Playing With The Click

"I'm gonna need more click in my cans."

Whether you’re synching with a video, loops, enhancement tracks or just maintaining steady tempo, playing with a click is becoming more common in church settings. Drummers and percussionists know that we are held to a higher standard when it comes to precision with the click. Also, it’s not just “burying the click” with accuracy…then comes the request to play “just behind” the click. You can improve this skill with practice. Here are a couple of suggestions:

• I have practiced with a looping pedal and microphone, recording a metronome click and then recording a block or cowbell over it, trying to match my attack with the recorded metronome and then listening back to check my accuracy.

• Several months ago, I started working with the Beatnik Rhythmic Analyzer from OnBoard Research. The unit consists of a practice pad with a display screen and a few knobs. Set a tempo and subdivisions (16ths, 8th triplets, etc…), play along to the click, and watch the screen for a real time display of your percentage of accuracy. Cease playing and within seconds you get a graphic display of your accuracy on EACH subdivision. You can immediately see your tendency to rush the second sixteenth note in a grouping or that you are late on the upbeat. The Beatnik is a truth machine! I have described one of the many features on this great device.

The Beatnik can improve your ability to work with the click AND improve your overall sense of time. It is improper subdivision that creates rushing and dragging. The Beatnik gives immediate feedback so you can get to the heart of the problem and optimize your practicing.

Check out the Beatnik at the OnBoard Research website: www.tuners.com .