Revised from a Drummer Cafe article

Hello

Q. I've been in a slump lately and don't feel like practicing drums. What can I do?
A. It's a common problem. We get bogged down with other tasks and can become distracted about what's important to us. Or sometimes we have to establish the “habit” of practicing. This can cause us to lose some fire. Try setting specific goals for yourself. When you're under a deadline to meet those goals you'll often get much more accomplished. Take lessons with a teacher or buy a new piece of gear. Buy a new CD with your favorite drummer blowing chops or laying down amazing grooves. Go to drum clinics and hang out with great musicians that you aspire to play like. All these things will help you get keep you motivated about practicing and playing drums again.

“Groove” or Pocket” (Ahead - Middle - Behind) the Beat)

I suggest that you record yourself and listen back. It's THE way to learn and understand this part of the feel.
You can use the first cut, as I do with my students the “Straight Eighths", from Dave Weckl's Ultimate Play-Along CD - Volume 1 to experiment with this. This is a quick sample of the track – Click here to listen!

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To develop one's pocket in time keeping, it's important that we realize that the pulse of the music is actually very wide. There's not just one point in time where a pulse, such at the quarter-note in 4/4 or Common Time, exists rather it encompasses numerous milliseconds. To better understand this, look at a Flam. The grace note occurs just slightly ahead of the fundamental note, making a fuller sound. We still hear the Flam occurring within the pulse, even though the left and right hand strokes do not strike the surface at the same point in time. We all seem to gravitate to the position within the pulse so as to create a balanced feel ... while still giving of sense of "driving on top", "sitting down the middle" or "laying back".
Different styles and genres of music have different relationships as to this placement. In up-tempo Latin music, for example, I tend to hear the drums playing more on in front and the bass landing in the middle to front. The other instruments fall somewhere on or between the middle and front of the pulse. This is one of the few genres that feels like a boat is going to tip over ... it would be realized in musical terms as rushing or just falling apart. In the a lot of Pop music, the drums lay back and the bass is more down the middle. The guitar, keys and vocals are on top to down the middle. Again, creating it’s own feel.
How does all of this apply to “groove” or having a “pocket” in our time keeping? Take the concept of "balance" and adapt it to the drum set by looking at the placement of the three common time-keeping voices; the bass drum, Snare and Hihat.
If we take all three and put them all ahead of the pulse, it doesn't automatically mean that we're rushing, but it does mean that we run the risk of doing so. The same can be said when we place everything in the back of the pulse. Anytime you place yourself on the far edge of the pulse, you are getting into a dangerous area. Why? As time keepers, getting on the edge, whether it be in the front or back of the pulse, we run the risk of going over ... flipping the beat over by rushing or dragging ... which ruins the time flow.
I demonstrate this in my clinics by playing along to a pre-recorded track. Even though the rest of the instruments don't move, creating a variety of feelings by laying back on the backbeats, playing dead on, or playing ahead. Slight placement differences between the bass drum and bass player can create some interesting results...
Now ... there's a danger in getting analytical. It can start messing with your mind, destroy the groove, and get away from what it's all really about ... the music.
All of this talk is controversial; some agree and some disagree. You have to come up with your own opinion, and do what works for you.