Rhythm & Time

Groove

also called “feel”also called “pocket”

The short version

The overall feel of a rhythm — the thing that makes you move.

A little more

Groove comes from the combination of which notes are played, how hard, and how exactly on or off the grid they sit. Perfectly quantized isn't automatically better.

Hear it

Why you'd careIt's the difference between a beat that's correct and a beat that's good. Chasing groove is most of beat making.

Learn next

SwingDelaying every other note so the rhythm limps in a good way.SyncopationPutting the emphasis where the beat isn't.VelocityHow hard a single note was struck, stored as a number.QuantizationSnapping notes onto the timing grid so they're perfectly in time.

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