AC/DC · Immovable time, total minimalism and a pocket you can set a clock by
A rock-steady quarter-note feel underlying every groove, felt rather than counted
Practise: Play the pulse alone against a click for several minutes, checking for any drift
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutAn unwavering 8th-note hi-hat pattern that forms the backbone of most AC/DC grooves
Practise: Play the pattern at a fixed volume for five minutes without any dynamic change
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutA backbeat on 2 and 4 played at the exact same volume and placement every single time
Practise: Record yourself playing 50 backbeats in a row and check for consistency
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutA single snare or tom hit used to announce a section change, nothing more
Practise: Practise adding only one note before the downbeat, resisting the urge to add more
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutHolding tempo perfectly steady even as the band's energy and volume increase
Practise: Play along with a loud recording and check the groove hasn't rushed by the end
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutUsing an open hi-hat only exactly where the arrangement calls for it, never as decoration
Practise: Play a groove and add exactly one open hi-hat hit per chorus, no more
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutA fast, steady groove that stays rock solid underneath a fast, repetitive riff
Practise: Loop the groove for the full length of a song track without any variation
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutPlaying the exact same groove and fill combination on every single repeat, night after night
Practise: Play a short section ten times in a row and check every pass is identical
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutA slow, heavy half-time groove with total consistency, as heard on Hells Bells
Practise: Play the groove very slowly, focusing on evenness rather than power
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
WorkoutA relaxed, slightly behind-feeling groove that still stays perfectly in time overall
Practise: Play the groove focusing on relaxation in the hands without letting the tempo drift
Comes out of: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Workout