Time, Metronomes and a Free Thing
Hello, Friends
If you know me at all, as a musician, you know that I think a strong sense of rhythm and time is either close to, or at the very top of the list of most important things as to have as a musician. And the most effective way to develop this skill, is with a metronome.
It's not interesting, glamorous, or even any fun at all, but it is extremely effective. I was doing a lesson with a student, and the subject of metronome came up again (as it often does, in any lesson with me), and something clicked. When I would practice for my own personal study, I used the metronome a lot, but I would also create drum loops to play a long with.
This gave me the feel of actually making a little bit of music when I would practice. Now, I'm not saying that you should throw your metronome in the trash (or delete the app from your phone), not at all. I think that at least 20 percent of your practice with rhythm and time (and nearly all music has rhythm and time, so this means every single time you practice), you should use the metronome. I'm not basing this on any facts or statistics, but I think there's something to be said about being able to play accurately with a metronome. However, playing with some drums can be interesting and a fun way to stay engaged during your practice sessions.
I've included a link to some simple drum loops at varying tempi (the correct Italian pluralization of the word 'tempo', as far as I've discovered) for you to play along with. All 100% free.
I sincerely hope this helps make your practice time a little bit more enjoyable.
-Lyman