5 Grooves Every Beginning Drummer Should Know

What is the most important drum groove? Well, it is the one you use the most. In my many years of playing gigs and teaching I have found that these 5 grooves serve as the core of all drumming. Yes, every beginner should know them, every intermediate player should be learning the many variations, and advanced drummers need to keep refining these iconic beats.

Here is a break down of the 5 Drum Grooves Every Beginner Should Know. Also, here is a video that demonstrates all of these grooves, which should help you master them. 

Rock/Pop

This is the drum groove that most drummers start with. It is super easy to learn and honestly, I usually teach it on the first lesson. However, to master the feel and nuance of the groove takes repetition. The rock/pop groove is simply eighth notes on the hi-hat (played with your dominant hand), two and four (backbeat) on the snare, and the bass drum is played on one and three. 

This is easily the most used groove in rock and pop music. Once you have this down, you will be able to play a ton of songs. 

Shuffle

The shuffle is all about the bounce and swing feel. I suggest listening to this section of the video above. Also, listening to songs that use this beat, such as Revolution by the Beatles or Paying the Cost to Be the Boss by B.B. King, will help you feel the shuffle groove. 

Once you have the feel down, add two and four (backbeat) to the snare. Last, play the bass drum on all four beats, but be sure to play it lightly (feathering the bass), as the most important part of the groove is the backbeat. Notice the accents on the snare (playing the backbeat) below.

Latin Pop

There are a ton of Latin grooves, but the Latin Pop groove is used a most mainstream songs today. Also, this is one of my students favorite grooves to play, as it is catchy, syncopated, and danceable. To play this dance beat, your hands play the following sticking R  LR L R  LR L. The bass drum lines up with the right hand, which is playing quarter notes. To get this feel, I suggesting listening to Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira and La Cancion by Bad Bunny. This is broken down in the video above and is notated below.

Swing/Jazz

Jazz is a genre that intimidates a lot of drummers, but in reality it is just popular dance music from the 1930s and 1940s. Yes, it can get complicated, but the core rhythm is very simple. On the ride cymbal you just play the swing rhythm, which is “spang spang a-lang spang a-lang… Once you have that down, add two and four on the hi-hat with your foot. Last, play the bass drum on all four beats lightly (feathered) and you’ve got it. 

I suggest listening to One O’Clock Jump by Count Bassie to get the basic feel of this groove. Here it is notated to help you out.

Two Beat 

The two beat is an essential groove to have in your arsenal as it can be used in a number of genres. It serves as the primary beat of country music, but it can be used in rock, polka, and even jazz. This groove is really easy, as the bass is on 1 & 3 while the snare is on 2 & 4. The cymbal is played on every beat. That is it. Two great songs that demonstrate this groove are Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash and Redneck Women by Gretchen Wilson.

Here is the notation so you can see how it lines up.

Last Thoughts

The key to getting good at these grooves is playing them over-and-over. Also, I suggest playing them with other musicians as much as possible, as this will give you a better understanding of each beat. Once you have the basics down, you can start exploring the many variations of each groove. The best place to get a ton of info in one place is in my book Tactical Drumming: Groove Survival Guide, which is focused on variations of these beats that you will actually use. Plus, you can check out YouTube videos and other tutorials on the subject. I hope this was helpful and keep drumming.

GET MORE

For more drum grooves, check out Tactical Drumming: Groove Survival Guide, which will show you a number of shuffle variations and other grooves. This can be found at https://tacticaldrumming.com or on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3Qr56pN

By John Owens, Ph.D (Author, Drummer Educator). For John's bio go to