Patting your feet?

**pants** · 10-04-2016, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by fasstrack

Wow.

To quote Bill Evans (about Woody Herman calling a guy who kept asking for 'Woodpecker's Ball' Charlie Pecker)

'That's real hostility'...

Hehe. Mostly joking. But it is a kind of strange thing how so many pianists make "that" noise. I'll admit that when it comes through on a recording I have a harder time concentrating on the music. In a live setting its somehow less of an issue. I guess it's the human element or whatever.

Coming up in band/orchestra I was mostly trained that the only noises you should make (tapping or otherwise) should come from your instrument. So my own personal tap if it happens at all is a silent one.

Mingus's group was full of stomps and claps and whoops (that old church meeting feel) and it really worked with his style.

Everyone has their own thing. If your thing bothers other people then you have to weigh the benefit to you vs the detriment to them. There really is no right or wrong, just accepted and unaccepted, and that changes depending on your audience.

**generalduke** · 10-04-2016, 02:35 PM

Never tap your foot on 2 and 4 in a Reggae band!

**fasstrack** · 10-05-2016, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by David B

Hi Joel. Care to elaborate on Ron Carter's thoughts on tapping and what he wanted or didn't want?

I remember his exact words:

'Joel, you're my friend, but would you mind giving me, you and everyone in a 10 block radius a break and not pat so loud?'

I mean he taught me a lot about rehearsing a band. He has his 'ways' for sure. Some think him stiff and/or not nice. Not me. He helped me. He is wise and articulate and part of our history. He's one of many I was lucky to be exposed to...

**JensL** · 10-05-2016, 04:50 AM

I guess it's like playing:

It either sounds good or it doesn't and what you do is depending on what is being played.

If you can play great and 2&4 sounds good while you do so I doubt that anybody will have a problem with that. If you are playing a samba or a merenque then maybe 2&4 isn't that great?

Maybe think about it this way: If you tap your foot loudly then make sure it fits with what is going on, if it's audible it's an instrument and you have to control it, otherwise it's ruining things.

(And could you please stop singing along Keith!)

Jens

**Thumpalumpacus** · 10-05-2016, 05:30 AM

I foot-tap sometimes, playing acoustic blues mostly, but it can get a little sloppy. For that reason, I don't fetishize it, and I sure as hell don't make it very audible.

**grahambop** · 10-05-2016, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by JensL

(And could you please stop singing along Keith!)

I wish Apple would bring out a "remove Keith Jarrett vocals from all Keith Jarrett tracks" app. It's the main reason I have hardly any Keith Jarrett CDs.

Someone gave me the Live at Deer's Head Inn CD and I love the trio, but I cannot listen to more than a few minutes before the 'vocalising' becomes unbearable.

**fasstrack** · 10-05-2016, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by grahambop

I wish Apple would bring out a "remove Keith Jarrett vocals from all Keith Jarrett tracks" app. It's the main reason I have hardly any Keith Jarrett CDs.

Someone gave me the Live at Deer's Head Inn CD and I love the trio, but I cannot listen to more than a few minutes before the 'vocalising' becomes unbearable.

I made up a little joke once:

(about a fate deserved by a rotten individual):

He should only go on an interminable train ride sitting between Keith Jarrett and a guy loudly crinkling a candy bar wrapper.

AND not be allowed to get up'.

I KID Keith Jarrett, ladies and germs...

**pauln** · 10-05-2016, 03:52 PM

I don't, never have. It seems to me that in order to tap one's foot, that tapping is coming from an internal sense of time. It makes more sense to me and seems much more natural and direct to connect one's playing to one's internal sense of time rather than following a mechanical foot pat that is serving as a proxy for that same internal source.

The importance of rhythm in jazz especially is so paramount it seems peculiar to me that so many continue patting; I would think that with time and experience more would find how to connect directly to their internal time sense and eventually discontinue using the remedial mechanics of motion to reflect it.

**emanresu** · 10-05-2016, 05:28 PM

It's not a good idea to use it for keeping time but if it just happens, whatever. When the music really grooves, the tapping or bouncing is right on also. If not, the taps and bounces will make it worse most likely.

**christianm77** · 10-05-2016, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by pauln

I don't, never have. It seems to me that in order to tap one's foot, that tapping is coming from an internal sense of time. It makes more sense to me and seems much more natural and direct to connect one's playing to one's internal sense of time rather than following a mechanical foot pat that is serving as a proxy for that same internal source.

The importance of rhythm in jazz especially is so paramount it seems peculiar to me that so many continue patting; I would think that with time and experience more would find how to connect directly to their internal time sense and eventually discontinue using the remedial mechanics of motion to reflect it.

It's because you feel rhythm in your body. At least if it's right.

But you can't create that deep body rhythm by moving your foot haha.

**pants** · 10-05-2016, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by christianm77

It's because you feel rhythm in your body. At least if it's right.

But you can't create that deep body rhythm by moving your foot haha.

Yeah... I mean I can't exactly dance while I play my guitar but I can sure bounce my foot and bob my head. Horn players get all sorts of gyrations we should be allowed a little room to groove.

**christianm77** · 10-05-2016, 06:27 PM

Step together step together step together

**Boston Joe** · 10-05-2016, 06:34 PM

The pianist in my group sings along with his solos. I'd rather he didn't, but if it helps him...

As far as foot tapping - I really don't know what I do. As long as I'm feeing the beat in my body, I don't think it matters much. And I'm not watching anybody else's feet, so it doesn't distract me if they're doing it differently.

I mean... it's not a marching band.

**christianm77** · 10-05-2016, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by Boston Joe

The pianist in my group sings along with his solos. I'd rather he didn't, but if it helps him...

As far as foot tapping - I really don't know what I do. As long as I'm feeing the beat in my body, I don't think it matters much. And I'm not watching anybody else's feet, so it doesn't distract me if they're doing it differently.

I mean... it's not a marching band.

Well, actually it is.

A second line band, though.

**matt.guitarteacher** · 10-06-2016, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by pauln

The importance of rhythm in jazz especially is so paramount it seems peculiar to me that so many continue patting; I would think that with time and experience more would find how to connect directly to their internal time sense and eventually discontinue using the remedial mechanics of motion to reflect it.

I'm not so sure about saying what one "should" do on a question like this or about pointing to it as an indication of not feeling beat internally? There are plenty of great players who tapped their foot and everything else. In the end, they could play though .