I remember it like it was yesterday. We were in the batting cages and I was having the hardest time trying to hit that crazy baseball. For some reason I just could not hit the ball. I never had any trouble hitting a baseball when I was in little league. But as I got older that ball started coming at me faster and faster. One of my friends Brian was having the same problem at first but then all of a sudden he started hitting every single ball that came his way. I asked him about it and what he differently to start hitting the ball. He gave me a very simple answer, "Just keep your eye on the ball until it hits the bat." I thought, "thats it?" It seemed too simple, and yet it was the very thing that worked. You see I would look at the ball as it came towards me but then close my eyes as I swung the bat . I don't know why I did that, I just did. Anyway, the point is, is that I would inadvertently take my eyes off the ball and that would throw off my timing. When your trying to hit a baseball timing is crucial! If you swing a half a second early or late it can drastically affect where your ball will go. The same is true for music! Timing is everything- whether you're a guitarist, drummer, bass player, or even a nose whistle player, timing is everything! If you're a half a second early or late you very well may have a glorious train wreck on your hands. If you take your playing seriously you must work with a metronome on a consistent basis! It is so vital! I don't care if you can shred like a maniac or do a 20 minute drum solo! If your timing is off then it just doesn't matter all that much. This week I want to challenge you to work with a metronome for 15 minutes every day. Just strum along or play scales with it. Don't start off on 130 bpm. Take it easy and work with a section of a song at a time. If you're working a solo or trying to build up speed in your playing, play the part slow at first. When you can play it 10 times in a row without any mistakes, gradually speed up the metronome. If you're thinking, "I don't really need to work with one of those, I've got good timing" - than you need to work with one. I naively thought that at first and quickly realized how off I really was. If you don't have a metronome you can buy one at any music store for around $10. Or you can even work with one online for free. Just follow this link!
Serving Him,
Jimmy!
