Another way to work is to set up a four-bar loop and build up a groove, instrument by instrument, using your sequencer's Overdub Record mode. Quantization is the mapping of your rhythm into a particular set of timing values, such as 8th or 16th notes, with a sequencer. Quantization was initially designed to push and pull notes into strict time so that recordings would sound more professional. In fact, if this is the result you're looking for, you might as well record with a heavy quantization factor already in place. Afterward, you can either judiciously apply subtle quantization or abandon quantization altogether.
Most sequencers now offer a wide variety of quantization settings.
The highlighted selections show unquantized kick drum notes that give a live feel to MIDI tracks. It is relatively simple to look at your unquantized groove in either a grid or musical notation and physically adjust one or two hits that would benefit from editing. This kind of tweaking doesn't have to result in Swiss-watch accuracy. Moving the position of a kick drum downbeat from 000 to 002 or 003 often gives the groove a more natural give and take. You don't need to quantize every instrument within a pattern, either.