Tempo and timing ?

[wonderwebb]

Hi I wondered if any of you had any advice for tempo . When I Watch some of my teachers drumming I see they're feet stamping the tempo which seems to keep them in time. I also see it with the dun duns and the bell. I find it it really hard to keep my foot going I find them moving to the song instead of the steady pulse of the piece I'm trying to play. Have you any good exercises for being able to separate my feet from my hands. Is this even necessary? Is it possible to play on the pulse without having to learn this skill.

I think my problem comes on upbeat. Hmmmmm even trying to play passport on my knees and tap my foot like a metronome is difficult. Just bought a set of dun duns to practise on I hope these will help I really am trying hard to be able to fit it all together . Spent Quite a while on the djembe and am now getting to a reasonable level just sometimes find my self playing in the wrong place as an accompaniment. By the time I've heard the place I was supposed to come in I'm already too late lol then I wait again and still miss it ! So I'm trying to learn to listen to other parts and still maintain my part which is also hard for me .

[Rhythm House Drums]

Tapping my foot on the beat just feels natural for me, I'm able to forget about my foot, yet feel it to help me. I do play in better time when I tap my foot. I think it's something that can be learned. I'd suggest listening to a dunun pattern and tap your foot along with it (or even a metronome if you dont have a bare dunun pattern) With your foot tapping, keep your hands still and try to sing the accomp. rhythm to the dununs (or passport). Really pay attention to where the sounds line up with the foot to get a feel for the pulse. With passport, the first and third notes will be on the down beat, when your foot taps. Once you can say it, you can play it! keep your foot going and keep singing the part, but now tap your hands along with your voice.

It may take some time to develop, but it really helps in understanding a rhythms feel and keeping you in time. Even if you dont tap your foot the whole time, you should feel where to tap your foot while you are playing... I notice I'll start tapping my foot if I'm having trouble finding the pulse or if someone is playing a bit off, that keeps me on.

I also try and have a conversation while I play a rhythm I know... I got this idea from Michael Taylor's DVD.. it's a great exercise. This is a bit beyond the taping the foot on the pulse, this is about feeling the pulse and keeping the feel in your hands while getting out of your head and being able to listen and communicate with the other musicians... that's when it becomes about the music and not just about your part in the music. For me it's no fun to play passport for 30 min. if in my head I'm saying (slap, slap-slap, tone-tone-)... it's much more enjoyable to forget that phrase and let your muscle memory play that, while you enjoy the music.

Hope I made some sense..

[Dugafola]

it's not necessary to become a competent player.

i think it'll come naturally the more you play particular patterns and especially dunun.

if you're too worried about what your foot is doing, you're most likely not concentrating on grooving whatever part you're playing.

play as much as you can and listen twice as much...