what the point of tapping your foot?

I was playing the other night when i came oppon that question, i just dont get the point of it. WHY??? I tried to do it but i messed up the timming and my playing so can someone explain why you people tap your foot? :confused:

People do it as an instict. Alot of people will say it helps as a metronome, but it really makes you more self-cautious.

Its just like head-banging(kinda...) You just do when you get involved with a beat jam to it.

Having been in a school band for quite a few years, I found it essential to tap my foot to keep time. That is what I tap my foot for, to keep the beat and stay in time. It is a reflex now though and I always tap my foot whenever I hear music and I know many people do too like alucard said.

Originally Posted by: Danny C.Having been in a school band for quite a few years, I found it essential to tap my foot to keep time. That is what I tap my foot for, to keep the beat and stay in time. It is a reflex now though and I always tap my foot whenever I hear music and I know many people do too like alucard said.

When i do it, it dosnt help me keep time... it makes me mess up!!! why :confused:

It helps your ability to feel the rhythm rather than count the rhythm.

Originally Posted by: Cryptic ExcretionsIt helps your ability to feel the rhythm rather than count the rhythm.

hahaha!! ill keep that in mind

Originally Posted by: mxhWhen i do it, it dosnt help me keep time... it makes me mess up!!! why :confused:

Well, how long have you been doing it? Are you trying to do it at a slower tempo? Try playing a metronome or something and just tapping your foot along with it before adding guitar into the mix, just to kind of get a feel for it. Try working at a slow tempo first then building your way up. And you'll definitely make mistakes, but after time the mistakes will become scarce. Soon enough you won't be able to think about what it's like to play without it.

yeah iv tried that before... guess it just takes practice

Tis all anything ever really takes, but once you get the hang of it, you'll have a blast in the future.

The best skill is the have a constant metronome in your head looping so you need to other resources.

but heck, its funny, instead of tapping my foot, I bob my head... :p

Back in College we got an extra credit for doing something in class that nobody else could do. I decided to bring my guitar and play "In The Mood" by Rush....
I started playing it in front of the class and the first thing that happened is, right in the middle of the song, a girl said "can you stop tapping your foot'"
I didn't even realize I was doing it.
Ever since then I make a concious effort to never tap my foot when I'm playing.

Don't have a clue what this has to do with the topic but I always make a point of never tapping my foot when I play now.

Originally Posted by: schmangeBack in College we got an extra credit for doing something in class that nobody else could do. I decided to bring my guitar and play "In The Mood" by Rush....
I started playing it in front of the class and the first thing that happened is, right in the middle of the song, a girl said "can you stop tapping your foot'"
I didn't even realize I was doing it.
Ever since then I make a concious effort to never tap my foot when I'm playing.

Don't have a clue what this has to do with the topic but I always make a point of never tapping my foot when I play now.

Thats another thing it looks wierd and most pros dont do it so why dont they do it?

I guess because they dont want to?

whenever I'm playing while standing up, I don't tap my foot. if I'm sitting down, it just kinda happens as a reflex. Like Danny C. said, whenever I hear music, I can't help but tap my feet (usually my left foot will be doing quarter notes, and my right will be doing 8th notes :p ) or I tap my fingers on the table/desk/steering wheel, or I bob my head. it may be a bit dangerous though.. if I'm listening to music in my car (and when am I not?) and I'm really getting into it, then when rolling up to a red light I'll start tapping the brakes with the tempo of the music, rather then just pushing them down and leaving them down.. one of these days I'll just go right through the light because I wasn't able to stop in time because I couldn't just push them down normally, I had to tap!

tapping your foot when playing by yourself for timing may not be that crucial. However, if you are playing with some one else. Timing is critical.. You don't want to be playing a C chord while the chord has changed to G. A freind of mine plays very well by himself, does lot s of solo gigs. But when he plays with others his timing is way off. Even if you have a drummer for timing some instances you have to count beats. I also play the Bass, so it's my job to keep the band grounded, So you got to tap your foot, bangyour head, wink your eye or what ever works to you keep the groovyness in groove...