can't keep up jack

gaphiri

I recently started jamming with a drummer and I can keep up pretty well up until he goes into some drum roll thing(or whatever its called hehe). When that happens I usually lose count and get off the beat. What do I do to stop that and not get ost everytime I hear a drum roll?

singemonkey

Practise with a metronome. You need to have the pulse - what the drummer's feeling - running through your head too. Don't try to follow every beat, just learn to feel the pulse that he's following so that you can keep going when he's playing around it.

Four4

How long has your drummer been playing for? Maybe it's him and not you that's going out of time. +1 on playing with a metronome.

gaphiri

He has been playing about a year I think. And I'll try the metronome. Thanks

Sean

I've come across one or two drummers who have had more than a years worth of playing who have struggled to come out of a fill and land on the "1" ? If you could both use a metronome to see where the problem is, that would help. I find using a "visual" metronome a quick way to make sure multiple instruments are keeping time. You can download metronome apps onto your phone or tablet that flashes the screen on an accented "1", as an example.

V8

Sean wrote: I've come across one or two ~~drummers~~ musicians who have had more than a years worth of playing who have struggled to come out of a fill and land on the "1" ?

Heh, and I'm one of them! So is my drum playing jam buddy ? Something all my teachers have mentioned is that they still work on keeping their groove/timing skills sharp.

+1 for metronomes - although you do have a few options : We either run a drum loop with a pulse accent on the 1 where we can both see it OR the electronic kit we use has a built in metronome that can be setup to count 1-2-3-4 out loud (damn useful when learning non 4/4 time signatures). We jam for a little bit switching it on & off, just to feel the pulse/groove we are going for - quite useful.

gaphiri

Thanks Sean Great idea. Will do just that

gaphiri

Shweet. Looking for something right now

Jack-Flash-Jr

Tap your foot.

charleshaupt

Free your mind and your guitar will follow..

Rescator

drummer might need metronome as well
just to be on the same track with you 8)

DonovanB

I jammed with a drummer once who used to challenge me, and himself, to play an odd timed beat like 5/4 for 2 bars, then a 3/4 for 2. In the end over four bars it is still 16 beats but such a challenge.

then one of us would play 4/4 over that. It REALLY works your brain.