Cant seem to play in time with a metronome

I'm picking up Guitar Tricks and properly learning to play after a decade of dabbling a bit. One thing I'm having a lot of trouble with is being able to play in sync with a metronome. I find myself speeding up or slowing down and getting out of sync very easily, especially with songs that have a syncopated rhythm.

Any tips on exercises I can do to get better at keeping a beat?

Hey & welcome to GT!

Originally Posted by: web13
One thing I'm having a lot of trouble with is being able to play in sync with a metronome.

Any tips on exercises I can do to get better at keeping a beat?

The best place to start learning on GT is to work through Fundamentals 1 & 2. So, if aren't, or haven't, please work through those courses. They will set on you on the right path.

https://www.guitartricks.com/beginner.php

Having said that, what you are describing is a common beginner level problem.
Mostly this is just a matter of repetitious practice. The more hours logged on your guitar, the more playing becomes automated.

You need to practice to the point at which you've automated the metronome's job. You have to train your internal, subconscious clock to keep track of the beat so you don't have to consciously think about it. The only way this happens is hours & days spent practicing until everything you do is automatic. You don't have to stop to think about every finger motion on each single note or chord.

When you first start doing something, like playing with the metronome you are focused on multiple things: the sound of the metronome, strumming hand, fingering position, the next chord, where the next syncopation is, etc.

You need to make those little mechanical things you do to play the guitar all second nature. So, that all you have to think about with your conscious mind is the bigger picture things like, "Oh here's the next section of the song", or "Here comes the chorus, gotta play a little louder for the big dynamics!".

If you have to stop to think about where the beat is or which fingers to use to play the next chord you won't ever be able to play smoothly in time.

So, try to focus on one thing at a time. Start with just the strumming pattern. Turn off the metronome & play only one chord & try to get that sycopated rhythm strumming pattern with it. Count very slowly, but evenly, so you know when those strums happen. Make sure you have the strumming pattern down & where the syncopations happen.

Only after you have that much down, then, turn on the metronome at a slow tempo!Gradually speed up the tempo until you have it where you need it for the song. Then try to work in the next chord.

Breaking down the process into managable chunks is what you are after. Make the mechanical strumming process second nature, then you don't have to focus on it. You can focus on the metronome while playing it.

I hope that makes sense! Please ask more if necessary. Best of success!

Hi I,m Tom from Delaware, I to have the same Problem. Most guitar do not stress this enough and assume you already know this. I need to follow this thread also.

Just anopther couple of quick thoughts from someone that did not bother with playing with a metronome when he (me) started; play along with songs too in addition to the metronome.

The metronome is in a way something like the replacement to a snare drum. The key is to learn how to play in a groove and keep good time. When I finally gave in to using a metronome, though I didn't have the worst timing, I wasn't exactly a swiss-made watch either.

I really started playing along with songs and hearing the snare as my 'groove detector'. A metronome can almost seem militaristic in its relentlessnes in timing until you realize that it is a way to establish a simple groove.

I play in our church band (mostly bass but I do drums...a lot lately...and guitar of course). Not long ago, we needed to add a girl on piano. It's a small church so the skill of our musicians is a bit varied. She was not a piano player with a tone of experience and particularly playing with others. She knew the notes but had little sense of timing in as far as groove. She had practiced with a metronome but never played with others where you had to hear the groove. In the end, a metronome is about a sense of timing but it is really a very important tool to set you up for playing songs (ie - finding that groove). I simply told this and added that she should play along with songs on her off time to understand how it all comes together and not just the metronome. She said this has helped.

Like Chris said, it takes time and 'automate' these skills and sooo very true. Playing along with songs helps build that 'automatic' deal because you start to feel where the changes comes from and get a sense that throughout most songs, they all seem to follow a similar pattern of when key changes happen etc. It helps to apply to the metronome in that you aren't furrowing your brow to remember 5 different things while keeping time.

It's about making timing natural in the end....this is what I did to clean up my timing.

I onced played in a facilitated band with multiple guitarists. The instructor noticed my struggles with timing and finally had me switch to bass. That forced me to lock in with the drummer and be in time. Personally as I learn a new song I first try to just listen to just the drums and try to tune out the guitar. My timing on guitar improved dramatically. Tapping your foot can help a lot. Gives you a physical connection to the beat. Also, practicing a piece very slowly and not speeding up until you can lock in the beat. Just my experience, for what its worth.

Mike

Hey, thanks for the replies and apologies about the tardy response… seems like I was not getting replies through email…

I'm working my way through GF2 now, definitely this is helping. For sure, practice makes perfect. I'm trying to think my way back to the beginner's mind, just putting the hours in.

I definitely will take the tips about playing slow, practising one thing at a time, playing in time with songs, listening more to the drums on board. Thanks for your input.

This will be good dicussion posted here.