Getting the rhythm right

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Rhythm is king

The most important thing in a good improvisation is to have a good rhythm. From time to time you should try to practice only rhythm only.

Do yourself the favour that you keep a thought of the rhythm always when you practice. Ask you self the questions:

• Am I keeping the beet (not lagging nor leading)
• Is the rhythm that I use in my improvisation interesting
• Is the rhythm varied enough (Or am I repeating the same rhythmical pattern again and again)

Repetition is good, but if you vary the rhythm slightly, you make the repetion more interesting. You may on purpose repeat the same rhythm for several bars in your song, even trhoughout a whole song, but if you do, you should try just to come with one siginificant change of the rhythm. Check the reactions with your audience. If you are just practicing for yourself you and you are the only audience, you should check your own reaction to what you are doing. Is it fun? Does it sound nice, or are you getting bored. If you do not bore yourself, there is a good possibillity that you do not bore other people. (It is not guaranteed though, but think about it :-)

Think about your rhythm also when you are making scale exercises. It is much more fun playing the scales if you try to do them rhythmically interesting. Try to play the scales very very preceice. Then try to introduce a litle bit of unprecition, but be careful control it. Don't loose the rhythm, you should know when to hit exactly on the beat and when not hitting on the beat.

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