In all likelihood, yes. Yes, you do.
But, don’t worry. You’re certainly not alone and there IS something you can do about it.
In my previous article “The One Critical Skill That Nearly All Guitarists Miss”, I talked about the rampant spread of bad timing among guitarists and musicians in general. I have since decided to name the aforementioned condition; rhythmitis (pronounced “rhy-them-eye-tis”.)
One of the most debilitating symptoms of those who suffer from rhythmitis is that they are often completely unaware of the fact that they even have a problem. Unable to recognize their condition, they continue practicing and playing without seeking the appropriate means to combat this unfortunate disease.
So, if most rhythmitis sufferers don’t even know they have a problem, how can YOU tell if you have it?
Three-Way Rhythm Test
I have a test that I use with my students to see how good their sense of time really is; whether they are suffering with rhythmitis or not. I call it the “Three-Way Rhythm” test. Moving past the somewhat suggestive title, this little exercise will expose weaknesses in your rhythmic sense in a matter of seconds. The exercise consists of three separate parts that you will be playing simultaneously. They are…
- Tapping Your Foot On the Beat,
- Counting Out Loud, and
- Playing the Part.
Let’s look at an example of how we would do this with a common strumming pattern for guitar:
In this example, you should be tapping your foot on the beats (1 – 2 – 3 – 4) and counting the eighth-note subdivision out loud (1 – & – 2 – & – 3 – & – 4 – &), while simultaneously playing the strumming pattern on your guitar. If you have never done this before, it will probably feel like trying to juggle. If you mess it up, than you will know for sure that you have issues with timing and rhythm.
The part that trips up most people is tapping the foot on the beat – it usually wants to mimic the hands. If you need to see your foot to be sure it is doing the part correctly, you can either look down or use a mirror. However, I recommend developing a kinesthetic sense of what your foot is doing so that you can FEEL whether you are perform the test correctly.
Not only does the Three-Way Rhythm test work to test your sense of rhythm, but it is also one of the best exercises you can do to develop your timing if it isn’t quite up to snuff. As you begin to work with the exercise, you will start to realize that although each coordination is doing something different, they are all part of one whole. All three parts combine together to give you a complete picture of what is going on rhythmically as you play through the music. It is the equivalent of being aware of the notes on the fretboard when you play a simple melody – it keeps you centered.
There is always room for improvement when it comes to rhythm as the more complex the part you need to play, the more challenging the Three-Way exercise becomes. There are still to this day parts that I struggle with, but by working with them regularly, I find that my sense of time is always improving.
Give it a try and see if you are suffering from Rhythmitis. Post your thoughts, comments, and questions.
