronome, the better you will get -- practice everything in time.

 

I would add to this that if you put the metronome on 8ths (2 clicks per beat), it will make it A LOT easier to sync up. Practice this way at a comfortable tempo, not too slow.

Then, when it feels solid, venture off into slower or faster tempi. Then, go back to one click per beat and repeat.

Get lot's of rest AND practice, don't drink too much coffee, and have fun!

 

Start at one BPM then move it up only by one BPM at a time. There is a big difference. Then put the click so there is only 1 click. So go 1,2,3,4, click. or 123 click etc. Then shift that click around, so put it on the 2 = so 1 click 3,4 etc. Keep doing that so you can hear and find a click anywhere. Being able to land on that one with space in between is very important. Then try going for twelve bars of silence and landing on the one, something I make the whole band do when we are just hanging out. See if your all in time!

 

Stomp your foot on the beat. Or nod yord head, shuffle, dance. Whatever do something other than using your fingers on the bass. Play notes and keep time.

I rock back and forth on stage like when vaccuming.