Surprise!

[HAPPYDAN]

I'm an at-home amateur, been playing for years. I always thought I was doing OK with a variety of folk and country songs, none of my own. I recently started working on Sir Paul's Blackbird, an easy piece or so I thought. I compared his recording to mine, and something was wrong. Then it hit me - my rhythm was off - way off. Very inconsistent. So I found an online metronome, set it for 90bpm, and after much practice and frustration, got better but not perfect. So, answer me this, you old (and young) Pros, how do you keep good consistent rhythm (without a percussionist) live on stage? Especially when your audience insists on "clapping time"?

It’s not something I think about to be honest. I’ve been told I keep good time but I reckon if you go on you tube and put a metronome on live acoustic performances not as many as you think will keep time.

I will have to try it — could be wrong.

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by HAPPYDAN

I'm an at-home amateur, been playing for years. I always thought I was doing OK with a variety of folk and country songs, none of my own. I recently started working on Sir Paul's Blackbird, an easy piece or so I thought. I compared his recording to mine, and something was wrong. Then it hit me - my rhythm was off - way off. Very inconsistent. So I found an online metronome, set it for 90bpm, and after much practice and frustration, got better but not perfect. So, answer me this, you old (and young) Pros, how do you keep good consistent rhythm (without a percussionist) live on stage? Especially when your audience insists on "clapping time"?

With no rhythm or groove, it’s hard to call it music right? If you watch a master like Tommy Emmanuel, watch his left foot. It’s always following or in his groove. The best way IME to develop that internal groove is to use the metronome all the time for everything. It’s the only way you will eventually internalize your sense of groove or rhythm. I guess I am stating the obvious, right?

[nitram]

If you can find a video of Paul recording the song (and listen to the White Album) you can see and hear him tapping his foot as he sings and plays.They obviously put a mic on the floor by his foot.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by HAPPYDAN

I'm an at-home amateur, been playing for years. I always thought I was doing OK with a variety of folk and country songs, none of my own. I recently started working on Sir Paul's Blackbird, an easy piece or so I thought. I compared his recording to mine, and something was wrong. Then it hit me - my rhythm was off - way off. Very inconsistent. So I found an online metronome, set it for 90bpm, and after much practice and frustration, got better but not perfect. So, answer me this, you old (and young) Pros, how do you keep good consistent rhythm (without a percussionist) live on stage? Especially when your audience insists on "clapping time"?

Congratulations if you have an audience who are that into it! (I never do...) Just follow them!
The advantage is that an audience will all clap at the same rate, and tend to fall into following each other, which will keep them steady. The disadvantage is that (1) it may not be the tempo you want, and (2) audiences can tend to have a tendency to speed up - as they get into it. But generally - on the occasions when I've noticed it happening! - audience clapping is a steady enough tempo. Maybe not metronomic, but near enough. And hey, even if they do speed up, follow them: they're having a great time, so what more could you want?

Otherwise - yes the answer is metronome practice, because your inner sense of time is not clockwork. You can think you're keeping steady time when you're not. And on stage, even the slightest hint of nerves will make you play faster without realising it. You find yourself making mistakes, not because your technique has somehow fallen apart, but because you're playing too fast, or speeding up as you play, without noticing.
The metronome is how you train your inner clock to keep time better.

[HAPPYDAN]

Thanks for your responses, I like to say I need all the help I can get! I haven't been able to muster the courage to sing and play in public for years, although friends, who may be just patronizing, say I'm still pretty good (for 68 years old). I have checked out some local coffee shops and wine bars that offer an open mike, but still just to scared to step up.

[BobbyMocha]

Dan, I’m also a newbie student (at age 50) and that was the first song my instructor had me learn. I resisted the metronome at first but I found playing it over and over at 40 bpm for weeks and then 45, and then 50 and so on was extremely helpful. I found that the groove became so ingrained in my head that I eventually played it in time without effort.

I found doing it exaggeratedly slow for weeks made all the difference. It was actually harder to do it slower but it cemented the chords and changes in my head because I was paying more attention to the timing. Once that happened speed came naturally.

I don’t play it perfectly but its in time

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by BobbyMocha

Dan, I’m also a newbie student (at age 50) and that was the first song my instructor had me learn. I resisted the metronome at first but I found playing it over and over at 40 bpm for weeks and then 45, and then 50 and so on was extremely helpful. I found that the groove became so ingrained in my head that I eventually played it in time without effort.

I found doing it exaggeratedly slow for weeks made all the difference. It was actually harder to do it slower but it cemented the chords and changes in my head because I was paying more attention to the timing. Once that happened speed came naturally.

I don’t play it perfectly but its in time

This. It seems tedious at first but when you combine getting the song memorized and slowly ramping it up (you have to be able to comfortably play it 99% technically accurate at each tempo increase), you will then be able to focus on playing it musically and appealing to your audience.