Keeping rhythm (tempo)


usa4cc
Registered User
Joined: 03/02/20
Posts: 81
usa4cc
Registered User
Joined: 03/02/20
Posts: 81
09/09/2020 3:44 pm

Hey everyone!

So I recently auditioned for guitar for worship, but I wasn't accepted mainly because my rhythm was off. So maybe I was a little slow or something, but MAINLY the problem was that I would CHANGE TEMPOS unintentionally within the song.

How do I overcome this!!!! :)

I know that there is a way you can stomp your feet to the tempo. If I did this, would I stomp once per beat, twice per beat or four times per beat? As much as I hate it, I could try playing songs to a metronome.

What do you think are the most effective way(s) to keep my tempo as to become professional enough to be able to play with other people and have songs that don't change speeds? :)


# 1
Carl King
GuitarTricks Video Director
Joined: 10/08/07
Posts: 466
Carl King
GuitarTricks Video Director
Joined: 10/08/07
Posts: 466
09/09/2020 5:47 pm
Originally Posted by: usa4cc

Hey everyone!

So I recently auditioned for guitar for worship, but I wasn't accepted mainly because my rhythm was off. So maybe I was a little slow or something, but MAINLY the problem was that I would CHANGE TEMPOS unintentionally within the song.

How do I overcome this!!!! :)

I know that there is a way you can stomp your feet to the tempo. If I did this, would I stomp once per beat, twice per beat or four times per beat? As much as I hate it, I could try playing songs to a metronome.

What do you think are the most effective way(s) to keep my tempo as to become professional enough to be able to play with other people and have songs that don't change speeds? :)

Hey usa4cc,

Welcome to being a musician, haha! This is totally normal! And your best bet is just playing along with a metronome. You can even use the tempo of any song to strum along with.

Something I do occasionally is turn on any song on iTunes or YouTube, and strum along with the right hand. I just mute the strings and use it as a strumming warmup. I'll even do left hand finger exercises, too.

Still, a metronome or drum machine is going to be better for you.

Usually musicians will either tap their foot or bop their head along in quarter notes. So it would be once per click. Getting the pulse into your body like that can help, but simply strumming with a metronome is the basic thing.

It can be boring, and it should be. It's like a meditation. Try different tempos, very slow, very fast.

You'll get it.

(How do you know a drummer's at your door? The knocking speeds up.)

-Carl.


Carl King[br]GuitarTricks Video Director / Producer

# 2
usa4cc
Registered User
Joined: 03/02/20
Posts: 81
usa4cc
Registered User
Joined: 03/02/20
Posts: 81
09/09/2020 9:00 pm

Thanks, Carl!

I'll try that.


# 3

Please register with a free account to post on the forum.