A simple beat — kick, a snare on 2 and 4, a steady hi-hat — supports the voice instead of competing with it. Then let the drums shape the song.

  1. Into a chorus: a fill in the bar before, a crash on its first beat, an open hi-hat, a fuller kick.
  2. Second time round: add a shaker, a tambourine or claps.
  3. For a bridge or breakdown: drop the drums, or keep only the hi-hat — when they come back, the last chorus feels huge.
  4. Syncopation made easy: sing or play an important note half a beat early. Push just a few moments; if everything is pushed, nothing is.