The HEARTBEAT of Music

It starts when the baby is growing inside the mother, the steady thump-thump that never stops, creating the security that life itself depends upon.  Add the mother's footsteps and then the rocking that comforts the newborn -- from the very beginning, rhythm is a primal desire.

So it's no wonder, when it comes to music, that we crave that pulse.  At the same time the pattern-seeking part of the brain listens for a pleasing rhythm and then wants to hear it again, finding reassurance in that repetition; this is what musicians call "the groove", and both the player and the listener can feel it.  When the groove is consistent and committed, the brain can relax and pay attention to the other musical elements: melody, lyric, emotion, etc.  If it's not, we are uneasy and stressed, sometimes consciously, and sometimes unconsciously.

One common misconception among less experienced players is that a groove needs to be fancy or complicated.  Actually, a simple groove is often the most effective accompaniment.  This is especially useful to know if you are accompanying yourself, playing and singing at the same time.  It just makes sense that the simpler your rhythmic pattern, the less you'll be distracted and the more you can focus on singing.

And speaking of distraction, another common problem is not even having a rhythmic pattern in the first place, let alone playing it well.  This means your brain is constantly trying to figure out what you're doing (and the audience is, as well!), all while you're trying to remember the lyric, hit the right notes in the melody, express the emotion of the song, as well as - oh, yeah - smile every once in a while.

If you're a guitar player, try thinking about your strumming as if you were a drummer -- it's your job to create a musical rhythm, not just flail around and hope for the best. 

So for everybody's sake, get in the groove -- you'll have more fun and your audience will thank you :)

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