Dynamics inside the bar
Shape the notes within the groove instead of making every stroke louder.
Dynamics inside a bar describe the relationship between stronger and quieter notes. You can change that relationship while keeping the rhythm and overall section level similar. Start with one instrument so you can hear the pattern clearly.
Make an accent audible
Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" and play eight closed hi-hat notes. First keep them at a similar quiet level. Then make the numbered beats a little stronger while the & notes stay quiet. Keep the pedal and strike area the same during this comparison.
Record both versions. You should be able to identify the accent pattern without seeing the hand. If stronger notes arrive early, reduce the contrast and work at a slower tempo.
Keep the other instruments steady
Add kick on 1 and 3 and snare on 2 and 4 as a simple 4/4 example. Listen to whether the accent survives with the drums underneath it. If the snare grows louder every time you accent the hi-hat, isolate the hands and practice keeping their levels separate.
Next try only one hi-hat accent, on the & of 3. Count through the following beat so the accent does not shorten the space before 4. This changes the groove’s emphasis; use it as an exercise before deciding whether it fits a song.
Choose an emphasis you can explain
Listen to the bass rhythm or guitar pattern and identify which notes the drum accent would reinforce. Try the passage with and without it. Keep the version that helps the arrangement, even if that means returning to even hi-hat notes.