Originally Posted by: SRVFan2000I either struggle badly with playing in time, playing in sync, both, and/or my technical skills are lacking to a point where I can't play in time.[/quote]

This is the most likely explanation. When you play along with a backing track any deviation you make from strict time is going to stick out.

This particular tune has a lot of very specific 1/16th note syncopations. If you are not tightly in the groove, in sync with & hitting those stop & start breaks right on the money, then it's going to sound like a train wreck. :)[br][br]

Originally Posted by: SRVFan2000Ironically, I can play along with many other, more simple melodies e.g., blues and rock where I am mostly strumming chords or playing a few simple riffs (easy to tap your foot to and do not require exact timing- easy to fake and forgiving.)[/quote][p]I encourage you to try playing those simple melodies, chords & riffs along witth a backing track & see how well you do. Better yet, record your playing in a DAW & see how well or not it lines up on the grid.

There is a great deal of rhythmic precision required to play music! :)

Originally Posted by: SRVFan2000Maybe I have to break down each piece of the song one measure at a time.[/quote]

If that's what it takes, then so be it.

[quote=SRVFan2000]That just seems like it would take forever and still might not help me. I don't know what I am missing.

It takes as long as it takes. Break it down to each measure. Make sure you really understand which notes in which order at what specific time. To play just about any music it has to be automated. You have to have repeated it so many times that it becomes completely automatic second nature.

Break it down into managable pieces, play it right slowly a zillion times.

Gradually speed it up as you improve, start connecting those pieces. You are trying to increase the range of your focus. You have to play each one of those pieces until you can do it in your sleep & each one is a little self contained unit. Each one becomes encoded in muscle memory (your nervous system & hands).

There's no time to think about every single note, or the music has flown by. You can't be thinking "put my finger here", "play this note", "play the next note", "where's the beat", "am I on rhythm?"

Once you've practiced any given phrase or riff enough you can think "play the main riff", "play the fill", "here's the break", and rely on those zillion hours of practice to take care of the details while you can think about what's coming next.

[quote=SRVFan2000]Is playing in time and in sync something others struggle with too?

Yes.

The entire process of playing music consists of gradually and continually automating physical motions until they are second nature.

[quote=SRVFan2000]...I need to slow down and work through each bar (truly learn the song) before trying to wing it.

This is exactly right. Dig in! Have fun with it. Try to enjoy the process. Hope that helps!