What are you doing if you are standing up?
Because sitting the most of the day at work (and having issues with my back) I like practicing standing up, leaning a bit at my desk. But foot tapping seems a bit awkward then.
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I play standing up pretty much all of the time. I find that it is easier (for me) to be tapping along standing than when sitting. With the guitar hanging off your neck/shoulders, your entire lower body is free to move about, tap, stomp or whatever without interfering with the guitar.
It did take a little while to get used to the whole combination of standing, strumming, fingering cords and tapping my foot when I first started. Most of that was just getting used to the new position, it was much harder to “cheat” looks at the fretboard, my posture ad to be better, and a few other small adjustments had to be made. Once all of that was comfortable, the foot tapping was just so easy.
The key, like everything else in this journey, is really simple … Practice, practice and practice
Glen
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Thank you Glen, so it is again just practice, I feared this is the answer 
.
I assume you are using your left foot (right handed playing)? And are you tap toes or heel?
Kai
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I think I’m already at level 5. I often say I can’t hear music unless I’m moving something with the beat.
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Mike @ymcamike
First of all welcome to the the community. 
Some songs and/or patterns I still find it difficult to reach level 5, so well done. 
Michael
Is foot tapping necessary if you can play along with the beat on backing tracks? I’ve be playing along with the Justin App & Chordify for about a year. I’m pretty consistent with keeping my hand moving with the beat. I may foot tap when learning a strumming pattern for a song but not so much when playing. What about playing with someone else? I’m not there yet but was curious about keeping time when playing with someone else.
Thanks,
Phil
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Get mobile from your hips, sway, dance etc. You can still tap a foot too and you are free to tap either as you don’t have a guitar resting on one of your legs.
Philip, it is more that foot tapping, or moving some part of your body, will (hopefully) almost become unavoidable and subconscious as you become so involved in the rhythm.
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Foot tapping, body swaying. Whatever works for you!
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Thanks Richard, Yes, I have identified this as a goal, getting more relaxed while playing. Most of the time I still needs a lot of concentration on my fretting and strumming and so I am not relaxed enough to sway or dance. But on some songs it starts working a bit
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My tapping skill is good. I always tap on the beat, and I don’t have to think about it.
But when I strum, I always tap my foot on every down strum and raise my foot on every up strum.
So, on the 8th note strumming. I tap on 1, 2, 3, 4 and raise on the +.
But when it comes to 16th note strumming. I tap on the 1,+,2,+,3,+,4+. and raise the foot on the e & a. So basically, I’m just doubling the foot tapping.
In short, I always tap the foot on every down strum and raise it on every up strum regardless it’s 8th or 16th note strumming.
To my knowledge, in the 16th note strumming I should tap only on the 1,2,3,4. and raise on the +. is that true? If so, what is the solution for that?
Yes, you should only tap on the beat. However, I don’t raise my foot precisely on the +. In fact, just trying a few phantom strums, I realize I raise on the “a” right before the beat. To be honest, I don’t know if that is a bad habit or not.
Maybe @Richard_close2u or one of the other teachers or more experienced players could weigh in.
Hi Sami, welcome to the community!
I don’t have any guidance to add, but I also struggle with the natural tendency to tap my foot as you describe. I’ve been working on tapping only on the 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s, usually at slow bpm. Interested to see additional responses to your question.
You must have strong leg muscles!
Yes.
Only tap on the beat. Anything else is using excess energy unnecessarily. I wonder if you have developed this habit by thinking in terms of Down Up rather than thinking in terms of the count.
Go back to some basic rhythm and strumming patterns, count out loud the beats (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + etc. with omissions where you are missing the strings). Focus on the beats (where the numbers are. Train yourself out of too much thinking of direction.
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When standing up I’m in doubt which foot I should tap. I there a preference?
You will probably find one foot is easier to tap with than the other, but it probably doesn’t matter which one.
However, I think there is value in being able to tap either foot and either heel or toe. I can’t prove it, but I have a theory that this puts rhythm in both halves of your brain, not just one.
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I’m happy I found this lesson and I"m looking forward to trying tapping with my heel. I don’t get the muscle soreness per-say, but after a while, I get some numbness in my foot and leg with the toe tapping. Such a simple change that never occurred to me. I hope it helps with the numbness.
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Just out of curiosity…what are the five levels?
(I’m presuming this won’t give away all the secrets of the lesson…if so, never mind. I know this is a paid course)
Also, does Justin get into more complicated rhythms - like 16th note rhythms - in the course?
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Justin statement in the last sentence of the lesson notes is completely right
Until recently I have found it almost impossible to strum, change chords, sing and tap my foot at the same time, to such an extent that I didn’t really try to tap as it put off the other actions.
However I noticed the other day my foot was tapping along with beat without me even thinking about, now I can do it all of the time without affecting the others.
Took a while but as Justin says it will just happen.
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