This excerpt is taken from the complete article that appears in the November 2016 issue, which is available here.
It might initially seem strange using the term “groove” in conversations about patterns based in odd subdivisions. But examples of these phrases being used in popular music are abundant. A perfect song to demonstrate this concept is Snoop Dogg’s track “Protocol,” from More Malice, which is clearly phrased in septuplets.
The septuplet note placement in the groove in “Protocol” creates some interesting aspects within the feel. Using this subdivision allows the final kick in each beat to be placed slightly later in the measure than if you were using 16th-note triplets. Also, the hi-hat placement falls roughly on the first three 16th notes of the beat, but the notes are slightly skewed, which creates a lazy, swung bounce with a unique twist.
For the complete lesson with transcriptions, check out the Novemberber 2016 issue, which is available here.