"On reflection, my strongest recommendation is that you concentrate on exercises 1 to 27 in the Barnes and Mullins book.  Do read the 'The Importance Of Practice And Patience' on page 12. Don't use a metronome if it is going to…"

"Bradbury does not have you elevate the bass or play this until the very end of volume one.  Given, his arrangement is more substantial, but there is a reason he waits so long. I would say that back to the basic exercises with a strong focus on…"

"In the Eureka method, it's a very easy tune, Ian."

"It's no issue. Ah I see!"

"Stop attempting to play tunes that are beyond your capabilities. For a month, study only the initial exercises in the Bradbury tutor book and the earlier one by Ellis and then post some recordings of them."

"Thank you Jody and apologies Austin!  I made the mistake of not looking at the Winners version. The rhythm sounds like it is played in 6/8 and not 3/4. Here is W. Jacobs arrangement:"

"In Eureka method the time signature is 3/4. In several others, including 3 in the library here, it is notated in 6/8. Same tune.  Different distribution of ink."

"Yeah I know I'm dead in the water if I can't keep time. I doubt I'll ever be able to do it though. Especially with complicated ragtime. "

"Probably both mad at the metronome and myself. I thought it was 3/4. "

"Right, I was not clear, the “-“in my post was a place holder for “and” out loud. I believe this is how A. J. Weidt has you do it. Without time, rhythm, and counting there is no music.  It is just random noise. Even…"

"My take on this is that if I'm playing the tune out to a general audience I just change the title. There's a long tradition of this - Morleytown and so on. If I play A Darkie Chuckle at a gig or folk club I call it "Joe's…"

"Your committment to not playing in time with a metronome is impressive, but may I suggest that "Dances" are meant to be played in time so that the dancers can follow the beat. Also I have found that the metronome is "always"…"

"What does feeling the music, rather than the beat, mean to you?"

"I know eventually I'm going to have to get better at rhythm but I don't see it happening"

"I don't think I've ever gotten any better by playing with a metronome. All it does is make me angry. I'd rather feel the music than the beat"

"You might find it helpful to take a pencil and write over the top of each measure the beat, "1-2-3, 1-2-3, etc.".  As you are playing along with a metronome (very slowly), have the metronome click on each beat while you count out…"