General Music Chat

What is it that makes people who have absolutely no sense of rhythm think it's a good idea to try to clap along to a song being performed? Don’t they not know how awful they are?
They can ruin it for everyone else.

I've run into this with clapping, and also conga and Djembe players, and even some drummers with full kits.
Just because you bought a Djembe or a drum set doesn't mean you're a drummer!
If they came in on beats 1 & 3, that would've been an improvement! But . . . coming on beats # 2-5/7 and 3 - 9/11?
And, - really - at least hit ONE of the beats on time!
And what's with cutting the measures into 32 beats, and coming in on beat #31 every measure? Sheesh - by the end of the song, they've pushed the whole song twice as fast as it's supposed to go!
A drummer is supposed to have the best sense of rhythm in the group, but a lot of them aren't as good as the guitarist . . . remove the drummer, and all of a sudden the whole song tightens up and just sounds better overall . . .
I swear some drummers can't even follow a click track.
Sigh . . . end of gripe . . .

What is it that makes people who have absolutely no sense of rhythm think it's a good idea to try to clap along to a song being performed? Don’t they not know how awful they are?
They can ruin it for everyone else.

I've run into this with clapping, and also conga and Djembe players, and even some drummers with full kits.
Just because you bought a Djembe or a drum set doesn't mean you're a drummer!
If they came in on beats 1 & 3, that would've been an improvement! But . . . coming on beats # 2-5/7 and 3 - 9/11?
And, - really - at least hit ONE of the beats on time!
And what's with cutting the measures into 32 beats, and coming in on beat #31 every measure? Sheesh - by the end of the song, they've pushed the whole song twice as fast as it's supposed to go!
A drummer is supposed to have the best sense of rhythm in the group, but a lot of them aren't as good as the guitarist . . . remove the drummer, and all of a sudden the whole song tightens up and just sounds better overall . . .
I swear some drummers can't even follow a click track.
Sigh . . . end of gripe . . .

I cant follow a click track... I cant hear myself on a stage, basically I suck... But that dont stop me from winging and haveing at it ...

Still, some of the best music can come from winging it . . .

You can play to a click if you use the accent pitch as the 2 and the 4.
Try it, it's easy.

Well, easy if you're playing 4/4

"Don’t they not know how awful they are? "

Nope. They're just having a good time.

At our gigs sometimes I will purposely try to get the crowd to clap on the off beat just to see how it works.

My job as an entertainer is to let the crowd have fun, if they want to clap, so what, hell we get people up to sing background with us, and some of them really suck, but as long as they are enjoying themselves then its all good to me.

Maybe you could tell them next time to shut the f**k up and just listen to the music, Im sure that would go over real good. With your attitude I imagine there will come a time when you are just playing for yourself.

You should be thankful that someone thinks enough of what you are doing to clap.

I think it's more annoying when you are in the audience and the person with no timing is trying to clap near you. If you're playing, like John says, be thankful you're moving them enough to want to clap.

As for drummers .... some CAN'T play to a click track. Some need a click track. Some think they have perfect timing and are putting the right tempo down 100% of the time. It can be a real issue in a band.

Maybe we should just stick to drum machines.
They stay in time, never get tired, and don't argue.

That's why you see professional performers onstage showing them. when Sammy Hagar or Tom Petty claps his hands over his head to get the crowd started, he's also showing them the timing...or they would certainly be way out in left field...

This is very similar to the reason I never go to karaoke bars. Most people who should never be within 30 feet of a mic all show up at one time at karaoke bars and they all think they can really sing...NOT...I refuse to go watch people who couldn't carry a tune if you put it in a wheelbarrow...

Drummers...should all practice with a metronome. Most refuse to do so, or even admit they can't keep the tempo, and I've found myself telling drummers many times that if they see me start to stomp my foot, the tempo is gone to hell and I want it back...I played with a drum machine for several years. That makes you develop excellent timing, so when a drummer lets it go I really notice it. So I start that foot working to let him know I want it back on track.

I was thinking more of the kind of clapping that kinda sounds like rain on a tin roof . . . almost no rhythm to it at all.
"when Sammy Hagar or Tom Petty claps his hands over his head to get the crowd started, he's also showing them the timing...or they would certainly be way out in left field . . ."
Yeah, great point.
It's fun when it works out. It often depends upon the style of music you're playing.
There are some really great songs which almost depend upon the audience clapping, eh?
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Yeah, music is all about having a good time, so clapping along gets the audience involved. I think everyone here is good with that.

I wish I'd started out in music practicing against a drum machine. After a while there is a quite noticable difference in my rhythm.
I listen to older recordings I've made, and wince.

I wish I'd started out in music practicing against a drum machine.

funny...i prct WITH a drum machine!

I listen to older recordings I've made, and wince.

oh, i'd have to say that's pretty common among musicians. at least those humble and secure enough to know their feces does indeed smell. and sometimes worse than others.


as for musicians w poor time.....hey, i don't think there's a larger pool of chronologically challenged drummers and percussionists than there is for any other instrument. i know i've been around at least as many challenged gtrsts, bassists, keyboardists, and mandolinists......you name it!

interestingly enough though, even the worst horn players i've been around.. they all had at the least...decent time. i suspect it has something to do w the fact that their rhythm and timing comes down to their notes being executed by blowing into their horn. blowing into a horn seems a much more straightforward connection w your instrument than striking strings w a pick, fingers, or a bow...hitting a drum w sticks or a vibraphone w mallets...etc.

With modern technology (i.e. ProTools) you can fix most any recording problem fairly easy.

Speaking of recording and hand claps, anyone ever try to record a 'clap track'? Not as easy as you might think.

With modern technology (i.e. ProTools) you can fix most any recording problem fairly easy.

Speaking of recording and hand claps, anyone ever try to record a 'clap track'? Not as easy as you might think.

I can vouge for that one...

Interesting observation, about the horn.
Maybe it has something to do with the timing of the sound . . .
That is; it's not very percussive, but a slow attack and decay.
(for those new to this: "attack" is basically how long it takes for a sound to come to full volume. It'd probably be measured in milliseconds . . . A drum is near instant, a horn takes - oh, I dunno, maybe 10 - 20 milliseconds.)
So, maybe those with the percussive instruments have a greater challenge facing them.
Which leads me to believe that - timing wise - a guitar is a more challenging instrument to play than, say, a violin or a tuba.
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btw - I tryed recording hand claps . . . geez, is it ever hard to get one recorded that actually sounds real!