Teaching An exercise to help improve your "time"

[6182]

Hi Spike, good one... I've tried that, walking around in time, didn't help at all in terms of playing sheet music.
Even tried jogging on the spot in time. Might be of use if i was marching around the block playing the sax.

Seems like another variation of foot tapping, swaying in time with the groove.
These are all fine and may work for some folks, but they honestly haven't helped me improve my timing.

In the end i still keep coming back to practicing in time with a metronome, or following the timing in a backing track.

Even tried MagicMusicianFingers.com.

I guess it's just gets better with time.

 

[Targa]

Good exercise to improve timing is to go for a walk.
Oh No! not another of Spike's off the wall ideas ;-)
(It helps if you have a dog then you must do it 2 or 3 times a day in all weathers.)
Most of us walk with a constant rhythmical tempo - left, right, left, right - 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on . . .
So if we divide our steps into whole, half and quarter notes/beats - it's quite easy to get into the rhythm.
4 steps equals a whole note, 2 steps equals a half note and one step equals a quarter note.
Once you've got that sussed it's easy to get to the triplets and other subdivisions.
Obviously 3/4, 5/4 and 6/8 etc. and whatever else will take a little more time.
But if you concentrate on every step of your walk whether it's a da-di-di, or di-di or a di-dah.
Doesn't matter - it can be diddly, diddly, doh, oh man ey my dog crapped in the neighbour's garden.
Or . . . Hickery dickery dock the mouse ran up the clock.
Bottom line - Good exercise to improve timing is to go for a walk.

If you've got a limp is it in swing time?

 

[Alice]

If you've got a limp is it in swing time?

How about you with your four legs @Targa ? Do you do leap with all fours off the ground to count a semibreve? Do you trot along to count crotchets? Does your tail swing? 😀

 

[jbtsax]

One time at bandcamp College I taught myself to snap my fingers on each hand 2 against 3, and 3 against 4 whilst* walking to class. You do it by thinking 12/8 time.

Three against four or four against three
1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10...11...12
1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10...11...12

Two against three or three against two
1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10...11...12
1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10...11...12


* I've always wanted to use that British expression.

 

[6182]

check out MagicMuscianFingers.com

 

[6182]

no not MagicMushrooms.com 😵

 

[Jeanette]

Good exercise to improve timing is to go for a walk.
Oh No! not another of Spike's off the wall ideas ;-)
(It helps if you have a dog then you must do it 2 or 3 times a day in all weathers.)
Most of us walk with a constant rhythmical tempo - left, right, left, right - 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on . . .
So if we divide our steps into whole, half and quarter notes/beats - it's quite easy to get into the rhythm.
4 steps equals a whole note, 2 steps equals a half note and one step equals a quarter note.
Once you've got that sussed it's easy to get to the triplets and other subdivisions.
Obviously 3/4, 5/4 and 6/8 etc. and whatever else will take a little more time.
But if you concentrate on every step of your walk whether it's a da-di-di, or di-di or a di-dah.
Doesn't matter - it can be diddly, diddly, doh, oh man ey my dog crapped in the neighbour's garden.
Or . . . Hickery dickery dock the mouse ran up the clock.
Bottom line - Good exercise to improve timing is to go for a walk.

Similar to what my tutor told me 🙂

Jx

 

[brianr]

Tap your foot, Not too fast . Not too slow.
metronome at crotchet 80 is good to start.
But aim to do it faster and slower than this.
But stay comfortable always.

count out loud 1234 in time with each foot tap

there are 8 quavers/ ( 8th notes for non UK folks ) available in any bar of 4/4

Clap on each quaver of each bar. ie choose one of the quavers out of the 8 available.

clap ONLY that quaver.
Do it over and over , only with that one clap per bar, until it is so comfortable that you cant do it wrong..

the ones on the beat are going to be harder than the ones off the beat. push through this pain barrier.

over a period of time, be comfortable in clapping any of the 8 quavers, whilst counting 1234.out loud.

In my view this is totally a "MUST" , if you want to play music at ANY level, in ANY style.

But I am amazed at how many folks attempt to play music and have no concept or desire to deal with rhythm even at this basic level.

If/when comfortable, pick ANY two quavers in a bar of 4/4.

 

[spike]

If you've got a limp is it in swing time?

A limp is good if you want to play "Pink Panther"

 

[jbtsax]

If all else fails. 🙂

 

[spike]

Beautiful @jbtsax , haven't seen that film . . . yet . . . 😉

 

[StageFright]

I feel like lou........before he finds the beat 🙁

 

[6182]

I’m keeping my foot firmly in the ‘no foot tapping camp’, to me it’s just adding an extra task for the brain to keep an eye on when playing. Seems pointless when you can rely on the drummer or bass player to keep you in time. Also, when playing in an orchestra, imagine what it would sound like if everyone was tapping their shoes. 😀 I guess i’m a poor multitasker