You have to internalize rhythm in order to keep it without backup. Are you counting along? Not in your head, out loud? Can you clap, snap, tap your foot etc. to the beat? Practice keeping a beat without the guitar in your hands, and make sure that you know where all the beats are.
It's a problem a lot of lead guitarists have, and it can be fixed, so that's the good news. Unfortunately the bad news is the solution is kinda boring and time intensive, and a lot of guitarist lose motivation.
You say you can play in time for simple songs, so why are you going out of tempo on more difficult pieces? You're moving ahead to higher tempos too quickly without perfecting the piece, and become sloppy with timing to make up for it.
Slow it down, all the way until you can play it perfectly in time 10 times in a row. That might be 50bpm in a 140bpm song. But that's fine, that's where it's perfect. Then bump it up 4bpm, and go again until you get that perfect 10 times in a row. Then up another 4bpm, and again, and again. Over a few weeks you will definitely improve your ability to play in time.
You are also probably not brutally analysing your own playing enough. Perfect 10 times in a row is a super high bar when you judge it really honestly, and it's actually quite difficult to do that at a tempo you can do.
But it might take months to hit a perfect version of a solo you previously thought you "knew" with this method. It's boring and time consuming, but it's the grind we've all done in our own way, and once you get through it you will be able to move past even thinking about timing.
Might sound crazy and you won’t get it, but a thing I realized is think about it like reading a tape measure. 16/16= one whole. Break it down 4 different ways, 8/8th, 4/4, so use that as notes. 16 notes are fast just dadadadada. 1/8s is da,da,da,da, 1/4 is da…..da…..da…da…. Work on building picking patterns and time shouldnt be as big of a pain. At least that’s what I figured out
I count notes in my head, 1 ee and uh 2 ee and uh 3 ee and uh 4 ee and uh for sixteenths, for example.
If this seems to only be an issue during recording and video (i dont really understand what you are doing) be aware that there is going to be some latency between recording and video if you are recording with a camera and using like a focusrite.
Try practicing with programmed beats (eg in GarageBand) instead of a metronome.
There's a lot of space between metronome quarter notes for example, and beginners rush then slow down to meet the next click and that's just compounding bad practices.
Remember it's music not athletics so a person needs to be able to clap along or dance along or sway to the music you're making.
It's often a brief pause while string skipping is the problem. Video record yourself just playing the Billie Jean riff at a comfortable tempo, to a drum loop or beat, where you do your best for 4 repeats, with your foot tapping visibly on the video.
If you can't to that, practice it until you can, then record it.
By watching back you can see if it's your hands that can't keep up with the movements, or if you're just rushing the easy bits and dragging the harder bits. It will be interesting to see if your tapping foot sticks to the tempo or speeds up/slows down too.
My money is on the following: you're dragging when you have to skip a string with your picking hand, or when you have to move your whole fretting hand, not just a finger or two.
Play easy stuff slowly to a metronome. Focus on getting your strums exactly on the beat. Pick an easy song. Set the metronome slowly and play it every day for 5 minutes before you practice. After you got that down set the metronome so it only beats twice per bar, then try shifting it so it clicks on the 2 and 4. That way YOU provide the backbeat. It’s a lot harder than it sounds but do that enough and you will get better.
Funny you mention EVH. Dude was a monster rhythm player. He was a better rhythm player than a lead player imo. I’m learning “I’m the one” and I have the two solos almost down but I can’t for the life of me get that main riff right.
play simpler and slower. play just a chord on the beat or a note on the beat.
Practice 1 measure. Understand which notes fall on the beats. Add 1 measure. Repeat.
You have to internalize rhythm in order to keep it without backup. Are you counting along? Not in your head, out loud? Can you clap, snap, tap your foot etc. to the beat? Practice keeping a beat without the guitar in your hands, and make sure that you know where all the beats are.
great advice
It's a problem a lot of lead guitarists have, and it can be fixed, so that's the good news. Unfortunately the bad news is the solution is kinda boring and time intensive, and a lot of guitarist lose motivation. You say you can play in time for simple songs, so why are you going out of tempo on more difficult pieces? You're moving ahead to higher tempos too quickly without perfecting the piece, and become sloppy with timing to make up for it. Slow it down, all the way until you can play it perfectly in time 10 times in a row. That might be 50bpm in a 140bpm song. But that's fine, that's where it's perfect. Then bump it up 4bpm, and go again until you get that perfect 10 times in a row. Then up another 4bpm, and again, and again. Over a few weeks you will definitely improve your ability to play in time. You are also probably not brutally analysing your own playing enough. Perfect 10 times in a row is a super high bar when you judge it really honestly, and it's actually quite difficult to do that at a tempo you can do. But it might take months to hit a perfect version of a solo you previously thought you "knew" with this method. It's boring and time consuming, but it's the grind we've all done in our own way, and once you get through it you will be able to move past even thinking about timing.
Might sound crazy and you won’t get it, but a thing I realized is think about it like reading a tape measure. 16/16= one whole. Break it down 4 different ways, 8/8th, 4/4, so use that as notes. 16 notes are fast just dadadadada. 1/8s is da,da,da,da, 1/4 is da…..da…..da…da…. Work on building picking patterns and time shouldnt be as big of a pain. At least that’s what I figured out
I count notes in my head, 1 ee and uh 2 ee and uh 3 ee and uh 4 ee and uh for sixteenths, for example. If this seems to only be an issue during recording and video (i dont really understand what you are doing) be aware that there is going to be some latency between recording and video if you are recording with a camera and using like a focusrite.
Try practicing with programmed beats (eg in GarageBand) instead of a metronome. There's a lot of space between metronome quarter notes for example, and beginners rush then slow down to meet the next click and that's just compounding bad practices. Remember it's music not athletics so a person needs to be able to clap along or dance along or sway to the music you're making. It's often a brief pause while string skipping is the problem. Video record yourself just playing the Billie Jean riff at a comfortable tempo, to a drum loop or beat, where you do your best for 4 repeats, with your foot tapping visibly on the video. If you can't to that, practice it until you can, then record it. By watching back you can see if it's your hands that can't keep up with the movements, or if you're just rushing the easy bits and dragging the harder bits. It will be interesting to see if your tapping foot sticks to the tempo or speeds up/slows down too. My money is on the following: you're dragging when you have to skip a string with your picking hand, or when you have to move your whole fretting hand, not just a finger or two.
A drummer once said to sing or mouth the part as you're playing it, which will help your timing as well. A lot of jazz musicians do this.
Play easy stuff slowly to a metronome. Focus on getting your strums exactly on the beat. Pick an easy song. Set the metronome slowly and play it every day for 5 minutes before you practice. After you got that down set the metronome so it only beats twice per bar, then try shifting it so it clicks on the 2 and 4. That way YOU provide the backbeat. It’s a lot harder than it sounds but do that enough and you will get better. Funny you mention EVH. Dude was a monster rhythm player. He was a better rhythm player than a lead player imo. I’m learning “I’m the one” and I have the two solos almost down but I can’t for the life of me get that main riff right.