- Play along with a CD or tape. Play the same number over and over for several minutes. Start with 2 times without stopping. Then go longer, til you are playing the same tune over and over, for 30-45 minutes. Don't try to get every note right. Keep the beat. There are two kinds of possible errors in music: "note errors" and "rhythm errors." Make note errors, not rhythm errors. In keeping the beat, your notes will fall into place, and you will become a good player. If you favor accuracy in notes over accuracy in beat, you will train yourself to stop. If music hesitates and "stops" then it is not music at all, is it? It is random sounds only. They may be beautiful, but the more passionate the rhythm, the more beautiful the music is.

- Count the beats. And count the measures. In other words, count the way you would dance.

- Learn to dance -- aerobic dancing is great. Tap, contra, Celtic, and square dance are easy and fun. Swing, waltz, fox trot, and zydeco are some of the most popular couple dance forms on the West Coast, USA, and will help your playing, too! I'm not hispanic, but many people are wild about the Latin dance forms that are danced by "real hispanics" in their culture. If I ever decide to dance Latin style, I will learn from hispanics!

- As my teacher Charles Fulkerson said, "You can't count half a beat!" Therefore, if you were taught to count "one-and-two-and-three [etc.]" or one-y-and-uh-two-y-and-uh," my recommendation is that you find a group or teacher who can help you learn visceral, feeling rhythm. The academic, intellectual counting is not intuitive, physical playing. It is unfortunate that many academic schools of teaching do teach this way. I personally know of no really "hot" musicians who count that way.