Playing Off-Beats

Playing off-beats should be simple, right? Should be, but they aren't. I think I am pretty good at clapping the off beats, but playing them in orchestra is another matter. Today I almost skipped over a section of music I was practicing for orchestra. Just off-beats, I thought.

Then I decided to play with the metronome, and I found that even at a relatively relaxed tempo, I would be good for about 3-4 measures, and then, wham! The notes would change, and I would get off just a little. And when you get off just a little, you are completely off when it comes to off-beats.

Since I have a year to play around and work slowly on things, this will be one of my goals. To develop that inner metronome (by using the outer one) and internalize the groove. As I was thinking about this, it occurred to me that I have a video called Rhythmizing the Bow that I brought with me. It was always one of those "someday I will go through that video", and I think that someday has arrived.