Tips & Tricks

Speed Versus Slop!

Sloppy players are a dime a dozen. Oh, they look fast and play a blizzard of notes, but notice how the notes all run together and the timing is way off.

A lot of times, you can slime by with this kind of playing in a live environment, where a lot of noise and distortion covers up the playing. But look out! The first time you put that playing on tape or disc, it’s all over. There is no way to hide sloppy playing when you record!

Think I am kidding? Plug your instrument into any simple recording device and play your zoomy licks. If you have never done this before, you will probably be amazed. Hear a lot of errors and slop? C’mon, be honest!

I have always been a big, no a HUGE, promoter of metronomes when it comes to practicing chops, and I suggest this awesome tool to new or experienced player who wants to get way better in a short time. Simply put, any artist, no matter what instrument or talent level, will benefit from playing with a metronome.

Okay, so here is how to effectively use a metronome. Let’s say you are learning a new single-note run or drum pattern. The very first time you play through - and don’t cheat here - play the piece with a metronome on a very, very slow setting, say around 60 beats per minute or so. Play each note perfectly.

Here is where a lot of players will get bored, and immediately zip the setting up to 120 bpm so they don’t feel amateur. But the pros know - you start slow, play it perfect the first time, the second time, every time. Only then, do you gradually increase the speed of the metronome and start the process again.

Build speed slowly, play speed perfectly.

Try it out. It works!