These patterns or grooves are played on many percussion instruments, like Surdo, Tamborim, Repinique, among others, and may sometimes even include the voices. There are many versions of samba grooves. Some of the traditional and widely known samba grooves are:
- Samba Pura
- Samba Dengo
- Samba Reggae
- Partido Alto.
Usually, the Surdo establishes a basic rhythm that is accompanied by other percussion instruments. In traditional Rio samba, the Surdo is most commonly played on two skins: the larger and brighter pele (head), which is hit with a wooden mallet (baqueta), on the lower tones; and the smaller and heavier resposta (answer), which is hit on the higher-pitched notes with a stick.
The patterns, or grooves, played on the various instruments are generally based on the underlying 2/4 time signature of samba. While in some versions of the samba grooves a pattern or groove may span over several bars, in most popular samba grooves, the various patterns tend to be based on an 8-beat phrase, which in some versions may be slightly syncopated. Each phrase would end before the beginning of the next, creating a consistent sense of pulse.