Fusion: Funky Synchronizations
For a groove to get somebody’s head bobbin’ it needs to be played in focus with solid, steady time. By “in focus” I mean that all the limbs must synchronize. That way the groove you’re playing is as strong as it can be. That doesn’t mean that you have to play computer-perfect sixteenth-notes. They can have swing or whatever grease you want to put on them. But all limbs should be agreeing on the timing. And in a lot of young drummers I see problems arise here when the left hand and right foot need to synchronize. They tend to create a flam between the two limbs and the groove gets a bit blurry. These exercises are just a few possibilities but a good place to start. By playing an alternating sticking ride pattern on the hi-hat all the e’s and ahs played on the bass drum align with the left hand. Start really slow and make sure you hear and feel the limbs lining up.
