If you need help with musical rhythm - Who you gonna' call?
Just consider us your 9-1-1 Rhythm Responders. With these time-honored solutions, we will have your rhythms resurrected in no time.
Here is a list of questions & problems that I hear regularly.
Musical Rhythm Injury #1: "All my songs have started sounding the same. I keep using the same basic rhythms."
(My write back may seem "dumb" or even impossible for some of you. But don't dismiss it too quickly.)
Stop writing with your instrument in your hands.
Your writing is going to be itsybitsy by what you can play. Put it down... Sit quietly, and let the ideas create without your technique important you colse to to well-known territory. Make yourself think differently, and when you pick up your axe, try your new ideas.
Musical Rhythm Injury #2: "My band has issue playing along with me on my songs".
The question is Overplaying. (The studio version of this question is similar).
When you play by yourself, you are the drums, bass, guitars & everything rolled into one. It's great that you can do that, but you need a crash procedure in Orchestration. The bass player can't compete with your bass lines. The drummer will play, all that "wacka-wacka" rhythm you're playing, on his high hats & cymbals... And you can lose the slap on 2 & 4, a snare drum does it better.
Simplify...Stop working so hard...Delegate...Share the parts with the rest of the team. It's Ok. Your one-man-band rhythms just need to be pulled apart and scaled back. Let the other members play some of those notes.
Musical Rhythm Injury #3: "I don't know how to play/write dissimilar styles."
Unless you grew up in a household with dissimilar genres of music colse to you, it's easy to have itsybitsy tastes and exposure. Just like food!
Initially, I don't propose the typical, "go out & buy lots of dissimilar styles of music...etc." I believe emotional energy is what you should pay attention to.
Listen to Tv shows, commercials and movie soundtracks. What gives Tension? Romantic setting? Humor? Competition? Patriotism? Pay close attention to the Rhythms involved.
When you make connections between emotional needs and music that expresses those emotions, you'll begin to see positive styles used for positive situations. Your context for studying dissimilar styles...should be the emotion expressed, not licks.
For example, every person can play a "bluesey" lick... But playing the Blues is a lifetime of learning. Don't sell it short. All musical genres need time & commitment to play & write authentically. Get the emotion... The "Why" of the music first. Then the "How" (the mechanics, ideas & licks) will come.
Musical Rhythm Injury #4: "I don't know how to turn rhythms from Verse to Chorus".
There are no rules here. Only what works.
But an easy belief to grasp is Contrast.
A lyric that is very busy/choppy (short notes) in the verses, can open up (smooth out, long notes) in the chorus. The guitar part can be sparse in the verses, and get more rhythmic & driving in the chorus.
Notice that the guitar and the lead vocal will be doing exactly the opposite. One is busy while the other is sparse. This allows each one to have it's own Rhythm Room. (That's kinda like elbow room.)
It works!
Musical Rhythm Injury #5: "I hear these cool beats and licks in the major artists' songs, but I can't seem to write my own."
Truth is, you're often hearing the consequent of a top-notch Producer, a great Recording & Mastering Engineer... Not to mention great Players, Singers and Vintage Instruments...it should sound great! They all bring their technical & creative gifts to the project.
But lucky for us, it still starts with a great song.
When you get the tune as good as you can, itsybitsy signature licks, riffs and patterns will begin to surface. They're probably already there, you just have to "flush them out".
Find a unique way to say/play something, then improvise with it, stutter it, repeat it... Or play just half of it. Elongate (stretch) a vowel sound out longer than normal, and double it on your guitar. See if you're doing itsybitsy grunts, or phrasings that you can pull out and shine the light on a little. Showcase you doing it your way.
Your Vibe...
If you'll do your part, good musicians can take it up other notch. When you're ready, a capable Producer can take it up again to other level you can't reach yourself. Just do your part.
Musical Rhythm Injury #6: "It just doesn't feel right."
The question may be as straightforward as the wrong tempo.
You'd be amazed how the wrong tempo can kill a groove, even if it's a great song. It may be a deeper question - in the Rhythmic make-up of the song.
Every song needs it's own signature groove. If it doesn't have that, there's a problem.
It may be the wrong basic feel (8ths, 16ths, triplets) perhaps, or wrong stylistic option for the lyric (i.e. Should have been a relaxed 12/8 blues feel, instead of a right country beat). There is no better trainer than recording it yourself... & walk away. Come back in a few days with fresh perspective and listen. Usually, your instincts can hear the problems.
One thing is for sure. If the tune is Still struggling, there is no point trying to report it in a bigger & better studio... Or take it out live. You'll just get immunized to its weaknesses.
Musical Rhythm Injury #7: "My style sounds dated. Can you teach me some new rhythms?"
How badly do you want it? A banana tree doesn't grow apples... And it's gonna' be hard for you to lose your vintage stripes.
I've worked with songwriters in their early 20's that had very dated styles. Their listening was itsybitsy to older brothers' music, or parents that belief the only "real" music was 60's Rock, Englebert Humperdink, or Glen Miller. Nothing wrong with that, but jumping into the 21st century may be more complicated than you think.
If you're carefully to change, you've got to hear how things are presented these days.
Contemporary lyrics "get you there" faster, and the Form has to allow that. Intros can no longer be 30 seconds long and the 7-minute version is best for stage... Not the studio. Your drum grooves may sound a itsybitsy dated too. Rhythms have been computerized and "fixed in the mix." R&B ain't what it used to be.
Rap changed everything... The rhythms have got to be hot.
I'm not trying to get you to chase the newest trend.. I promise I'm not. But today's listeners have infant-sized attention spans and expect great sounding production. From Country to Grunge, if it's on the charts, the rhythm is smokin'. I warrant it.
These are things you have to address if you want that "newer" sound.
Musical Rhythm Injury #8: "I don't have good rhythm."
Truthfully... You may not! Won't lie to ya. And while music schools won't admit it, you can't fix it.
Know your own limitations, and learn to work within them realistically. There is all the time a way!
I will never be a math whiz, doctor, lawyer or a star quarterback. All the tutors, lessons and effort in the world won't turn that. I can still enjoy the benefits of what those citizen can do... And I can even play football for fun. (None of the others will I effort for fun).
This is where a good producer, musical director, and engineer can help hide your weaknesses.
Musical Rhythm Injury #9: "I don't know how to elucidate to the drummer what I want on my songs".
Hmm...drummers....well I can tell you...
Drummers are very complicated people, regularly genius (typically off-the-chart Iqs), but very humble, insight and willing to accommodate you in any way possible. They tend to understand songwriters much more as a matter of fact after you pick up their bar tab some times. :-)
Musical Rhythm Injury #10: "Should you go out with the drummer?"
Yes, I know it's tempting because most drummers are also very handsome and sexy.
(It's true, ask my wife!) But I wouldn't propose it. :-)
Check the laws in your state. Some restrictions may apply...
There you have it, a solid list of possible rhythm potholes and how to navigate them for your musical & emotional success. Most of them are spot-on. (The last two may be a bit biased, I am a drummer).
The lowest Line... Does it feel good? Is the song working? If so, most likely, the musical rhythm is nailed down.
Record it, Listen to it, come back to it and listen again. Experiment until it does.
You'll know it when you get there.
Rhythm Injuries - Call 911!