How can I work on my "timefeel?"
Duke Ellington wrote, "It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got
That Swing." Time is a critical component of jazz/pop music.
There is a way you can work on your "timfeel." Get a
metronome and set it to a slow beat. Then, hear that beat as if
it were clicking on 2 & 4 of the bar. This emulates a drummer's
hi-hat beat. Next, imagine that on a scale of 0-5, zero would represent
the beat perfectly centered. Now, purposely try to rush against
the metronome beat by varying degrees. Try rushing to a +2, then
a +4. Next, try dragging your beat to a -2, then a -4, etc.
Soon you will be able to detect the difference between
rushing and dragging and you'll be able to hear the
slight variations as well. The end result is that
if you can purposely rush or drag, you should be able
to play perfect time.
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