What does it take to play modern music in 3/4? How do we find the right groove to fit without sounding like a drum machine in this simple yet odd time signature? Today, we will dive into six groove ideas to get you more comfortable playing in 3. At the end, I have included a YouTube playlist with 15 more ideas.
In This Article
Understanding 3/4 Time
The Basics of 3/4
The 3 means there are three beats to a measure. The 4 means the quarter note gets the pulse.
Open The Basics of 3/4 in the Beat Note app to change the tempo
Six Groove Ideas With A 3/4 Feel
Versatile 8th Note Pattern
3/4 Versatile 8th Groove
Feel the weight of beat one and how this groove bobs up and down between the one and the three.
Open 3/4 Versatile 8th Groove in the Beat Note app to change the tempo
Triplet Groove with Side Stick
3/4 Triplet Groove
Perfect for slow dancing in 3. Can you hear how the sidestick adds a bit of class and finesse?
Open 3/4 Triplet Groove in the Beat Note app to change the tempo
Triplet Shuffle for Pop/Country
3/4 Triplet Shuffle Groove
Stock triplet shuffle groove for pop and country.
Open 3/4 Triplet Shuffle Groove in the Beat Note app to change the tempo
Modern 16th Note Pattern
3/4 16th Groove
16th hats with a solid backbeat on every two. This groove sounds great with one hand on the hats, but feel free to alternate.
Open 3/4 16th Groove in the Beat Note app to change the tempo
Two-Handed Dance Groove
3/4 Dance Groove
Here’s a hypnotic little groove in 3. Use both hands on the hat for a natural feel.
Open 3/4 Dance Groove in the Beat Note app to change the tempo
Syncopated 3/4 Groove (Advanced!)
3/4 Syncopated Groove
Here is a bit of a challenge. The ostinato on the hats is common, but the coordination to play this in 3 might take you a minute. Take your time and work through slowly iron out the mechanics.
Open 3/4 Syncopated Groove in the Beat Note app to change the tempo
Are 3/4 And 6/8 The Same?
There are slight differences between 3/4 and 6/8. The feel and meter of music determine these subtle differences. 3/4 tends to have the feel of a waltz or has a distinct feel of 3, whereas 6/8 can feel like it is in a slow two or sometimes even more like a blues. Don’t forget, music notation and its rules were created to define and explain the sounds we create, not the other way around, so sometimes the rules are quite relative. For example, we can technically notate a piece in 6/8 in 3/4. The critical difference is the feel of the song will still be in 6. This concept also applies to 6/8 versus 12/8. The feel generally determines the relative and most accessible time signature to use. Think of this concept as applied to 4/4 versus 2/4. We can write a standard 4/4 groove out in 2/4, which is technically correct, but the feel would remain in 4.
Wrap-Up
There are an endless amount of groove variations to explore. I hope these groove ideas helped get you started on your journey and more comfortable playing in 3! For a few more groove ideas, check out this YouTube playlist I have compiled:
Happy Drumming!
-Z