Timing is Everything!


Grandslam15
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Joined: 03/14/09
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Grandslam15
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Joined: 03/14/09
Posts: 48
10/03/2010 12:59 am
I cannot stress this enough when Im teaching my friends how to play the guitar or when Im practicing.

Timing is Everything!
Everyone who practices really needs to practice with a metronome. Even if you dont have a metronome there are plenty online you can use for free!
Practicing with a metronome will get your timing down and when you play with other musicians, it will be so much easier to play and to feel the timing of the music your playing.

Practice slowly
Everyone loves to play the guitar fast. But if you cant play slowly on time..then there is no way your going to be able to play super fast on time. You'll be way off and cant keep up.
Start practicing at 60BPM on the metronome...scales,arpeggios,licks,etc.
Practice in quarter notes, 8th notes and 16th notes before you change the tempo and start practicing faster.
If you need to spend hours and hours practicing at 60BPM, so be it. Just do it before you up the tempo. You will notice a big difference.

Its one of my pet peeves when I hear people say 'I never practice with the metronome.' Then they wonder why they cant play on time or play really fast and still sound good.

There ya go, if you want to vastly improve your playing. Use the metronome :)
# 1
mandoguitar
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mandoguitar
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Posts: 4
10/04/2010 12:08 am
I've got a big problem with my timing, I would be thankful for some help

I use a metronome
I got it on 4 beats per measure, so I strum 4 times
1, 2, 3, 4.

But I get confused at these tabs :



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Does the open D counts as a 1 ? Or is it the A (second fret, G string) that counts as the first beat ?

I'm really confused and don't know whether I am doing right or wrong
How do I know what and when to hit a note ?

I would be very grateful for some help
I'm in a college band aswell, I try my best to listen to the drums but just can't get to it which is really frustrating for me and the members of the band

Thank you
# 2
samata
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samata
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Posts: 132
10/04/2010 12:17 am
Do you mean that first D? That would be the "&" of 4 in the first measure...(the 1/8th rest before it being the "4" count)

The A would be the "1" count for the second measure, starting the count over, and the D following it would be counted as "&".

You'd count those 1/8th notes in 4/4 as "1& - 2& -3& -4&" per measure (the first note the beat number, and the 2nd note the "&")

I hope that helps, and I didn't confuse you more :)
Quickly advancing from inept to semi-ept
# 3
mandoguitar
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mandoguitar
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10/04/2010 12:30 am
I think I understand
So the open D is the end of the last bar
So ...& (open D) - 1& (A note, G string) - 2& - 3& - 4& - ...

I think I'm starting to get it, thank you very much :)
# 4
samata
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samata
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10/04/2010 12:34 am
Right. But, bear in mind that in the "1&", that each of those is a separate note.

In that example. the A is "1" and the D is "&" . Because in 4/4 time a quarter note gets 1 beat. So two 1/8th notes each get 1/2 of a beat and divide it in two.

For quarter notes, you'd count 1...2...3...4, as there's a total of 4 notes. For 1/8 notes such as here, there are 8 notes, and each one needs a count. So, it would be 1...&...2....&...3...&....4....&.

In the first measure, the 3 quarter rests are 1, 2, 3 and 1/8 rest and 1/8th note together make "4...&". The rest being "4" and the note being "&"...

Does that make sense?
Quickly advancing from inept to semi-ept
# 5
mandoguitar
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mandoguitar
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10/04/2010 12:44 am
Yes, I think so

So the & are the open notes which I strum
The 1, 2, 3, 4 are played on the G string

At the beginning, I will count 1, 2, 3, 4& (the & I strum, not the 4) then
&(open D) 1(A), &(open), 2 ....

I think I get it
# 6
samata
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samata
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Posts: 132
10/04/2010 12:49 am
Yep, that sounds right, I think you have it...
Quickly advancing from inept to semi-ept
# 7
lh1710
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lh1710
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10/26/2010 7:46 pm
I would just like to thank Grandslam15 for posting this. I've been learning without a metronome since ive started.

After reading this post I went and got one. Ive noticed an improvement in my playing after using it for only an hour!

A metronome may be great for timing but i have to also say that as a beginner when your trying to follow the beat it makes you really notice any mistakes that you make or if you don't fret a note quite right then you find yourself correcting these things on the next 'run'.

So i have to agree with the quote

Grandslam15 - "Everyone who practices really needs to practice with a metronome."
:D
# 8

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