isaacullah
44 posts
Feb 14, 2009
10:56 AM
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I'm working on my time-keeping skills (one of my most major flaws), and as part of that I've been trying to keep a foot tapping all the time when I play. When I'm sitting, it's not so bad to keep it going (back in the day I used to be a drummer, so this comes natural to me), but when I try to stand up and play (as per some advice about getting better tone), I just find I'm unable to keep it actually tapping. I've found that I'm able to keep time with a sort of shake at the knee, but it just doesn't give that aural AND tactile feedback that a good foot tap does. I recently tried puting a foot up on a stool, and tapping with that foot. It worked, but how often am I going to have a stool to put my foot up on? (and it's kind of a stange posture to affect in front of an audience, especially if you are up on a stage ;)
So I'm curious: do any of you have the same problem? Anyone got a good solution? Should I just wear some tapp shoes and do a little jig? All advice is appreciated!
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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GermanHarpist
81 posts
Feb 14, 2009
11:33 AM
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just checked it out.
I also find it rather uncomfortable tapping my foot while standing. On the rare occasions that I do, I find myself more dancing around the room than foot tapping.
I don't think it makes such a big difference for your tone if you stand or sit. Of course you have to breathe right! There may be a little difference in resonance chamber from the torso (minimal), but otherwise most of the tone things happen in the mouth (i think). So I would recommend to you: sit and tap your foot while practicing (muuch more comfortable). When your on the sage: stand and rock!
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http://www.youtube.com/germanharpist
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KingoBad
20 posts
Feb 14, 2009
12:02 PM
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Stomp Dude, stomp! Tap with your heel on the slower stuff (modified stomp).
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Miles Dewar
178 posts
Feb 14, 2009
12:33 PM
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You could try swinging your shoulders (left downbeat, right upbeat) thats what i do. but Stomping is the best. Bend your knees, or you could crouch slightly..... even use your head, and bend at the hips
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---Go Bears!!! (Richard Dent for Hall of Fame)---
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mickil
31 posts
Feb 14, 2009
1:29 PM
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isaacullah, as a drummer you've probably got a better grip on my little sub-problem of yours than I have. Badly written sentence that, but I hope you'll get my drift.
Like a lot of us harp-obsessed nuts, I tinker around with Whammer Jammer. Everything is fine until I get to the chorus of wharbles. I deliberately accent those as triplet quarter notes. The trouble is, I'm tapping 2 with my foot and playing 3 with my warble; the foot tap gets left behind. I think I got it right once when I wasn't thinking about it, but it's hard not to think about.
Hell, I'm digressing from your question. I just seem to have my tapping foot a little forward from the other one and keep both heels on the ground, knees bent. I'm sure you'll get used to a way that feels right unless - like me - you think too much about it.
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
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isaacullah
46 posts
Feb 15, 2009
1:03 PM
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@scstrckland: Actually, I was thinking of building a little lever like thing to get that extra leverage. It would be part of a "porchboard" like thing I'm considering to build. It'd look something like this:
___________________________
* /\ * <--"rocker"
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|| "porchboard" | |
A sort of "see saw" like deal with strikers on either end. I'd leave one striker wood and the other would be covered by cloth so i could get a "snare" rocking to the toe and a "bass" the rocking with the heel
Cowboy boots would be okay, i guess, but I have extremely wide and rectangular feet so I prob would never find a pair to fit. Also prob couldn't afford them.
@others: I guess wven without the porchboard I could stomp. I never actually considered that! :) I'll give it a go and see if it feels natural or not! Thanks for the advice!
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
Last Edited by on Feb 15, 2009 1:11 PM
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Zhin
115 posts
Feb 15, 2009
5:06 PM
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I'm not saying I know everything but here's my 2 cents...
2 reasons for feet tapping... Keeping time, and playing your own "percussion". Biggest problem, trying to do both at once.. :p
I suggest you work on keeping time first. Worry about the sound later. As long as your body is moving in tempo that's good enough. Then, when you're familiar enough you can do it with stomps to be percussive.
Why did I say "your body". Well, the idea is to tune in your entire body so you can literally feel the beat. My point is, use whatever works for you. Some people don't like tapping their feet, some prefer shaking it. Some move their hips. All this is to keep time. People think it's for show but it really isn't. It helps because then you don't actually have to think too much about the tempo.
My thing is that whenever there's music on and I enjoy it I start shaking my feet or moving some part of myself in tempo as perfectly as I can. But it's also because I'm really enjoying it! :) When I'm in the shower and the music is blasting, I still do it. Eventually what you should be getting to is that you're not even thinking about it and your body is doing the timekeeping for you. :)
All the best my friend.
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scstrickland
6 posts
Feb 15, 2009
5:32 PM
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Isaacullah- thats a great idea. I think the best part of the blues is that it rewards creativity over skill. The Original blues artists made their own instruments. Hell, they made their own music. Who gets noticed, the guy that sounds like Son house, Sonny boy Williamson II, Buddy guy or the guy that shines creatively whose name is Son House, B. B. King, Sonny Boy Williamson II (Ok, so the name is not so creative but his style is, It's all about creativity. So build your "Porchboard". Think of it as an art project. Keep it simple and share the results with us. I'm eager to see it.
Last Edited by on Feb 15, 2009 5:43 PM
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GermanHarpist
85 posts
Feb 15, 2009
5:54 PM
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RORY MCLEOD Farewell Welfare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO_xCvYGtxY
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http://www.youtube.com/germanharpist
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isaacullah
48 posts
Feb 16, 2009
12:35 PM
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@scstrickland: Thanks! It'llbe a little while until I have a free afternoon, but as soon as I do, I'm definately gonna build this... I'll post a YouTube vid when I do.
@Zhin: Yeah, I totally get that. I'm the same way with my wayward foot-tapping to every song I hear on the radio (it drives my wife crazy!). My issue isn't with making an "audible" sound with my foot in the sense of the "audibleness" being part of the music, although that is something I ALSO want to happen eventually (and therefore the "porchboard" idea). My problem is that the leg "shaking" I do while standing is not enough to keep me on the beat. When I'm sitting and foot tapping, I'm much better at staying on the rythym. Both foot movements are pretty steady when it comes to actually "keeping" the beat, but I think the culprit is that little "audible" tap sound that you can hear while foot-tapping that is missing with the "leg shake". You know, just that extra bit of aural feedback that helps you keep the harp on the beat. Anyway, there are some great suggestions here, and I have a lot of stuff to go on, so I guess It's back to the practice room!
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
Last Edited by on Feb 16, 2009 12:40 PM
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scstrickland
7 posts
Feb 16, 2009
2:06 PM
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Hey isaacullah check this out
http://www.farmerfootdrums.com/foottamborine.html
too bad its not available yet. the Deluxe Model might be overkill but its cool nonetheless.
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Miles Dewar
183 posts
Feb 16, 2009
8:38 PM
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Damn straight Zhin! Perfect.
Just do it. i had no rythm beforei started playing harp. and now i do it so much i dont have to think about whether im keeping time and knowing where i am in the 12 bars, my body just "knows".
I Tap my heel, swing my shoulders and alternate one beat left foot and nextbeat i use the right foot... or 2 beats left 2 beats right......
Just move to the beat. if you have trouble finding what the "Exact" beat is, just listen to the changes, and Divide.
I had tons of trouble at first. a lot of people told me i have "No" rythm....and i could never dance.... but now....my body just moves....automatically.
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---Go Bears!!! (Richard Dent for Hall of Fame)---
Last Edited by on Feb 16, 2009 8:40 PM
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Zhin
120 posts
Feb 16, 2009
9:15 PM
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Isaac, I probably wasn't clear enough about my advice...
What I was saying is that if you depend on aural feedback you're screwing yourself over.
Don't train on that it's a bad habit. How are you gonna do that when amplifiers come into the equation? I know you probably don't want to hear this at all but just hear me out for a moment.
The whole point of my post is that you NEED to learn to just depend on HOW IT FEELS. What I said is meaningless if you want to depend on aural-feedback.
Sounds are vibrations, you may not realize this but in addition to our ears, our bodies mainly our bones are also part of components that pick up and process sound (mainly bass). I'm also implying if you are dependent on aural-feedback you should be able to shift your dependency on vibrations instead. Your body needs to pick up the vibrations first before you recognize it as sound. Why take an additional step that becomes a handicap by relying on what you hear rather than just going straight into recognizing the vibrations your body is feeling?
If you are tuned into your own "vibrations" from any kind of repetitive movement like leg shaking, foot tapping, shoulder swaying, etc etc.... Just think of what that can do for you as a musician in general. Doesn't matter what instrument or if you're a vocalist. It applies.
If you're not feeling it enough, then be more deliberate. It may feel silly at first but eventually you'll be so in tuned you'll be making minimal movement eventually....
I really hope this helps and didn't come off as being rude. I don't want to be giving out the "wrong" advice here.
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oldwailer
512 posts
Feb 16, 2009
9:54 PM
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@scstrickland,
I heard the guy that makes the foot drums on the street a while back. It was really cool how he was busking and drawing a crowd and his tip bucket was filling up fast--it sounded like he had a drummer--his harp and guitar and singing skills were not that great, in my opinion, but with the drums, he sure did attract a lot of attention!
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oldwailer
513 posts
Feb 16, 2009
10:14 PM
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Here's a good clip to study on toe tapping--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABW7ugWssuQ&feature=related
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