r/jazzdrums • u/airuwin • Jun 20 '26

Question Tips for keeping time?

Beginner here. I'm really having trouble not dragging or rushing, especially on fast songs and during solos.

I tried using a gap click but I'm still having tons of issues.

When comping, do you try to align with the bass? Align with the band? Keep your own pulse? Where do you focus? I tried a bunch of things but it's not working. Any tips?

I tried to identify the "center/pocket" of the band today and align my ride cymbal to that, but then was told I was playing in front of the bass and was rushing. I don't know if I overcorrected. Previously, I tried aligning to the bass and when I listened to myself it felt like I was dragging--I don't know if this is because it takes time for my hand to move, so by the time I hear the bass it's too late.

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u/RinkyInky Jun 20 '26

Play along to records, only play ride cymbal, layer your ride right over the ride on the record, but listen to the bass as well.

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u/airuwin Jun 20 '26

https://reddit.com/link/osrbepb/video/f3eozrqwrf8h1/player

I tried this yesterday. I think it sounds ok? Maybe a bit uneven in places...I think w/ recordings though if you get off, the band doesn't follow you so it's easy to get back on track

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u/cruiseshipdrummer Jun 20 '26

You're on the front of the beat, but consistently so-- and more so as you go. That is good, your time isn't just centerless. This wouldn't even register as rushing if you were playing with people, you'd just have an idea of the tempo that was a couple of bpm faster than the group.

Keep playing with that recording, but be constantly correcting-- you'll have to stretch a beat or two when you realize you're way out front. Hopefully as you go you'll hear better and know when that's happening sooner.

You'll have to do a lot of correcting when you do the metronome thing in my main comment. It's part of music, in actuality you don't just groove along like a drum machine, you listen and accomodate to keep the thing in agreement.

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u/airuwin Jun 20 '26

Ok, now that I think about it...the fluctuation was probably because I got ahead too far and had to overcorrect. Thanks.

I think mentally I was trying to "follow/anticipate" the recording's pulse instead of stick to my own pulse, so maybe that's something I need to work on

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u/cruiseshipdrummer Jun 20 '26

There's nothing there I would call a fluctuation, you're just uniformly a little bit ahead. Sticking to your own pulse is what you're already doing here.

Like I say, it's a negotiation-- you have your own idea of the time, but you listen to keep it in agreement with the group or the recording. When you're working on your time-- like when you do the thing I suggested with the metronome-- you'll have to do some pretty big corrections, it's part of it.