Learning aids for keeping time

[kristiansmart]

An area of my playing I'd like to improve is keeping time. Obvious solution is buy a metronome or..... drum machine. So I've had a look on fleabay and there's loads of choice .
To further add to the confusion, I also notice that there are portable 4 track recorders which have inbuild drum machines, which sounds useful and good fun.
Any body got any advice or recommendations?
Thanks

[garrysmith]

There are, as you have found, a multitude of electronic metronomes available. I have the Korg which will do 2/4, 4/4, triple time etc. Buying a four track recorder for the drum machine seems like an expensive way of doing it, unless you want a four track recorder.

[Gerry C]

Many electronic keyboards also have built-in drum/rhythm sections. I often use the patterns on my Yamaha PSR-2700 when practising. They are also VERY useful for recording: used instead of a click track, they're great for getting timings right when overdubbing. Lay down the rhythm track, record voice & guitar, overdub other instruments if required, then ditch rhythm track if you wish!

Cheerily,

Gerry C

[ken1953clark]

I've got an old fashioned wind-up metronome (Witner Taktell Junior). No batteries to buy, even works in power cuts ;D

You can usually get them for about a tenner on e-bay

[Deleted]

I know this is sort of going in a different direction, but to get a solid groove, try counting aloud thru' the tune.....1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4, 4 2 3 4, 5 2 3 4 and so on thru' the 12 or 8 bars or whatever you are doing. It's old fashioned, low tech, but I've found it does help people who have difficulty keeping time. Counting out the bars as you go also helps place where the chord changes fit. There are many people who try tapping their foot, but if you have trouble keeping on the beat it can mean that's just something else that goes out of time. I've observed lots of players who tap their foot but it's completely out of synch with their playing and just adds to the rhythmic confusion.

[Deleted]

Got to say that I am on my fourth metronome and there has been something wrong with the time keeping of all of them, I suppose I must just be unlucky

[maxxengland]

I used a cheap keyboard for the drum tracks. Interesting concept: it's an electronic machine and therefore doesn't know about irregularity, but until you learn to keep proper time, it always feels like the machone is wrong, It isn't, it's just your own irregular playing. Another thing about keyboards is that they let you work out chords, being sequential devices, handy when you're looking for inversions and substitutions.

[Bill Stig]

There are metronomes for free on the internet. Here's one:
www.tabguitarlessons.com/free-metronome.htm

[Michael Messer]

The online metronome is excellent.

I very rarely practice with any type of time-keeping device, but when I do I prefer to use some kind of drum sound as the metronome click drives me crazy. Any kind of drum machine is fine for me, even a loop of something home-done.

Keeping good time is so important. When playing blues or any progression that keeps repeating, the place where it usually speeds up is when you are going into the next verse. Concentrate on that area and keeping each verse the same tempo. If you are a player that does speed up this will feel odd for a while as it can feel like you are slowing down.

I hope all that makes sense!

Shine On
Michael.

[fitchmeister]

You could try this method



Made me smile ;D

Roj

[slidenpickit]

I think that's the one the Tractors recommend!