The 'Secret' to Improving Your Rhythm and Time by Chick Corea

Jazz master Chick Corea teaches some simple exercises to improve your rhythm and time. Whether you play the piano or not, these tips can help improve your skill on any instrument.

First, Chick delves into how important it is that you check your own judgment and see how you can improve it. His first suggestion is an easy way to apprentice. You find a recording of a song or an artist that has the kind of time and rhythm that you like, and the first step is to practice and try to duplicate it.

The second tip is to record yourself. Use a recorder or a camera, your phone, etc. Play something that you feel you need to improve on and then play it back (this could be the recording of a song that you practiced before, as well!) Then you can see what you need to work on. Work on that specific point until you feel good about it.

The third exercise, and what Chick describes as the “ultimate exercise,” is not only about improving time, but developing anything that you’d like to become better at as a musician. It is called an apprenticeship system. Find a “master,” to work with. It could be anyone who’s got an ability that you think you would like to have too. Jam with them and pick up any skills you can. Chick says, “This is how anyone learns a trade, or anyone learns the piano, or how anyone learns an instrument.” Make sure to have the idea that you want to learn something from them. And that is the ultimate, “secret” of improving your time and your rhythm.

[oli]

In 4 minutes Chick gave the most direct advice to get better-
1 - study and mimic recordings
2 - record yourself and critique
3 - find someone better than you and learn from them
So concise- just gotta do it!

[lumberpilot]

" You're not looking for admiration .... you gotta know" That's absolutely as cool as it gets.

[nicklarsenjazz]

Chick really was the most generous cat, always willing to share anything he knows

[kevinmitchell]

Chick...wrote no mystery. In life he educated to take the mystery out of music. A great gift to all musicians.

[Studio-]

I used to get lost listening to Coltranes long improvs, with Elvin blasting away. Then I started carefully listening and counting, fingers, out loud, etc with my whole body, until I could finally hear the pulse. Wow what an ear opener when I finally cracked it. Then for 20 years I played with a great drummer, most often as a duet (I’m a guitarist) who not only had a great groove and was a great listener, but constantly shifted the pulse and applied polyrhythms like 5 and 7 over 4 etc, until we were almost free but never got lost.

[Mrius]

Hearing a recording of myself playing guitar for the first time was absolutely TERRIFYING. Now I'm hooked and do it every single day. Only way to improve, really.

[tommyiglesias]

I was having issues with my tempo in a passage. So I recorded it in Logic and quantize to 100 perfection. Like a computer, And I listen to it many times to internalised a perfect rhythm. Then I record myself and it was perfect! Thank you Maestro for this great lesson! Listening, that was the answer.

[nancychace]

God bless him ~ he sounded like an excellent teacher. Only the best are so open to sharing their music like this. RIP 💐

[kennybluet]

RIP. One of the all time greats. Genius. Saw Return To Forever in 1975. Central Park NYC. Man ! A whole other level.

[RFD]

You know that last tip was the "ultimate tip" because it's real hard for people to admit, in this day and age, that they aren't good enough at something and a lot of the time people are too afraid to tell others that they need improvement in the first place. Being honest with yourself requires the maturity and discipline to put your emotion on the backburner and that is much harder for people than you'd immediately think. Ever since I left that way of living behind I've improved in most all my pursuits be it music, weight lifting, woodworking, etc. - accept it when you need to learn and then trust the experience and advice of others.

Good stuff here. RIP.

[joeydunn]

Simple and straight to the point. Thanks for shining so brightly for all of us

[JGlassy]

Invaluable advice! Such a generous and wise soul. RIP

[jimhead]

I love Chick so much. Now He SIngs Now He Sobs changed my life. What a generous spirit. Thank you and rest in peace, Chick.

[dyadicrationals]

This so profound. Timing in music my biggest weakness. An actual exact description of a technique.
More importantly it generalizes to anything in life you want to improve. Get quality feedback by recording everyday and even with video. You can also notice how it looks to notice even more.
I am so grateful for this list of wisdom.

[Flying_turnip]

This is what I needed. My time needs a lot of work. My worst weakness about music. Gonna take this to my future practice .

[TheBigCHS]

Awesome. Chick looked so happy to be talking about it too! A very genuine approach to being a better musician.

[catkeys]

Something I told a young, budding musician once, that I think helped both him and his band members focus and get really tight was this: When you guys are paying together, it should not sound so much as distinctly like (for instance) a bass, a drummer and a guitar playing, but as a Bassdrummerguitar thing making music. What I mean by this is that when everyone is playing EXACTLY on the same beat, there'll be no "flamming" (to use a drum term that means essentially playing 2 beats a millisecond or so apart) between the instruments. When everyone consistently is on the beat within only one or two milliseconds, it will sound distinctly better than a typical local band (because they're almost never quite THAT tight). It's not that easy to achieve this; it takes practice and CONCENTRATION.

[jeffdawson]

A true virtuoso of the keyboard. An important figure in Miles’ stable of amazing talent who went on to raise fusion to its highest level.

[bingochoice]

such a beautiful cat, great teacher, and of course a ridiculously talented pianist

[Fishies]

"Who else is gonna tell you that?" Love these lessons.