It was difficult to play my beat while others were playing offbeat. I've always had difficulties keeping rhythm and with others messing up, it made it even more difficult. I believe that is also much easier to play the song and try to zone out everybody else, but then you don't hear the break.
A trick i used to help myself stay on beat was to sing the notes in my head like Baba PC said to do. I also tapped my foot to a steady pace that was going the same pace as the song.