Start composing your own music—here's how
New post
Playing tight - getting a feel for good timing
Bild: Pexels/
"They were really tight" - anyone who hears this statement about themselves as a band after a gig will almost certainly feel flattered as a musician. Because when a band plays tightly, i.e. individually exactly to the point and precisely coordinated with each other, then it sounds really good. Especially when playing together, playing tight plays an essential role. Without the right feeling for one's own music, it is difficult to integrate other band members into the playing as well as possible. This makes it all the more important to perfect your own timing. But how exactly do you get "tight"? We'll tell you:
Table of Contents
- Why you should play tight
- Relevant for both vocals and instruments
- How your pulse and heartbeat affect you
- These methods will improve your timing
- Can a metronome be a permanent solution?
- More sensitivity with apps and modern tools
- Emotions remain an important element of music
- Now feel the music and play tight
Why you should play tight
The right groove and the associated sense of timing are of enormous importance for smooth playing together with other musicians in a band. Ideally, you will find yourselves in a rhythm and make sure that your instruments harmonize with each other. After all, your listeners will notice if the tempo suddenly changes or if you can't really find a common denominator. The more you get involved with music and its many rhythms, the sooner you will inevitably be confronted with the subject of beat and timing. That's why it's worthwhile to focus on improving your timing in addition to other skills, even in the early stages.
Relevant for both vocals and instruments
If you think that timing only plays an important role when dealing with instruments, you are mistaken. Hitting the right notes at the right time is also crucial for the use of your voice in the choir or for solo singing. With a certain sense of timing, you will be able to connect even better with your band and create a harmonious, tight sound. This not only sounds good, but also brings a certain sense of security to your band as a whole.
Even though singing together basically depends on a functioning structure between you and the other singers, the right timing depends primarily on you. For this reason, you should train this skill personally so that rhythm and timing do not become a problem later on. Difficulties in singing often arrive in the form of timing, whereas playing insecurities are a hindrance for instrument players.
How your pulse and heartbeat affect you
To understand the path to perfect timing even better, you should not ignore physical aspects such as pulse and heartbeat. These factors are closely linked to your mood and current tension. For many aspiring musicians, it's stage fright that leads to an increased pulse and heartbeat, and that can really mess up your sense of timing. You speed up without realizing, no longer listen carefully to your band members, or change your tempo.
But what exactly can you do so that pulse and heart rate no longer become an obstacle for you? Try to integrate the resting pulse directly into your timing exercises. If you currently have a resting pulse, you already have your body's own metronome. Just breathe in tune with your heartbeat at this moment and thus ensure a certain inner calm. Breathing exercises shortly before the performance also help with stage fright. So train yourself to stay calm and concentrate on what you love: your music.
These methods will improve your timing
In order to play tight, you should first develop an awareness of current weaknesses and start looking for problems. Especially for time signatures like the drums or the bass, it plays a crucial role to have the timing under control. The following methods can help:
- Focus specifically on your own playing. It can help to record your music and listen to it again later. Most musicians use the voice recorder function on their cell phones for this. You will be amazed at how different your time signature is when playing live compared to the real audio recording. In most cases you will have been too fast.
- Practice with a metronome! Even if this is obvious, this is the only good way to really improve your sense of timing. Next increase the difficulty level and challenge yourself again. You will quickly notice that slow tempos become easier as soon as you get used to faster ones.
- Consciously lean back a little more and keep an eye on your breathing. Physical factors play an important role and create a basic tension that can block you. Engage in exercises that can relax you and also consciously pay attention to this before your live set.
Of course, you can't do all this immediately. So it's best to work with a consistent training plan or app, but take it easy! A good sense of rhythm does not develop overnight.
Can a metronome be a permanent solution?
One of the most important tools already mentioned is the metronome. The ticking in time gives you orientation and gradually trains your sense of timing. Fluctuating timing or the problem of suddenly getting faster and faster in a piece are much easier to solve with a running metronome. If the difficulty for you so far has been keeping time out of nervousness, the metronome is your new best friend. The tool is still used by experienced musicians, and not without good reason. They're perfect for beginners to learn the first steps on new instruments. By using one consistently, you will start playing tight even more quickly. However, the metronome is not a permanent solution, because on stage you should concentrate on your playing and your band and not on the beating of a metronome. So it's more for practicing at home and eventually the pieces should run from front to back without a metronome.
An exception here is a live set where audio tracks come from the tape. Here, at least the drummer will have a metronome (earpiece) in his ear.
Here are a few useful purchase recommendations for you:
The Thomann CTM-700 metronome is also a tuner and great for guitar, bass, ukulele, and violin. If you need something simple to start with, you can't go wrong with this model, and it's also very affordable.
If you prefer something more traditional, go for the Thomann Metronome 330 metronome with disengageable bell. This is very easy to use and has a pleasant sound. Just keep in mind the importance of placing it on a flat surface in a quiet room, as it's not the loudest device. The sound, however, is decidedly more pleasant than a digital click, but that is, of course, ultimately a matter of personal taste.
The Tama RW200 Rhythm Watch Metronome is a true classic and continues to be very popular among professionals. It offers various tempo settings, the possibility for a foot switch, a tap function and much more.
More sensitivity with apps and modern tools
You don't necessarily have to utilize a classic metronome to develop better timing. If you prefer digital solutions, you can also use free apps and programs on the PC or for your smartphone to improve your sensitivity. The same goes for the drum computer, which is specially designed for drummers and sets the beat. The more you study the beat and the correct rhythm of your music, the faster you will progress.
Here are three of the best mobile metronome apps for you:
- The Metronome by Soundbrenner for iOS
- Pro Metronome - The Professional Metronome for iOS and Android
- Metronom Beats for Android
Emotions remain an important element of music
Good timing is essential for musicians. However, be careful not to let yourself be limited too much in your creativity by fixed guidelines such as a metronome or similar aids. Only with freedom and with complete independence can you bring the necessary emotions into your music. In the optimal case, you will therefore develop a clear understanding of beat and rhythm, without influencing your way of making music too much. Breaking out of patterns here and there and surprising with special timings is just as much a part of it as tight playing.
Now feel the music and play tight
Want to work on playing tight yourself? With our tips, it's easy for you to make fast progress as a musician and apply your newly learned knowledge to your own music. If you want to learn more about other topics as well, feel free to check out our blog. There you will find exciting tips on songwriting or playing many exciting instruments such as the recorder or the piano. With our personals for musicians here at mukken, we also make it possible for you to expand your own network.
Originally published on March 20, 2023, updated on March 20, 2023
Share this post