“Keeping Good Time” The most important aspect of playing the bass is keeping good time. This is true in almost any style of popular music. No matter how great your musical approach, if your playing is not estab- lishing a groove, it invalidates all the other qualities of your playing. As the late, great Duke Ellington said, “It don't mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing.” Playing along with the CD should help you in this regard. You can also begin to develop this as- pect of your playing by practicing with a metronome. This will help you to develop a sense of evenness in your time. Don't be discouraged if it's not coming right away. Remember: playing 00d solid time involves knowledge of the fingerboard, technical command of your instrument, and hearing the phrase you want to play. - Besides using the metronome and playing along with the CD, listen to recordings of some of the great bassists. Study and try to absorb their sense of swing. Try to play with as many good drum- mers as possible, and work to lock-up your groove with theirs. All of these aspects will help you develop your inner clock and get you on the road to playing great time.