Can you learn timing and groove?

I never really was a music guy when I was younger, only playing the trumpet in grade 7 and I never really listened to much music in high school. But then I got more and more into hip hop and I love it right now after 4 years. I make beats on fruity loops with my roommate and the stuff is descent for beginners. The thing I'm fine at just mouse clicking some beats but when it comes to playing them I'm pretty wack. This might be biased since I'm using my keyboard to bang em out with! I can never really seem to be on time, I listen to the metronome and I can barely stick a couple snares on the 2 and 4.

Is this something that will get better if I had pads to bang on?

Or can I get good by learning the drums? (since I might be able to borrow my friend's for the summer. )

Thanks

Yes, if you practice anything long enough, you will get better. On the other hand, if you don't have rhythm, you just don't.

Octoberb0rn wrote:Yes, if you practice anything long enough, you will get better. On the other hand, if you don't have rhythm, you just don't.

yeah just like my cousin jimmy, no matter how much practice he gets he still won't be able to dance.

I see, so there is possibly hope for me. Yes!

Octoberb0rn wrote:Yes, if you practice anything long enough, you will get better. On the other hand, if you don't have rhythm, you just don't.

That basically sums it up right there!!!!

Shootah wrote:I never really was a music guy when I was younger, only playing the trumpet in grade 7 and I never really listened to much music in high school. But then I got more and more into hip hop and I love it right now after 4 years. I make beats on fruity loops with my roommate and the stuff is descent for beginners. The thing I'm fine at just mouse clicking some beats but when it comes to playing them I'm pretty wack. This might be biased since I'm using my keyboard to bang em out with! I can never really seem to be on time, I listen to the metronome and I can barely stick a couple snares on the 2 and 4.

Is this something that will get better if I had pads to bang on?

Or can I get good by learning the drums? (since I might be able to borrow my friend's for the summer. )

Thanks

yea you will get better but its a good reason to have a good sequencer to keep your things on time.

when practice fails... tons of do-overs, step edit, grid edit, and quantize is perfect for the rhythm impared.

Try practizing wherever you are, whenever you hear music move! Tap to the rhythm, dance or whatever till people ask you if youre nervous or sth.

I dont believe theres sth like havin no rhythm at all, if youre motivated and open to listen to yourself you will def. improve. Start with simple rhythms till you feel confident, gl

just start out slow..... real slow!!!! a lot of people try and match complicated rhythms right out the gate when they can't even keep pace with the basic 1,2,3,4 count!

start out with counting that basic beat in songs you like. tap your foot with it, then maybe lock into the snare or kick with one of your hands..... almost anyone can do this.

even if you don't have the greatest rythm, if you can tap along with songs on the radio you'll be able to build a beat from the ground up. just keep at it!

Learn drums and buy the mpc

Make ur own beats

Sample them you can create false but amazing sounscapes with ur drums


Possibilities are endless

If you can learn to drum aswell (would be major sweet but expensive habit on mics!!)

I sample my synths and create beats (jazzy urban style) We are all different

You could become a crate digger (respect) not my style of life but they are the kings of sampling

long(er) answer : i think a keyboard is one of the hardest ways of playing a beat.

Try out a drum kit, even if you never become 'a drummer', you will gain an appreciation of how the elements of a beat ( kick, snare, hihat, etc.) are manipulated using 4 limbs rather than 10 fingers, and keep it fun, don't do it only as an exercise in your rhythmic development.

If you're already using a computer, akai make reasonably priced usb pad controllers (MPD 16 & MPD 24) that are similar to using an mpc.

lastly, evrybody has a sense of rhythm, i don't agree with people going around telling other people that they have no sense of rhythm, if you had no sense of rhythm, you would not be able to put 1 foot in front of the other to walk down the street, you would not be able to string a sentence together, because speech is rhythmic, and if you can say a rhythm , you can play a rhythm.

Try this as a rhythmic development exercise:-
Next time you have a beat in your head, make up a sentence that fits the beat, the meaning of the words doesn't matter, the timing of the words does.Use words with more syllables to say more syncopated rhythms. Say this over in your head ( or out loud if you're not shy!) while you play the beat.

well, hope this makes some kinda sense, but like the guy before said, if you keep practicing, you will get better

Thanks guys, I think I'm probably going to buy a midi pad controller.

Shootah wrote:Or can I get good by learning the drums? (since I might be able to borrow my friend's for the summer. )

Don't know if it's worth the while but I've been a drummer for over fifteen years and this definatly helps in the timing/groove aspect. In one summer I doubt you'll learn much in this aspect if you don't have the basics of drumming down...