Off-beat, or “syncopated” grooves have emphasis on the space in between the beat. A straight 4/4 beat, for example, goes “one, two, three, four.” You typically play beats one and three on the kick and beats two and four on the snare. By accenting the “and” part of the beat with the hi-hats or shakers, you draw attention to the off-beat. For example “one AND, two AND, three AND, four AND.” Chad Smith’s hi-hat accents on the track “Stone Cold Blush” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers has a distinctly off-beat groove, especially in between beats three and four, where he lets his hats sizzle slightly.
“Tight” in a groove context refers to a playing style that has minimal deviation from the tempo. In the studio, a you may play along to a metronome to stay tight to the beat. To facilitate a tight groove, you typically adjust your playing style and stylistic choices slightly. For example, closed hi-hats are much more conducive to a tight groove than loose or open hats. Crotchet patterns feel tighter than triplets, which have a natural “swing” to them. Much of the music on the album “Kick” by INXS was characterized by tight grooves and rigid rhythmical interplay.
A lazy groove is one that modulates in relation to the pulse of the tempo. The groove may start off in perfect time, only “sit back” on the beat. When rhythm players sit back, it creates the illusion that the song is dragging, as the musicians slow down and speed up to match each other. In many contexts, a lazy groove is undesirable. Some genres of music, such as funk and disco, are more open to the concept of groove interpretation. Other genres, such as Renaissance music, are stricter in their form and interpretation, leaving little room for groove.
A groove “swings” when it adopts some form of triplet pattern. A triplet is a run of three notes, typically with the accent on the first note. The original version of “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath has a moderate swing during the intro. In the Faith No More cover version, drummer Mike Bordin emphasizes the triplet pattern for a more distinct swinging groove.