Time and the Roland RMP 5 Rhythm Coach

[JRH7]

Has anyone else noticed how difficult it is to have perfect time when using the accuracy check? I have been practicing beats using the RMP as my snare drum and have found it to be eye opening on much my tempo varies even though I feel as if I am playing with the click. Sometimes I am right on, sometime slightly ahead or behind when using the hard setting. Anyone else use this as a training tool and notice the same thing? I have to admit it is a bit frustrating.

J.

[oops]

Actually haven't had a chance to play with the RMP 5, but I'd suggest it might be the nature of the beast. It really IS that hard to play dead on with a click.

Try playing with a metronome, going at slowish tempo (60) and a low dynamic level. Now play on something with a decent click sound (think a stone or wood table, maybe your dining room table). Play quarters with it, and try and completely bury your metronome. It's really hard to get it so that even 4 strokes are completely dead on.

[shuffle]

I did also notice that. Depending on the exercise, and the tempo, I also find it hard to maintain perfect accuracy using the coach, even though I practice a lot on it, and even though I always use the metronome.

Used to bother me as well. May be it is self-indulgence, but I am not obsessive about it anymore. I can live with being slightly "ahead" or "behind" even on the "ESY" settings, as long as the overall exercise does sound consistant to me against the metronome. I feel the "Hrd" setting become just too hard to follow, with most exercises- I'd be curious to see the math behind these arrows -

[Jeff Almeyda]

I have one and it just takes developing your ear. I am now at the point where I can play it on hard and still do pretty well. I average over 80% on it.

I also have the Beatnik that has some settings that are incredibly hard. I can only get around a 20% on the expert setting. (Within one 512th note).

The trick is to play quietly enough to really listen to the click.

[rmandelbaum]

I tried something like that at PASIC. I wonder how much of it is reaction time, listening to the click and trying to nail it?

[JRH7]

Thank you for the replies! I found that using the RMP 5 is a bit of a confidence buster because I feel like I have poor timing because I can not bury the click on every hit. I find my self listening to my playing on recordings and finding every place in each song I may have slowed down or sped up. I ask the folks I play with and they say that my meter is fine, now again they notice a slow down or speed up but nothing major. I have to say I have become a bit obsessed with having great meter and the point of sacrificing my chops and playing a little too safe. How accurate should one be? Is it normal to get a little ahead or behind while playing? Does anyone have perfect meter? Any advice or support would be helpful.

Thanks,

J.

[frank0072]

I really don't care if someone plays just ahead of behind the beat, as long as it sounds musical :-). That's the whole point, you are musician, not a machine. Make music, not math. Have fun and express yourself.
Offcourse, practice with a metronome and develop your ear and sense of timing, but give yourself space for failure and experimentation. Creativity doesn't often come in very restricted areas, if you know what I mean.
Please, don't be to hard on yourself and start making music and love it once again :-).

[Jeff Almeyda]

I really don't care if someone plays just ahead of behind the beat, as long as it sounds musical :-). That's the whole point, you are musician, not a machine. Make music, not math. Have fun and express yourself.
Offcourse, practice with a metronome and develop your ear and sense of timing, but give yourself space for failure and experimentation. Creativity doesn't often come in very restricted areas, if you know what I mean.
Please, don't be to hard on yourself and start making music and love it once again :-).

I hear what Frank is saying. I'd like to add that you must divorce youself from the "practice mentality" while playing.

While practicing, I am concentrating on every little detail to the utmost. While playing, I forget about all of that and just let it hang out. Trust in yourself that the hard work you did while practicing paid off.

[Toza]

is this just snare or it has drum pedal??

[JRH7]

I am using the pad only.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have vowed to myself to move forward and stop obsessing about having perfect time. I think my obsession has made lose some creativity.

Thanks again,

J.