[AlistairD]

All,

I am struggling with foot tapping and the metronome on beats two and four.... I find it easier either to foot tap with the metronome on every beat, or no foot tapping and listening for beats two and four within the bar.

Is this normal? Am I going to develop bad habits by not foot tapping when trying to use the metronome on two and four????

At the moment, I'm not using a teacher so any constructive advice would be appreciated...

 

[Carl H.]

Unless you are playing drums, I would try to avoid foot tapping if it is messing up your time. With some foot tappers, the foot controls their time instead of their ears. The less mass in motion to time, the faster you can adapt to tempo changes. Watch the feet of a lousy band some time, really opens the eyes in a sad kind of way.

 

[RootyTootoot]

I would agree with Carl shock: ) that if the foot tapping is putting you off, stop doing it and i would also agree that just because someone is tapping their foot in what they think is a vaguely "musical" way it doesn't necessarily mean that they have the foggiest where the beat is and where they are in relation to it.

I think, though, that you may be talking about specific exercises you may be using to locate the beat and respond to it. If foot tapping is no good for you, clap. Or get a tambourine. Or start dancing around like a musical gibbon. (I'm serious). You need to feel the beat first. Then try and incorporate that feeling when you're playing. The beat should feel internal. Some choose to or can't help but externalise it when they're playing. Some prefer to keep it internal.

IMHO.

 

[AlistairD]

Thanks for the tips guys..... I'll try playing without foot tapping for a couple of weeks and see where we get....

I'm not sure I can play whilst dancing like a musical gibbon...