Tempo Preferences

[Jaxon]

I've been playing guitar for 60 years, mostly electric and never cared for fast tempo/shred playing, lacked soul and emotion for my likes.

For the last 7-8 years I've played nothing but acoustic and been working on mostly old traditional/mountain/bluegrassy tunes and single note melody playing. Partly or mostly because I'm just no scorching speed player and 72 year old fingers I wind up working these tunes up at much slower tempos. If the standard BPM's are at 120 etc let alone even faster, I'm far more comfortable in the 60-70 BTM range. I like playing with my fingers and cross picking melodies. Lots of those old tunes sound really good at a slower pace for my likes and playing abilities.

[Glennwillow]

I have noticed that as I have gotten older (I am 75 now), I tend to play things a little more slowly. I notice this especially when I am doing a cover and I listen to the original recording and realize how fast the tempo is compared to what I have been playing. I have to work on myself to get the tempo up to the original. But I can still do match the recording tempo.

I don't think I have ever slowed anything down to half tempo, however. That's really slowing things down.

- Glenn

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I don't think I have ever slowed anything down to half tempo, however. That's really slowing things down.

- Glenn

I work often on bluegrass tunes and those are the ones I slow up to half tempo. Just recently I was working on the melody notes to Big Sandy River (one of many) and it is fast but sounds fine at slower tempo to me.

[Dave Hicks]

I wrote a "fiddle" (mandolin, really) tune lately and it seemed to need a pretty good tempo. I recorded it at 200 bpm, which took some practice to get straight. Faster might have been better, though.

D.H.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

I work often on bluegrass tunes and those are the ones I slow up to half tempo. Just recently I was working on the melody notes to Big Sandy River (one of many) and it is fast but sounds fine at slower tempo to me.

Only you know what works for you. If you are happy when you are playing, that's all that matters. I do know that some bluegrass tunes are fairly hyped up at ultra fast tempos and it might not hurt at all to slow them down.

Bluegrass is not my thing, so I am not particularly knowledgeable in this form of music.

- Glenn

[jseth]

I like to mix up the tempo of various songs (though not in the same take!)... I have taken to REALLY slowing down some songs, such as "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", taking it at less than half speed of most versions; the song makes more sense to me as a slow blues...

I remember when I first heard the Dead do "Friend of the Devil" at a very slow pace, compared to the original version. My first thought was "THAT'S not the way it goes..."! Now, at 72 years, I fully understand that line, "I set out runnin', but I take my time...", and I enjoy doing the song in D major, where I'd normally do it briskly in the key of G major.

Sometimes, I play songs faster than the original versions, too... all depends on the situation, but a brisk tempo can be a very good thing.

I love various rhythms and grooves, and I will frequently change things up, even playing the same tune at different tempos, from time to time.

When I was younger and working in bars a lot, management nearly ALWAYS wanted "more uptempo songs!" - so I got in the habit of playing songs with different grooves and tempos, thereby giving the venue what it wanted and letting me play a wider variety of great songs!

Nowadays, I play 'em the way I play 'em... and don't really give a fig about what anyone else thinks!

[k_russell]

My goal when it comes to tempo is to not play the song any faster than necessary to achieve the to effect of the song. One of my teachers told me to always take the time to listen to the beautiful sounds that you can make with your instrument. I like to mix the tempo of different songs in a set. Some of the songs I play rather fast, but I try to keep that advice in mind.

[Brent Hutto]

Fortunately, I have a lot of time for music that unfolds at a measured pace with some breathing room built in. Some of the ECM label stuff (which many people find so sparse, overly pared back, it's barely music) really works for me, for instance.

So while I do sometimes wish I could play exhilarating up-tempo fiddle tunes, bluegrass song, pop music, whatever I've never felt the motivation devote hours and years into developing fast-playing skills. Whether on piano, guitar, mandolin, electric guitar or my feeble scratchings on a fiddle I just totally lean into a type of playing that is both within my capabilities and which makes me want to listen. Fortunately, there is an almost endless number of tunes within that broad overlap so I won't live long enough to get bored with it.

And of course any time I like I can listen to recordings of genuinely prodigious players when I am in the mood for something that really moves!

[Mr. Jelly]

I was mainly influenced acoustically by Norman Blake and Stephan Grossman. To this day I haven't found anyone that can musically flat pick like Norman can. Norman used to flat pick as fast as anyone, but he could still sound musical. Technique and playing fast leaves me cold. The space between the notes is every bit as important as the notes and both need to be played with purpose.

[TBman]

I often slow things down. Initially I really slow things down to learn a tune, but if the original is played at 100 I'm more comfortable at 90ish. As long as the tune is played musically it doesn't really matter.

I think people that DON'T play are the first (and loudest) to complain about tempo changes.

[Earl49]

I am slowing down these days. I made a recording of fingerstyle pieces in 1998 and when I listen to it now, it is shocking how fast I played then. I still do many of those same pieces but at maybe 80% of that recorded speed. At bluegrass jams, I have to simplify my strumming patterns sometimes as I cannot quite keep up at the blistering 180-200 bpm pace. What works at 140 bpm is not smooth or reliable when played much faster. Sometimes I seem to be an elephant among hummingbirds.

One thing I have noticed while leading jam groups is that everyone seems to have their own "natural tempo" built in. They always trend toward a given speed. I'm at about 80-85 bpm. One gal struggled mightily to play at anything less than 100 bpm, no matter what the song or style. If we started at 85 she inevitably got to 105 by the first chorus. She could NOT play any slow-dance songs at the proper pace, and ballads become a struggle to fit in all the lyrics. Has anyone else noticed this?

[Jaxon]

I had a bandmate say to me once "you sure do love a ballad don't you"...as a matter of fact I do, in any genre.

Read once where jazz drummer Jeff Hamilton said that bassist Ray Brown taught him "if you’re going to play someone else’s material, make sure you put a new dress on it"....lol true

I've never wanted to copy a tune note for note or more than likely couldn't. Just try and play it the way I felt it, notes or tempo. Last few years I've worked on lots of old traditional/grassy tunes and always put them where they're comfortable with me and my pups since I'm a couch player now.

[mike o]

I really enjoy playing slower. We tend to do most of our covers at tempo or slightly slower than original. Shara Smile and Don’t Dream It’s Over we’ll due just a tad slower. Creates a little more feel and intensity to the performance. A few faster by choice like “in your Eyes” Peter Gabriel.

[Mandobart]

There are a couple genres that lose a lot if slowed down - gypsy jazz, bluegrass and metal are some examples. There are other genres that are ruined if sped up, like Hawaiian slack key.

I don't play bluegrass at slack key tempos or vice versa. I enjoy playing bluegrass with friends several times a week. We like to rip it up sometimes. It just doesn't have the drive or vibe when played andante.

[Laughingboy68]

I tend to play an arrangement repeatedly, and let the tempo find its place.

However, it would be nice if things naturally slow down a bit as I age. I have a tendency to play too fast, especially when I'm performing (it's a bad habit that I have to fight).