Tune Into The Time Matrix. Get Really Good, Groovin' With A Click Track.
By Bernie Nau - 11/5/2003
Editors Note: Bernie Nau is the owner of Udance Records and Studios based in, just south of Athens. He is also a member of the local band, the Wingnuts.
[ intro ] Lesson [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
Introduction
When you first began recording your music with your new multi track recorder, it was probably an unbelievably fun experience. So you put together a band with your friends, and you decided to record your first CD. Then you discovered that while it is really sweet to record, the instruments didn't sound clear like your favorite major label or indie CD. So you decided to record one part at a time, using a click track. Okay, then you made another discovery, playing with a click really sucks! It changes everything, your music doesn't feel right and you have a hard time staying with the click when you play. Does this sound familiar? Go to lesson 6, which may give you some insights.
Practicing these lessons once or twice a week, will help improve your ability to play and groove with a click track.
These lessons are for musicians who don't necessarily read music. However, if you do read music, you may still benefit from them. The lessons start with basic quarter notes suitable for a beginner and progress to sixteenth notes. Because you can design your own rhythmic combinations, beginning in Lesson 2, you can create complex, challenging rhythms, if you wish.
Lesson 1 Quarter notes.
The fun way to master this skill is to practice with a drum machine or with a drum loop. If you don't have these tools, you can use a metronome.
Set the drum machine or metronome to a tempo or speed that is close to the human heart rate, around 72 beats per minute.
Next, you need to learn a counting system, to use during practice.
It's easy, try it, say aloud, with the drum beat or metronome going, 1234, 2234, 3234, 4234, 5234, 6234, 7234, 8234. After going though this sequence one time, you have counted 32 quarter notes, equaling eight measures.
Now play a chord, or single note on the first number of each group, try to cover up the drum sound with the sound that you make with your instrument. 1234, 2234, 3234, 4234, 5234, 6234, 7234, 8234. Anticipate when each first beat will happen, again and again covering it with your note or chord.
Next, play on all the 2's, except the one occupying the first beat of the second group. 1234, 2234, 3234, 4234, 5234, 6234, 7234, 8234. When you're counting say the 2 louder, this will help you to focus on the beat that you intend to play on.
Play on all of the 3's. 1234, 2234, 3234, 4234, 5234, 6234, 7234, 8234.
Play on all the 4's. 1234, 2234, 3234, 4234, 5234, 6234, 7234, 8234
Lesson 2 Quarter note combinations.
Now we will work on playing combinations, using the counting system outlined in lesson 1.
Play on every 2 & 4.
1234, 2234, 3234, 4234, 5234, 6234, 7234, 8234
IMPORTANT: Beats 2 & 4 are called the "back beat". They are the lifeblood of rock music.
Now practice playing on every combination of two beats.
1&4, 1&3, 1&2, 2&3, 3&4.
Next, mix up the combinations.
It may help to write your combinations in a notebook. Write down 8 groups of 4, (1234, 2234, 3234, 4234, 5234, 6234, 7234, 8234). Circle the beats that you intend to play on. Now practice playing your combinations, following along in your notebook.
It is time to listen to the matrix!
Put on a CD track of your favorite rock band.
1. Listen for the snare drum, is it playing on 2&4?
2. Does the bass drum hit on the first beat of each measure?
3. Can you identify what other beats the bass drum plays on?
4. Listen for the keyboard or rhythm guitar, is there a pattern?
Each and every instrument is playing some kind of rhythmic pattern which creates the time matrix.
Lesson 3 Eighth Notes and Eighth Note Combinations
Count through an eight measure pattern with the drum machine going at 72. Insert the word "and" between each number.
Say: 1&2&3&4&, 2&2&3&4&, 3&2&3&4&, 4&2&3&4&, 5&2&3&4&, 6&2&3&4&, 7&2&3&4&, 8&2&3&4&.
You just counted 64 eighth notes equaling eight measures.
Now play a chord on all of the &'s. Does this remind you of Reggae? Why? Because there is usually a rhythm instrument playing this, or something close to it, in Reggae music.
Speed up your drum machine speed to 120, now play on all the &'s.
Does it remind you of Bluegrass? Why?
The mandolin and or guitar frequently play on this beat in Bluegrass music.
Lets move on, more practice!
Now try playing every combination that you can imagine combining "numbers and &'s"
Write them in your notebook:
1&2&3&4&, 2&2&3&4&, 3&2&3&4&, 4&2&3&4&, 5&2&3&4&, 6&2&3&4&, 7&2&3&4&, 8&2&3&4&.
Circle some of the numbers and/or the &'s. Now play on the beats that you circled.
Back to the matrix!
Put on a CD track.
1. Listen for the hi-hat or cymbal, is it playing an eighth note pattern? Or, just quarter notes? (Eighth note patterns will have &'s)
2. What about the little guitar or keyboard riffs that come and go, eighth notes? Quarters? A combination of the two?
3. Rhythm guitar parts, any eighth notes?
4. How about the vocals, quarter and eighth notes?
5. Bass guitar, any eighth notes? Quarters? A combination of the two?
Lesson 4
Practice all of the patterns in your notebook, increasing the tempo in increments of 2. [74 beats per minute then 76, 78, 80 etc., etc.] You will notice that faster speeds will change the way the patterns feel when you play them.
Practice all of the patterns in your notebook, decreasing the tempo in increments of 2. [70 beats per minute then 68, 66, 64 etc., etc.] Slow speeds definitely help with accuracy, don't skip this part even if it seems boring.
Lesson 5 Sixteenth Notes
Count through an eight measure pattern with the drum machine going at 50 or slower.
This one is difficult to speak, it is a real tongue twister. Here's a hint: one-ee-and-uh-two-ee-and-uh-three-e-and-uh... ect.
Say aloud: 1e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 2e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 3e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 4e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 5e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 6e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 7e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 8e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a.
You just counted 128 sixteenth notes equaling eight measures.
Again, write this sequence in your notebook:
1e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 2e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 3e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 4e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 5e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 6e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 7e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a, 8e&a2e&a3e&a4e&a..
Choose and circle beat combinations, then practice playing them. If 50 BPM seems fast, set the drum machine or metronome slower. Move it down until you can play the beats your have circled in a relaxed way.
Back to the matrix!
Put on a CD track.
Listen for sixteenth notes:
1. Hi-hat patterns.
2. Fast or funky syncopated Drum fills.
3. Quick lyrics or vocal phrases.
4. Lead guitar riffs.
5. A funky or syncopated bass drum.
You can now apply Lesson 4, using sixteenth note patterns, increasing and decreasing the tempo.
Lesson 6 You are not a machine!
When we play or listen to music we sometimes say, the music has a feel. In part this feel comes from the emotions of the player. These player emotions result in slight time shifts, so their performance sits a little behind or in front of the beat. It is still in time relative to the click, only moved forward or back slightly (10 or 20 milliseconds). This is subtler than the counting and practice system from Lesson 1 through 5 because it can't be counted. You have to feel it! Practice lessons 1-5, knowing it is just the beginning.
Listen to the following:
1. Arena rock, the snare drum is usually behind the beat. Drummers had to raise their arm up pretty high between snare hits to get that kind of power. This large muscle movement caused the snare hit to be a little late, back behind the beat slightly.
2. R&B singers from the 60's, the Motown stuff. They sang pretty far back behind the beat.
3. Listen to Hendrix play, is he behind the beat or in front?
4. Listen to Springsteen, does he sing on top of the beat?
6. Keith Richards plays so far back behind the beat, he actually creates a poly-rhythmic groove.
7. Listen to Nirvana, are the vocals behind or ahead?
8. Listen to Emenem, is he singing behind the beat?
If you have a home multi-track recorder, try the following.
1. Record a rhythm guitar or keyboard part to a song that you know and can sing. Or, have someone else play and/or sing. Record the rhythm part on track 1, keep good time even if it is behind the beat. If you practiced lessons 1 through 5, you now have a gut-level metronome, use it.
2. Now sing, listening to track 1 while recording your vocal to track 2.
3. Play back both tracks together and listen carefully.
4. Now move the vocal back in time 20 milliseconds and listen again. Do you hear it, the feel has changed? Maybe it feels more relaxed, perhaps you sound a little more like a professional singer.
5. Now move the vocal forward 40 milliseconds, 20 from the start. What do you hear, has the feel changed? Does it sound edgy and unsettled?
As a musician, with practice and careful listening, you can develop the ability to play behind, in front, or on top of the beat at will. Keep listening for these subtle time shifts, and keep practicing!
