When you’re playing with other musicians, your top priority is to be the dedicated time keeper. No flash, no chops; just good, solid groove. JP Bouvet, drummer for Childish Japes and Guitar Center’s 2011 Drum-Off Champion, is here to talk to you about the four most important grooves you need to have locked down if you play in a band.
If you feel you’re always playing the same thing and struggle to come up with fresh ideas, this is going to help get you out of that rut.
Here are the four grooves:
So why are these four in particular so important? They seem fairly simple, right? A better way to look at each of these is to see them as a musical “setting” rather than stand-alone beats. Within each setting you have endless options such as freeing up your kick drum, experiment with placing ghost notes in different spots, moving the back beat around, and adding embellishments. There are infinite possibilities.
98% of the things you play with a band will be based around these four ideas which is why it’s so important that you’re comfortable playing and exploring within each. Watch the video above to get great musical examples of these grooves in action. Notice how each have their own extremely unique feel!
Want some ideas on what to add to these grooves? Click here to learn some of your options.
Drumeo Team - We're professional, award-winning drummers and drum teachers, coaches, recording artists, and content specialists who are passionate about drums and helping drummers around the world. This post was written and/or edited by Sam Landa, Brandon Toews, Jared Falk, Dave Atkinson, or another pro on our team (which has a combined 1000+ years of drumming experience). Are you looking for inspiration, education, and support to take your playing to the next level? Join the Drumeo community today!
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