Any block in inspiration I ever had was always solved by having a drummer to play with. Once you're there and able to have a musical interaction and understanding with the drummer, all of the theoretical stuff you've been storing up in your brain will come to expression.
The whole post from here on comes with an "in my experience" disclaimer.
Here's how working up a groove went in the bands I've been in:
1. Singer or guitarist comes in with musical idea. Plays it.
2. Drummer and I kick off a very basic accompaniment. When I say basic, I mean I'm playing the root, quarters.
3. At this point, everyone in the band is just sketching.. try out whatever comes to mind. Don't be embarrassed.. (Having the band understand this part of the process explicitly or implicitly is required for writing in this fashion)
4. Just play. Listen to you, but listen especially to everyone else. 2 parts attention to your own sound, 2 parts attention to the drummer, 1 part attention to the guitar melody/rhythm, 1 part attention to the vocalist.
5. After we've run through it a few times, the drummer and I.. without speaking.. have begun to wrap our parts around each other, playing off each other. We've begun to create the groove.
Once you have played enough with a drummer, you find that the process becomes more and more intuitive, and it happens faster and faster.
That first time that you and the drummer spontaneously play the
exact same fill is pure magic.
Actually, it continues to be pure magic every time it happens.
I guess, taken in this context, you need to realize that the musical information you've been absorbing really will come into play.
A helpful trick to you from me:
Try playing a rest (that is.. mute your strings.. be silent) on every other snare hit.. just to see what happens between you and the drummer. It makes that snare sound jump out of the mix.. and might put a smile on the drummer's face.
