How long does it take you to find the groove?

I notice that I can't always start off a song in the right feel, and actually over the course of a song, I might change the feel a bit more than is appropriate. I'm happy with the way I'm grooving but sometimes it takes a minute or 2 for things to get cooking, this isn't always the case but let's say I'm on stage or the camera's rolling, it's much more noticeable then. Not sure if it's all perception but one example might be getting things to swing, or finding awkwardness accenting the hi-hat, or relaxing into the music.

I have only just observed this with myself so I haven't tried to see this in other players but does anyone else experience this?

Maybe just another one of those unspoken milestones in a drummers development. Now that I'm aware of it I can work on it.

Feel of the song is always the most important part of playing for me. Only time it takes me a bit is if I've never heard the song that just got called before. Sometimes it takes me several verse/chorus parts to figure out what the feel is supposed to be and lock in; and I feel like the worst drummer in the world when I'm on-beat but not providing the right feel or texture. Even extremely simple stuff, take Billie Jean for example... One of the simplest songs out there. Straight up money beat, but: if you don't get the right feel to that groove, it sounds wrong, even with the notes in the right place.

.46 seconds

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For a tune I've heard a thousand times- pretty much land on it feet-first.

For a tune I've never heard, there's factors such as "can the singer phrase comfortably?" or "does the tune unfold/uncoil in a way that glorifies the music?" That can be a fairly quick process, or it can take many practices for the tune to "bake".

Fifty-eight years and counting.

Interesting. Maybe 'cos I'm not as coordinated or something. I would say that I'm highly concious of the way my arms and the rest of my body feels and I know when things are just right and when they're not. It's probably because I think about it to begin with. A bit like that story of the caterpillar trying to be conscious of each leg and not being able to walk.

The first note, if I'm warmed up and prepared for the tempo and feel. Otherwise, it could be ugly.

For some people like myself, groove needs to be learned. I wasn't born with it. I had many, many years where I was basically ignorant to the concept. Finally about 2007, at age 49, I started to understand. It started happening slowly, and it's been evolving ever since. Now I feel it's the most important goal of the songs I play.

As far as how long does it take? Not long. It's the very first thing I try and pull out of the song. It's not that hard considering the music I play. But finding a groove in 21/16? Talk to Bill Ray if you need that.

Actually finding the groove and locking into a groove depends a great deal on how well the other musicians play.
If you, the drummer, are locked into the groove but nobody else in the band is locked in with you, are you really in the groove?

Your question assumes there is a groove that exists in a song. (If you are practicing with a recorded song, then yes the groove of the song already exists.)

In live music, the groove is created by you and the bass player.
Also, the other members of the band can prevent you from being in the groove.


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