Plucking a moment before the beat?

[Paymeister]

Hello, all - first post here. Heck, first week playing! I have a question about when to pluck (vis-a-vis the delay in the production of the sound).

First some background:

I built my own bass kalimba (see photos below and plans at http://www.dennishavlena.com/bk.htm), which is like placing seven monster Jew's Harps on top of a 1/4" plywood box the size of a laundry basket. Surprisingly, it sounds very much like a string bass when mixed with other instruments. My hat's off to all of you 'real' bass players, for your dedication in learning and your investment in your instrument(s) - I am afraid that my station in life does not permit either, but I sure respect you!

But I can make music with this box, and jammed with a few groups last night at the Floyd Jamboree in SW Virginia - a Mecca for bluegrass on Friday nights (I counted eight informal groups on the street outside the official concert). This instrument plays only the discrete notes of A B C D E F & G, though tuned in a Circle of Fifths for faster learning. It has some overtones which preclude any solos, but I'm happy with proving the backdrop. 'Thrilled' might be a better word.

I was told by one of the fiddlers in the group that it was important that I hit my notes just BEFORE the beat, so the sound would be generated to arrive at the time of the true beat.

Questions:

* Is he right with respect to string basses? As in, do bassists actually do this? I know that tuba players have to start a half-note early so this is plausible, and as the fellow certainly was a fine musician I'm afraid he probably knew what he was talking about.
* How in the world does one do this? I can walk and chew gum, but trying to anticipate the beat by a hair proved impossible for me last night. And worse, how does one LEARN to do this?
* Can one/should one try to measure the effect? If so, how? I'm wondering, for instance, if he might have been mistaking hesitancy on my part for the effect (I'm still new at this), and the oddball instrument I have may or may not actually exhibit this problem. Too, if I'm trying to learn, I could see my progress more objectively if I could measure it.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.


23" wide x 16.5" deep x 11.5" high; 1/4 ply, 1/4 round reinforcements, glued; lumber strapping material for tines


Church picnic - my debut (about 24 hours after the tuning it for the first time)

[mark]

Cool. I've played one of those in Canton Texas. There's a fellow there who makes one that you sit on. The "tines," for lack of a better word, are on the front of his unit. They are fun. I admittedly know nothing more about them but it's always seemed that completing the circle of 5ths by adding 5 more tines would make it a much more flexible instrument. It would open all keys and runs and even melodic play.

For those wondering, the circle of fifth tuning is like the buttons on an accordion. Start and end where convenient. A D G C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D... This makes it easy to play bluegrass tunes in any key. The scale becomes 7 3 6 2 5 1 4 b7 b3 b6 b2 b5 7 3 .... so a walk from the 1 chord to the 4 chord goes 1,2,3,4. The pattern stays the same. Maybe it's just my secret desire to play a circle of fifths instrument...

Anyway, back to your question. Don't worry about trying to make yourself play ahead or behind. We're talking such small moments of time that math just doesn't work. My guess would be you are following the the other players while learning the song and the instrument. This is a confidence thing. Bass is the foundation of bluegrass rhythm, we play on the one and three beats and set the stage for everyone else. If we're playing late, it brings everyone back. First, get a metronome and the chords to the songs your friends jam on. Learn to play and sing in time with the metronome. Do it with confidence and then start leading the group instead of following. The problem will go away. There is nothing about late developing tones or that rubbish, it's all about you leading or following.

Good luck!

[cutter]

Paymeister
Hi & Welcome
Pretty cool looking instrument. I agree with Mark that the timing issue should go away on it's own with some practice and confidence and I'm all for practicing with a metronome, it's really tightened up my timing on the instruments I play. I think one does almost naturally strike a string slightly in advance of sound placement without realizing it.

Questions: How do you (mechanically) play that thing? Do you push the tine down and let it go (jews harpish I assume)?
Do you adjust the pitch of the tine by where it is placed in the saddle?
Are all the tines the same length and thickness - what are they made of?
Could you make a wider sound box and add on the five sharps/flats?

I have a friend that moved down near Floyd a few years ago, if I ever get down for a visit I'll have to look you up and get a gander at this thing first hand. Hmmm, guess that means I'll be hauling a mando, guitar & bass down for some jamming if it's open.

Sorry for all the questions - it's a new one to me,

[cutter]

oops, clicked on your link which answered some of my questions

Too Cool!