Getting the right rhythm feeling

[Ján Kravárik]

Hello, I’ve been playing keyboards for some time and I’m trying to get into reggae keyboards after playing melodica with a reggae band for 2 years. The skanking is somewhat doable (sometimes I drift a little but I guess it’ll be ok in a short time) but the bubble is just so much more demanding and confusing. I have zero problems with orientation on the keyboard, know all keys very well, but the rhythm feeling is very tricky. The feeling and precision (2 different things). Should I just keep grinding or should I really slow down a lot and use the metronome for practice (I usually play with songs like Natural Mystic and so on)?

What I’m finding is that sometimes when I give up control slightly when playing, it all becomes somewhat more precise. So I don’t really know if I should just play and not care or apply some drastic practicing drills to really get the it right. As you see, I’m quite a zealous practicer.

What I sometimes do is that I skank and once every bars I play the bubble. Usually I don’t mess up. But more than a few bars and I tend to either drift off or start being early on the beat (or sometimes late).

Have you got any suggestions for my practice?

Thanks in advance

From the city of Prague
Yours
Rooibos

[Matt Jenson]

Hi Rooibos,

SORRY for such a late reply. Can you send me a video of what you are talking about?
From what I can understand, you may well have to do some serious work with a metronome. Not just skanking and bubbling, but simply playing scales and arpeggios with it. Every musician must develop a rock solid internal metronome and that often only comes from practicing with a metronome.

It’s interesting that you say when you give up some control it can become more precise! Sometimes that is a problem; that you’re trying to be perfect in some way, only to realize that when you give up on this, things get better. (Some life lessons there!) Perhaps that’s all you need, just to give it up to the collective groove and vibe that’s going on with the band.

Sometimes with reggae, you can run into the problem of it feeling somewhere between a swing and straight 8th note feel and that can be confusing but here, you just gotta give into it and try to just feel the groove.

Lastly, if the drummer in your band has a shakey time feel…speeding up and slowing down a lot, that can throw everyone off.

Does that help?

Matt

[Ján Kravárik]

Hi Matt!
Thanks for the response. I guess I still have a lot of work to do, but it has all improved A LOT since I posted that. I guess consistent work is the key.

I’ve been practicing a lot with various recordings and been playing a lot with three different bands. I guess there are many lessons I’ve picked up in relatively short time. They would require a lot of text to go thru (won’t you be coming to Prague some time?).

I guess the thing that you are inspiring me to do right now is to also play with a metronome instead of just recorded songs, drums or backing tracks (of yours). It could give me an extra challenge. I could set some smaller goals in that and see where it goes.

I really enjoyed the paragraph about giving up control. You wrote that beautifully. I see it could be the main issue. It is difficult at times. Listening to other musicians helps a lot, both for specific things (bass, skank, hi-hat,…) or just an overall vibe.

I think sending a video is not necessary now. I will just keep being consistent and I think I’ll get there but I appreciate the suggestion. I think really I’m 70-80 percent there.

Also one more thing… It almost always sounds better when playing it back to myself from a recording after the rehearsal.

I think I’m on a good path. Thank you for writing back. I appreciate it a lot.

Hope you have some good holidays this year!

Rooibos

Jah Bless!

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