The Issue of playing a natural groove versus a click has been going on since the 80's when all this technology reared it's ugly little head. Whether we like it or not click tracks are here to stay.
The road to a successful performance with a click is simple. All you have to do is play to the music and not to the click. Remember, the click is contoured to fit the music. Natural time is dictated by how one hears and reacts to music and that is exactly how you should play with a click.
A quarter note is a long note with a back, middle and top. Too many musicians become obsessed with being over the center of the beat and that can lead to problems. Never treat the click as a target. You are playing music not a video game. Once you start playing beat to beat you will lose the groove and the music will fall apart.
If you place the music first you will be able to feel the groove more easily which will lead to a more confident and assured performance.
There are things you can do to prepare for playing with click tracks.
1) Devote some time to practicing with a metronome. This will teach you to hear time and how the subdivisions of the pulse beat relate to one another.
2) Devote time to playing with recordings. This will teach you to develop and maintain a groove.
3) Play live as much as possible
4) Last, but not least, Always play musically.
The groove continues...
The road to a successful performance with a click is simple. All you have to do is play to the music and not to the click. Remember, the click is contoured to fit the music. Natural time is dictated by how one hears and reacts to music and that is exactly how you should play with a click.
A quarter note is a long note with a back, middle and top. Too many musicians become obsessed with being over the center of the beat and that can lead to problems. Never treat the click as a target. You are playing music not a video game. Once you start playing beat to beat you will lose the groove and the music will fall apart.
If you place the music first you will be able to feel the groove more easily which will lead to a more confident and assured performance.
There are things you can do to prepare for playing with click tracks.
1) Devote some time to practicing with a metronome. This will teach you to hear time and how the subdivisions of the pulse beat relate to one another.
2) Devote time to playing with recordings. This will teach you to develop and maintain a groove.
3) Play live as much as possible
4) Last, but not least, Always play musically.
The groove continues...
RSS Feed
