Groove (music)

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In popular music groove, used in the sense of rhythm, is a term for metre and its embellishment by a rhythm section. Richard Middleton (1999) describes, "the concept of groove – a term now theorized by analysts but long familiar in musicians' own usage – marks an understanding of rhythmic patterning that underlies its role in producing the characteristic rhythmic 'feel' of a piece, a feel created by a repeating framework within which variation can then take place."

"Groove", in terms of pattern sequencing, is also known as "shuffle" - where there is deviation from exact step positions.

Beyond this generality, the "groove" interpretation technique is widely attributed to James Brown's drummers Clyde Stubblefield and Jabo Starks, traditional Jamaican Reggae and African music, and consists of an interpretation and a syncopation of a binary rhythm in soul music by the rhythm section, even though it has reached many other genres. This particular technique is very well explained and documented in a video from Mike Clark (drums) and Paul Jackson (bass).

Apart from technical discriptions, groove is the part of the song that makes you wanna dance. You can feel groove. "..even the people who can't dance wanna feel like dancing, thats where groove comes in."-Steve Telehus

[edit] Sources

• Middleton, Richard (1999). Form. Key Terms in Popular Music and Culture. Malden, Massachusetts. ISBN 0-631-21263-9.

• Mike Clark and Paul Jackson - Rhythm Combination (1992)