Westhawk
After listening to a few helpful hints from my ever so patient and unfailingly supportive captain and struggling perhaps a little less each leg, I learned to anticipate the command bar movements and began to feel as though I could predict their movements well enough so that the bars followed just slightly behind me instead of the other way around. Cappy said whatever you're doing, keep doing it because you found the secret to flying pax without making them sick! Now learn to stay ahead of the speed trends and you'll really be on your way to learning this beast and flying accurately with or without the FD.
And for me that was the key. If you always know what the FD is going to command and when, then you become the master rather than a replacement for the AP servos. I've heard the FD called the electronic flight instructor. Well, maybe at first but I prefer the idea of using the FD to confirm what you already know rather than just following it's cues like a puppy dog trailing it's master. Altitude and course/heading captures are accomplished with smoothness, accuracy and confidence when you're just a bit ahead of the yellow birdie. I've heard this technique referred to as "looking through the FD" too.
Excellently said.