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so i'm working with a very talented girl who needs help in the gtr-time dept.

what is the best way to coach someone for yr experience?

--owen

Comments

Richard Kuschel Mon, 01/14/2002 - 09:20

This is going to be a tough one. first, she must want to play in time.

If so, a click track would work, but most beginners claim that it "ruins their feel".

Totally false, but it takes some time to play on top of or behind the beat consistantly.

Another musician would be a help as would having her try to overdub a track to show how important keeping a semblence of correct time is to building a song.

Once the hurdle of determining that is cleared, then a drum machine or a percussion player to help her establish consistant rhythm patterns.

anonymous Mon, 01/14/2002 - 12:56

Is it possible that it's nerves? I worked with a guitarist who's timing was impeccable until the dreaded 'record' button was hit and then his hands turned into pretzels. The bigger the studio the badder the timing. So maybe techniques to get her relaxed?
Sometimes it can be a way of getting more time and attention too.
:)
Definitely needs to get sorted though and rigorous practice a la Standen technique are required.

Renie

anonymous Thu, 01/17/2002 - 18:34

Now now -- all this click track stuff is a bit fascist.

If you can just play bass or percussion along with her -- a better sense of time will probably develop. People who play by themselves all the time have a screwed up sense of timing.

Having somebody that you like play along with you is much nicer than being sent home with a metronome and told to "eat your vegetables."

If she can't play along with someone else in time then it's just a lost cause. :D

anonymous Sun, 01/20/2002 - 16:15

A click track usually only works for artists who already have good time and studio experience. For
those who need time help I make midi drum tracks
with the right feel for what they're doing-sometimes I even program a bass track also depending on the style and needs of the track.
It's work but it pays off tremendously in the final product.

Ted Nightshade Sun, 01/20/2002 - 17:18

Cluck Fick tracks. Or is that clack fuck tricks?
I learned long ago, two people constitute a groove. Very rare for a solo artist to really groove- I think like Ravi Shankar said, music is the space between two souls.
I guess I'm a ritardando for not tolerating click tracks- look what they did to Keith Moon! That's some weak drumming on "Baba O'Riley", especially for Keith Moon! So the guy was human!
Jam along on a scratch track, or if it's good keep it! Is it good?
Ted :p

Hack Mon, 01/21/2002 - 02:34

Teach them to tap their foot then, for beginner guitar players its good to help them find a struming pattern that sotra works with the tapping foot in 4/4. Such as:

Down on beat 1
Down on beat 2
Up on the & of beat 2
Up on the & of beat 3
Down on beat 4
Up on the & of beat 4

Don't confuse them with counting yet, just help them find beat 1.
Make them a click track where beat 1 is accented. This is a very good exercise for beginner guitar players. "Every Rose has its Thorn" by Poision is perfect to learn to play and sing with this strumming pattern. Almost every single lyrical accent falls on a strum. In fact you will be amazed at how many vocal rhythms go perfectly with this struming pattern.