How KlueWorld Builds Creative and Dynamic Drum Grooves

In this exclusive Guitar Center lesson, drummer, musical director and podcaster KlueWorld demonstrates how to arrange drum parts to grow naturally throughout a song. Drawing on years of experience playing in church, he explains how thoughtful use of drum fills, cymbal choices, dynamics and kick patterns can transform a simple beat into a compelling musical journey.

"You want to take people on a journey and give them a true experience of how music has its many colors and movements," he says.

Start Sparse

Some drummers often feel the need to fill measures with cymbals, toms and fills from the very beginning of a song. KlueWorld encourages a more restrained approach.

"The way to best embellish and grow a song is to think ‘less is more,’" he explains. "You want to build a surface for everything to grow on."

Think in Tiers

KlueWorld uses a tier system for arranging drum parts.

“You have your cymbals as your top tier, your toms as your middle and your kick at the bottom,” he explains. “Sometimes, you have to figure out which one you want to shift or move. For example, as this demo went further on, I added toms and started to shift my kick, because my top tier—the cymbals—had already been planted. Using the tier system allows you to build the song and the formula within yourself—not just as being the metronome, but also as the creatives as we are as producers and music makers ourselves.”

Always Leave Space for the Music

KlueWorld feels one of the biggest mistakes drummers make is giving away too much too early.

"If you're playing every note through all of the song," he says, "you won't get a chance to let people hear all those beautiful and subtle drum elements. Whether you decide to use ghost notes or add to the cymbals or kick, you want to add layers that start to push and move the song along without overwhelming it."

Why KlueWorld Played an Alesis Strike Max for the Demo

Throughout the lesson, KlueWorld uses the Alesis Strike Max electronic drum kit—a Guitar Center exclusive—to demonstrate how different drum and cymbal sounds can inspire new grooves, enhanced arrangements and dynamic ideas.

“You want to give people a true experience of how music has its many colors and its many movements,” he says.

The Alesis Strike Max is an excellent foundation for this approach, because changing drum sounds is as simple as selecting another preset. This electronic drum kit features 440 onboard sounds—including a collection of authentic Zildjian cymbal samples—40 preset kits, 80 play-along tracks, USB and MIDI connectivity, Bluetooth Audio and mesh drum heads.

Grow Your Groove

Every drummer should aspire to tell a story with their rhythmic arrangements. Whether your creative vehicle of choice is an electronic drum kit or an acoustic set—or if you’re looking to expand your groove repertoire with additional percussion instruments—we can help guide you to the right stuff. Our Guitar Center Gear Advisers can make helpful recommendations for groove-embellishing gear, and it’s always fun and educational to stop by your local Guitar Center to try things out, talk to our associates or even share ideas with other drummers who happen to be in the store. If you're looking to take your drumming to the next level, be sure to check out our lessons and get set up with an instructor near you.