Groove = Time + Flow

Playing in the pocket refers to groove.

Time is constant. Flow is largely due to rhythmic interpretation which is a huge part of style.

Rhythmic interpretation is which beats are emphasized and which beats lead to other beats. 1/x https://twitter.com/aznpix/status/1354053356361297920

Flow is also a lot like spoken language.

In order to speak a foreign language fluently you need to not only pronounce things correctly but also learn new, nuanced sounds, the weight of certain words and the emphasis of certain syllables within different contexts. 2/x

You then need to take all of that nuance and put it into sentences that flow well. And the flow of different styles of music is just as varied as the flow of different languages around the world. Some are quite percussive. Some are not. 3/x

The reason why an angel loses its wings almost every time a jam band attempts reggae is because they haven't taken the time to get fluent at the language of reggae: the articulations, the releases, the weight, etc. All of that is the flow part of groove/pocket. 4/x

If I play a B-flat blues with the same note beginnings, endings and weight as I play a Bach Cello Suite, even if the time is perfect the groove/pocket will be atrocious. And vice versa.

Each musical style is like its own language and you have to immerse yourself in it first. 5/x

Lastly, this is intentionally an oversimplification. Strictly defined styles are not set and certainly not exclusive of one another. Using the language analogy, there is an infinite number of dialects across and even within styles.

Great question, @aznpix! 6/6