The Groove Vault: Syncopate the 11/8

A breakdown of Syncopate the 11/8.

Welcome to a new series here on the site. This year marks my 50th year of drumming, a journey that started with my uncle and mentor, Devon, who first learned from my grandfather. Over the last five decades of playing, performing, teaching, and producing, I have developed and absorbed a massive amount of technical knowledge, and enjoy passing it down. Moving forward, I will be sharing drum transcriptions, breaking down the mechanics of grooves, patterns, and techniques that you can take straight to the kit.

Welcome to the first installment of drum transcriptions here in The Groove Vault. Today we are looking at a groove that focuses on turning an 11/8 pattern into a funky, syncopated groove. Click on the image to open up a larger photo.

The Notation for Syncopate the 11/8

Complexity Rating: 6 out of 10

The Breakdown

When approaching this pattern, pay close attention to the ghost notes on the snare as well as hi-hat placement. The key to making it sit comfortably in the pocket is regulating the dynamics carefully. Let the weight of the kick and snare accents land without playing over the top while keeping the hi-hat and ghost notes on the snare fairly understated.

Start it slowly at a tempo where you cannot make a mistake, and gradually bring it up to speed. Don’t rush the groove or else it goes from groovy to busy work. 170-190 bpm is ideal.

You can hear the groove below by pressing the play button.

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