Danny ChaiSo here’s a thing about me and rhythm. I’m always anticipatory, and not reactionary. I don’t know if that makes sense. But like, my sense of rhythm is all based on anticipation, so I think I’m always slightly ahead of the beat. I don’t think I speed up, I’m just slightly ahead. My junior high jazz band leader actually used to say this, but he said it was a good thing.
But, I can’t help but anticipate. That’s my biggest weakness with DDR and related games. I anticipate and I am often just ahead of the beat, and for the life of me I can’t fix this. This came to a head when I played the electric guitar DDR-like game at Golfland. You know, I’m a pretty good guitarist, but I was stinking it up at that game. Like, clearing one level was just really hard, and always because I’d anticipate instead of just reacting to it, if that makes sense. It angered me so much I just changed a whole bunch of money and kept playing it repeatedly. Argh, just thinking about it makes me angry. Seriously, I was about to break those guitars in half.
Anyway, it’s the same reason why I can’t beat Mike Tyson in Mike Tyson’s Punchout. Beating him is all about just reacting, not anticipating, but for the life of me I cannot make myself do that. I always anticipate, and he always knocks me down. I must have tried a hundred times. Can’t do it. Just, my rhythm is all anticipatory.
Speaking of rhythm. I think worship team should invest in buying metronomes for everyone to practice with. Because this past Sunday, every single rhythm element was off. Drums, bass, and tambourine. Not only were they off from each other, but when they played fills they would be off from themselves. But yeah, it’s no one’s fault. You can’t hear anyone up there. But practicing with metronomes would go a long way, I think. Paul Baloche recommends every instrumentalist practice with one, and I think it’s a good idea. At least, I’m getting one.
Anyway yeah, a lot of people think they’re “on” rhythmically when they’re not and you can’t realize that until you practice with something regular, which is why that freaking guitar game angered me. But I will conquer it. Even if it costs me the use of my eyebrows.