Step 1: speak the shape
Before playing, repeat “short, short, short, long.” Keep the four group beginnings evenly spaced in your attention while letting the final group contain one extra subdivision.
Step 2: add numbers
Say “one-two, one-two, one-two, one-two-three.” Emphasize every “one.” Those four accents form the skeleton of the bar.
Step 3: move with the accents
Clap the subdivisions but tap your foot only on the four group beginnings. This separates the larger pulse from the detailed count.
Step 4: play a short phrase
Start the loop above and play only on the first accent. Then add one note in the final group. Keep the phrase short enough that you always recognize the return to the beginning.
Step 5: stop counting aloud
Once the grouping feels stable, replace the numbers with syllables, a melody, or silent movement. Counting is a bridge toward musical feel, not the final performance.