Tips for improving timing

[unsquared]

I've been playing with a new band and have been getting complaints from the members about songs speeding up or slowing down, the scary thing is that often I haven't even realised this has happened. For the past 2-3 years I have got myself into the ritual of playing with a metronome when I practice or if I'm just jamming by myself but this isn't helping with my sense of timing. How does one improve their sense of timing?
Sometimes when playing with this band it feels like other members are dragging the tempo, do any of you drummers have tips for how to reign all the members into the right tempo?

[TerryV81]

What I do :
- I practice my hands rudiments with a metronome and I use my feet at the same time alternating on each beat. Bass drum on one and three ; HH on two and four.
- I practice grooves and fills on drumless tracks from Tommy Igoe's Groove essentials. I play on all kinds of music styles and tempos.

[SpazApproved]

have you tried practicing with a metronome but with the band at your band practice?

So not just alone but while with them.

[slinglander]

When you feel the band dragging it's really a struggle speeding up the tempo against their playing, but do it anyway and they'll notice.
You could convince the whole band to play with a metronome, too, to point out tempo irregularities.
I find guitarists who sing lead often slow down to sing certain passages(tough singing and playing).
Another band/tempo problem is the actual music being played that may have slow drum grooves played against faster(up-tempo) guitar patterns...it's the actual structure of the music not understood by the whole band.
So good luck with your problem-it may not be all about you!

[8beat]

People seem to listen to my snare and hi hat so if have timing problems then I play snare and hi hat louder.

[Ricardo]

have you tried practicing with a metronome but with the band at your band practice?
So not just alone but while with them.

You could convince the whole band to play with a metronome, too, to point out tempo irregularities.

Slingy and Spaz both suggest a good idea...........it might be someone else in the band too.

All players are subject to challenges with tempo.

In fact, I had to learn IN THE CITY recently in order to play the song in an upcoming gig..............easy song, right ?

Yes it is, but if you listen to the original recording, the Eagles are playing the song at a faster tempo toward the end.
The tempo holds fairly well until the last minute.

This might be a Henley problem...............it might be an Eagles problem.
But the tempo change (rush) is in there.

[kay-gee]

This might be a Henley problem...............it might be an Eagles problem.
But the tempo change (rush) is in there.

__________________

Or,perhaps, not a problem at all but something done on purpose.

all the best...

[kay-gee]

Try playing with some players that are way better than you. After they criticize you enough you will begin to get it.

all the best...

[EddieV]

Do the rest of the band members practice with metronomes individually? (Probably not).

I think it's really important.

I work with two individuals in two different groups that are terrible tempo pushers. It's difficult sometimes. Some nights it seems I have no teeth left from gritting them so hard. It's not "fun" to play when you have to hold back tempos like that.

One, a guitar player, has gotten better because he began working with a metronome on his own after I asked him too. But he still rushes his leads from time to time.

Good luck.

[jedi]

Oh boy I wanted to start a thread on this ! The rest of the band has to be able to keep time too . If they can't follow a click no way are they going to follow ANY DRUMMER with good time . Our guitar player always rushes . The bass player has awesome time but tends to lose the groove when he sings . So at our rehearsals I always have my metronome with me . Sometimes I don't play at all I just let them play to the click a few times . Then I follow the click and they follow me . It's a great way for everyone to feel where it rushes or drags and they are mindful of it at the gig . Because of that we are really tight .
Yea I would suggest you take the nome to rehearsals , as well a continuing to practice with it on your own . It will make you a better player and that much more valuable to the next band you are in .
Good luck on your journey .
Rudy .

[jgziegler]

A couple of things you can do:

1. Simplify your playing. I did this on one of our songs, cutting out some 16th notes and no more speeding up.

2. For practice, set your metronome to 100bpm, clicking just the quarternotes. Play a simple rudiment patter (paradiddle), use one that has 4/8 hits, and you know very well. Play the pattern, but count each hit as 16ths (or you could set the nome to 25bpm and subdivide it into 16ths, up to you). Play the pattern a few times, then double the tempo (so from 25bpm to 50), still playing the hits as 16ths. Then double it again (100bpm) and each nome hit is now a quarter note. Then half it (50) and then again (25) and just cycle your way through it several times, it really helped me.

[rickthedrummer]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

jg, you are kidding......................aren't you??

Have to break out the abacus for that 1.

[kay-gee]

A couple of things you can do:

1. Simplify your playing. I did this on one of our songs, cutting out some 16th notes and no more speeding up.

2. For practice, set your metronome to 100bpm, clicking just the quarternotes. Play a simple rudiment patter (paradiddle), use one that has 4/8 hits, and you know very well. Play the pattern, but count each hit as 16ths (or you could set the nome to 25bpm and subdivide it into 16ths, up to you). Play the pattern a few times, then double the tempo (so from 25bpm to 50), still playing the hits as 16ths. Then double it again (100bpm) and each nome hit is now a quarter note. Then half it (50) and then again (25) and just cycle your way through it several times, it really helped me.

Huh?!!

all the best...

[kay-gee]

I don't think we need to be quite so technical about it. Be CONCIOUS of time and you will improve at keeping it. Sometimes, if things feeling a bit tentative, I'll even close my eyes and imagine the flashing light of a metronome of something like that. Being aware of what you and the others are playing is half the battle.

all the best...

[Mickstix]

Get with your bass player.. Once you two are on the same page, let the others fend for themselves!!

[dangermoney]

get with your bass player.. Once you two are on the same page, let the others fend for themselves!!

+1

Other than that, great advice in the previous posts for developing, improving, and nurturing your inner clock ...

[N2Bluz]

I have also noticed the tempo being pushed during some of our gigs. I'm not exactly a human metronome, but I can tell. I figure if I can tell it's happening, it's probably not me doing it. I try to reign everyone in by really pounding on the snare, but it can be difficult with 3 or even 5 guitar all pickin' at the same time. I try to maintain a constant focus on the bass player and keep a visual communication with him. We ALWAYS set the bass guitar player up right beside my hi-hats. Many times, he even watches my snare if the groove starts to get loose. In all, we do a pretty good job of keeping the bass and drums pretty tight and steady. As long as we can maintain that, the rest of the band seems to fall into place without much issue.

[dangermoney]

I try to maintain a constant focus on the bass player and keep a visual communication with him ... In all, we do a pretty good job of keeping the bass and drums pretty tight and steady. As long as we can maintain that, the rest of the band seems to fall into place without much issue.

I have found this to be true as well, especially with the more seasoned players. In my experience, if the bass player and drummer are locked into a good pocket then the rest of the band is free to weave in an out a bit at their leisure and still have a steady foundation to come back to ...

[rickthedrummer]

Brian and Dangermoney hit it right on the head.

Bass and drums in sync = band will be in time.

[MartyM]

I always tried to keep timing with the bass player as well..and you know sometimes it just happens to all of us. Work on it...as it IS our jobs as drummers.

[jgziegler]

ok, I will explain:

set your metronome to 100bpm on quarter notes. (can be more/less, but the number should be divisible by 4).

Use a pattern that is easy to play, I used a single paradiddle. It's also important your pattern is divisible by 4, so single paradiddle is ideal.

Play the pattern, count each click as a 16th note. This means you are playing at 25bpm.

After playing the patter several times, double your pace, so now you're playing at 50bpm the 16th notes. With this, it's useful to have a nome that has lights or some kind of visual aid, so you know youre keeping the right time.

After several rounds of this, double your time again, so it's 16th notes at 100bmp. Do this for several rounds, then go back down to 50bpm, then 25, and continue speeding up and slowing down in this way.

maybe it sounds complicated, but it's really easy, in the end you are just playing something, then you play it 2x faster, then 4x faster. the explanation is there to make sure you actually do play it that way...

[jedi]

Don't forget your feet . The kick is just as important as the snare and your hands . As you do the exercises mentioned above I would suggest you keep time with your feet as well .
It all starts from the bottom up . Just like you're walking . Solid time on the kick , most times it is on the one of the song . Sometimes it's all fours on the song . So don't neglect your bass drum foot . Coordination between the hands and feet is very important .
Rudy .

[SunDog]

Be the loudest instrument (excluding vocals). Most recordings are drum loud, and that includes your guitarist and bassists favorite albums too. Yet they walk in the practice room and crank up a nice guitar loud mix (and they always complain they can't hear themselves). Loud guitar is a killer. You control the tempo and the dynamics. Memorize the vocal parts, I mean all the little nuances, and let the singer dictate to you. When the singer is comfortable and the two of you are on the same page then everyone has to follow. Tempo, volume, and dynamics according to how the vocals want to be and you control it.

[Cdeleone]

If We as a band were having issues with tempo (not always my fault) we would go over transitions and sections by reducing the tempo (playing to a click) and play those sections over and over, gradually increasing the tempo after we nailed it. Then hit it full tempo. This helped tremendously for the entire band