Where is my Groooooove!!!!!!!!

Hi to y all guitar lovers!!!

I am Nick from Greece.
I have been playing the guitar since 12 with great love, and now I am 35. That is more than 20 years, and never tired of playing. Only pleasure.
The thing is that I never got to play the guitar I always wanted.
My technique is pretty good as they say. I have been studying classical guitar several years but not any more. Now playing electric and acoustic guitar mostly and I prefer blues, funk, rock etc. The truth is that I don't play often with other people, but when I do I feel very uncomfortable. The reason is my lack of rythm/groove? I tried studying with metronome few times or just listen and feel the rythm of the song. Most times I have dissapointed my self and the others. Is it an inside thing to feel the groove, like a talent, or just is a matter of proper studying or playing? I feel that my right hand can't follow my left, if you know what I mean. Any way thanks to anyone that will read that personal boring post, but any thoughts or suggestions will be very usefull!

You may be blessed with some level of ability by nature - like some people can dance and others can't. If you can't feel a beat, you are at a disadvantage.

However, you can train yourself but it's all just practice - co-ordination between hands is all practice - feeling a groove comes from jamming to tracks or playing with other musicians. If you don't want to play with other people until you improve, try getting some coltrane records or something without a guitar part, and then put together and play a guitar part for it. You'd have to 'feel' the music to do that, right?

:D

Originally Posted by: iamvos The truth is that I don't play often with other people, but when I do I feel very uncomfortable. The reason is my lack of rythm/groove? I tried studying with metronome few times or just listen and feel the rythm of the song. Most times I have dissapointed my self and the others. Is it an inside thing to feel the groove, like a talent, or just is a matter of proper studying or playing? I feel that my right hand can't follow my left, if you know what I mean.

Nick,

You have answered the question yourself. You just need to play with others more. A "groove" IMHO is formed when people have either played together for a long time or they are able to "click" together.

No amount of metrenome practice or playing along with songs is going to help you attain the/a groove with another musician. We all have our own personalities and this comes out when we play and unless we play with another person and find out what their music personality is you will find that groove just beyond your grasp.

You have 20 + Years of experience and apparently alott of training--Awesome. This may sound funny, and please don't take it wrong, "let go" of some of the rigid things you have learned and play for the fun of it. Find a drum beat you really like and just palm mute a rhythm behind it. This will help the right hand left hand thing. "White Horse Cherry Tree" would/could be a fun song to get you started and gives you the basic idea.

Also try to realize that jam sessions are not meant to be completly structured. Let go of a rigid "metrenome mentality" when jamming.

Jam music is more of a living breathing growing thing. Some good bands to check out would be Greatful Dead, Phish, "Dazed and Confused" Live version.

Allow mistakes when jamming and either incorporate them, follow them where they lead, or just forget about them and find your way back.

I wish there was a formula or lesson to teach about "grooves" but I haven't found one yet execpt get out there and play with as many different people as possible.

Off my soap box. Good Luck and good jammin'

To add onto the list of jam bands... I have to say Dave Matthews Band... they're my favorite.... haha

On to rhythm... I personally believe everyone has rhythm. God gave everyone a heartbeat........ it beats in rhythm. I think it's just that some people can feel that rhythm and move with it where some can't. It's not that they can't learn though. Dancing is a great way to practice rhythm. Or just listening to a song and assigning a hand and foot to each part of the drum beat. Nodding your head to the tempo... most of the time the tempo is set by a bass drum or bass guitar. You should be able to feel that reoccurring beat in a song. Then assign your right hand to double time... slapping your knee twice as fast as you're nodding your head. Then assign your right foot half time... tapping your toe every other beat... This is mainly a beginning drummers excercise... but when it comes to rhythm... drummers have to have the best rhythm of all... Also try to download some jam tracks or some backing tracks to your favorite songs and play along with them... It should help you get the feel of timing in a full band setting.