How can I improve my drum groove?
Playing a drum note just before the true beat, or just after the true beat, is a fantastic way to add heaps of groove to even the simplest beat. Questlove, the drummer for The Roots is incredible at this. Practice this technique with a metronome, it will take time to develop but is well worth the investment in time.
- Practice with a metronome or click track.
- Try practicing at different tempos.
- Alternate playing and stopping.
- Practice your fills.
- Play along to recordings.
- Record yourself playing.
- Try a time keeping app or drum time keeping software.
In drumming, a groove is a repeated phrase that sets and maintains the rhythm and tempo of the piece. Grooves and fills are the main components of the music played on a drum kit, and together with basic techniques or rudiments such as flams make up the curriculum for learning to play the drum kit.
According to the lyrics of the 1967 hit, the ingredients that make up a good groove are simple: "half a teacup of bass" and "a pound of fat-back drums." Just about anyone with a heartbeat will have feet tapping by then. Shortly after, the drums really kick in, and Curtis's saxophone takes off.
...
How to Develop Groove in Your Playing
- Count with the Music. ...
- Move to the Music. ...
- Loosen Up. ...
- Drummer's Dance. ...
- Jam with Others. ...
- Learn to Listen. ...
- Use Eye Contact.
- Play with Recordings of Recognized Masters. Trying to lock into the groove of James Brown's rhythm section can be very instructive. ...
- Move While You Play. ...
- Count Rhythms Aloud While You Play Them. ...
- Keep the Beat Going.
- Recognize Tempi. ...
- Constant Counting with Subdivisions.
- Intentionally practice rhythm. ...
- Spend time improvising. ...
- Avoid “click fatigue” ...
- Play with a real drummer. ...
- Condition your senses. ...
- “Whiplash“ trouble spots. ...
- Rest! ...
- Play rhythmic “Double Dutch”
A beginner drummer should practice at least 30 minutes a day, and an advanced drummer should practice at least one hour a day. If drummers practice these amounts of hours a day they will progress steadily and in time become proficient at their craft.
In popular music, groove is often defined as the music's ability to make people dance, nod their head, or move in some other way. In classical music, groove is more about stimulating an emotional response from the audience. Does the music sound sad, joyful, pensive, aggressive, etc.?
The "groove" would be created by varying other notes in each measure in a subtle fashion. Which notes to vary in time, and by what degree, is what creates different kinds of grooves. The term "groove" first came into play in mid-to-late African-American styles such as R&B ("Rhythm and Blues") and later funk.
Can you train your sense of rhythm?
You can improve your sense of rhythm by paying attention to certain things in music. Most popular forms of music rely on only a few time signatures, so if you know what they are and how to count them, you will have covered a lot of ground already in learning to hear rhythm.
People often tend to believe they have no rhythm or that drumming just requires too much natural talent, but this is not true. As is the case with any musical instrument, anyone can learn with enough practice and the right amount of discipline.
People who play drums regularly for years differ from unmusical people in their brain structure and function. The results of a new study suggest that they have fewer, but thicker fibers in the main connecting tract between the two halves of the brain. In addition, their motor brain areas are organized more efficiently.
Learning to drum will absolutely have a huge impact on your skills of rhythm and timing. Although this certainly isn't the only reason to pick up the sticks, it's the most appealing benefit for many. Having strong rhythmic skills and a steady “internal clock” are transferable across every instrument.