Improving timing
- Thread starter JJKK
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Out of Round
Well-known Member
Fill-wise, I tend to throw it out there too. Aside from metronome work, I am recording myself more often and although I haven't done it yet, I want to transcribe some of the things I did that I liked and want to examine it in order to really lock it down and use again. Take with a grain of salt, but this seems like a way forward, for me at least.
Larry
"Uncle Larry"
You just identified your problem. That's half the battle. I'd say substitute the pushing...with work on your cleanliness to a metronome. Don't move on until it's clean. Some people would say it's boring. Don't be one of them. It makes little sense to push things out that aren't clean. This could mean practicing just one thing until you're happy with it before moving on. Not as easy as it sounds. Laser focus on just one area...and it will spill over to other areas with great alacrity.
Rock Salad
Silver Member
Yeah, switch the pushing one's self from complexity to precision? As far as exercises go, most any book will go from less to more complex. I am working on Stick Control (book.)
C
C. Dave Run
Guest
Use a metronome and pad and run drills. Switching exercises on the fly is similar to having to insert fills into beats. The met will keep your time in order, the pad will show you where its slipping.
Not having parts memorized can be a problem too. Thinking gets in the way and reduces precision.
Not having parts memorized can be a problem too. Thinking gets in the way and reduces precision.
cbphoto
Diamond Member
My path through poor playing was to record myself. It revealed when I was rushing or dragging and not playing evenly around the kit (e.g., snare too loud, bass too quiet, crash too loud, etc.). After listening to the first playback I was shocked at how sloppy I was. It’s been over 30 years and I still record myself to check my playing.
Playing stick exercises to a metronome is good, but playing grooves to it was not inspiring. I bought a Boss Jam Station 5 and a PZM microphone and played along to the songs that came with it. Playing along to perfectly timed bass guitar, rhythm guitar and keys, along with recording myself really helped me improve my playing.
Another tool I used was to play along to Test of Time by DrumFun (long gone but prolly on YouTube). It’s a collection of tunes with built-in gaps in the music that the drummer plays through, hoping to keep time until the tune kicks back in. The slower tempo material was very challenging (as usual).
Playing stick exercises to a metronome is good, but playing grooves to it was not inspiring. I bought a Boss Jam Station 5 and a PZM microphone and played along to the songs that came with it. Playing along to perfectly timed bass guitar, rhythm guitar and keys, along with recording myself really helped me improve my playing.
Another tool I used was to play along to Test of Time by DrumFun (long gone but prolly on YouTube). It’s a collection of tunes with built-in gaps in the music that the drummer plays through, hoping to keep time until the tune kicks back in. The slower tempo material was very challenging (as usual).
Duck Tape
Platinum Member
by “push myself” do you mean you play mostly fast or loud music?
If so then maybe you should work on slow stuff. Learn to count, learn to read, if you don’t know a drum part learn to write and transcribe and hunt the internet for charts, there is an amazing amount of content on YouTube in the pop realm.
If so then maybe you should work on slow stuff. Learn to count, learn to read, if you don’t know a drum part learn to write and transcribe and hunt the internet for charts, there is an amazing amount of content on YouTube in the pop realm.
toddbishop
Platinum Member
It's a long term project, starting with knowing what rhythm you're trying to play-- the combined rhythm of all the limbs-- and being able to count it accurately. Then you have to be able to make your hands and feet follow your voice, and not just do what feels good to them.
It helps to be able to stay with a metronome. If you can stay with it when it's giving you quarter notes, try setting it to give you just the 1 and 3, or just the 1.
It helps to be able to stay with a metronome. If you can stay with it when it's giving you quarter notes, try setting it to give you just the 1 and 3, or just the 1.
Troy McClure
Member
Lots of good suggestions. Breathing is important also; it can help you stay relaxed.
eddypierce
Senior Member
Yes, playing the Stick Control exercises slowly with a metronome, focusing on precision while staying relaxed, will help a lot with precision at the drum kit. I'd also recommend playing exercises involving flat flams (striking both sticks at the exact same time). You can play them on two different drums on the kit, but if you play them on a rubber pad, you can better hear when they are (or aren't) striking exactly together.
Yeah basically fast and loud combined. I've gotten better through the years but I'm lacking the patience to stick with things/songs until I master them.
Totally. Two bars on, two bars off. Loop for 5-10 minutes. Play daily.
Spreggy
Silver Member
I think getting with the idea of where you're playing on the beat, and trying to keep your pocket on the back of the beat. I think of the beat as a wide post, and try to maintain the groove, and especially 2 & 4, on the back of the post. Center of the post is good, back of the post makes it feel wide and pockety, front edge of the post makes it feel urgent and full of teenage angst if you know what I mean. And record yourself a lot to see where you're playing, and fix.
Yes, a metronome can help but only up to a point. Following the metronome well doesn't mean that you have steady time without it. I think it was John J.R. Robinson that said that he never practiced with a metronome. Use it to check yourself, and then record and listen, your ears are your friends.
You say that you don't learn parts by heart. You can start there. Learn a few from memory, then play around with them, creating your own variations. Then try to change between different parts of the song (and your variations). You need to be able to flow between different grooves and fills inside a song, that's where slopiness lives.
And as larry says, push yourself but pay attention to how your body feels. The more you do something the more relaxed you will be (even if the parts are intense).
You say that you don't learn parts by heart. You can start there. Learn a few from memory, then play around with them, creating your own variations. Then try to change between different parts of the song (and your variations). You need to be able to flow between different grooves and fills inside a song, that's where slopiness lives.
And as larry says, push yourself but pay attention to how your body feels. The more you do something the more relaxed you will be (even if the parts are intense).
I think the best 'basic' discussion is from Victor Wooten(bass Player)...and I believe we beat this dead horse to spam in the past so searching might assist.
look for flams that occur between the recording of what you play and the track holding the 'nome...and, from my experience, dont use tape based muti-tracks...tape stretches.
VICTOR WOOTEN - BASS TIMING - YouTube
look for flams that occur between the recording of what you play and the track holding the 'nome...and, from my experience, dont use tape based muti-tracks...tape stretches.
VICTOR WOOTEN - BASS TIMING - YouTube
Chopstix44
Active Member
I’d say use a metronome. When I learn new things I first work the pattern out without metronome till I can play it without needing to count to play it or till I don’t need to think about the pattern anymore.
Then I just set a metronome and play to it. However there are faster and slower drummers out there, I’m unfortunately second category.
For the songs itself I’d recommend to find out your exact issue with the song part. Is it the bass drum? Or the coordination? Or just speed?
For example I have issues with bass drum patterns and find my foot technique could be way better so my teacher made me play Independence exercises like this one. Yesterday when trying to play the chorus of an actually quite easy song,
I was able to play the first line of the chorus which are basically quarter notes in the Hihat, Snare on 2&4, Kick on 3 and 3+ but the 3+ is without Hihat.
It hit me like a lightning it was amazing and I remembered my teachers words when giving me this exercise „This exercise is the key to your luck“. Yes he seems right!
Then I just set a metronome and play to it. However there are faster and slower drummers out there, I’m unfortunately second category.
For the songs itself I’d recommend to find out your exact issue with the song part. Is it the bass drum? Or the coordination? Or just speed?
For example I have issues with bass drum patterns and find my foot technique could be way better so my teacher made me play Independence exercises like this one. Yesterday when trying to play the chorus of an actually quite easy song,
I was able to play the first line of the chorus which are basically quarter notes in the Hihat, Snare on 2&4, Kick on 3 and 3+ but the 3+ is without Hihat.
It hit me like a lightning it was amazing and I remembered my teachers words when giving me this exercise „This exercise is the key to your luck“. Yes he seems right!
