Solo / clinician · Independence taken to its limit — four-way control, ambidexterity, gospel chops
Foundations — ambidextrous basics Building equal strength and control in both hands and both feet from day one
• Singles and doubles played equally well leading with either hand • Basic double-pedal alternation with equal strength in both feet • Paradiddle stickings practised starting on both the right and left hand Unlocks: A simple groove played identically whether led by the right or left hand
Heard in: Vitamin · The Mirror · Double Agent
Leads to: Stage 2 — Core grooves — four-way independence basics
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 80 BPM
Core grooves — four-way independence basics Each limb holding a genuinely separate part at a comfortable tempo
Carries in from: Stage 1 — Foundations — ambidextrous basics
• A kick ostinato and a separate hi-hat foot pattern run simultaneously • Hands playing a groove that ignores what the feet are doing underneath • Slow, deliberate practice with zero physical tension in any limb Unlocks: A four-way independence groove played smoothly at a slow tempo
Heard in: Vitamin · Hipnotica · Clockwork
Leads to: Stage 3 — Signature techniques — double-pedal finesse
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 76 BPM
Signature techniques — double-pedal finesse Turning the double pedal into a precise, dynamically controlled voice
Carries in from: Stage 2 — Core grooves — four-way independence basics
• Even 16th-note double-kick patterns at a controlled, quiet volume • Triplet-based double-kick groupings layered into a groove • Balancing kick dynamics against the rest of the kit at low volume Unlocks: A double-kick groove that stays musical and controlled rather than just fast
Heard in: Vitamin · Sonar · Double Agent
Leads to: Stage 4 — Fills & transitions — gospel-chop fills
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 96 BPM
Fills & transitions — gospel-chop fills Fast, clean gospel-style hand chops applied to fill vocabulary
Carries in from: Stage 3 — Signature techniques — double-pedal finesse
• Fast single-stroke fill runs around the kit with even accents • Linear fills that combine hands and feet without doubled notes • Clean transitions from a fast fill straight back into a steady groove Unlocks: A fast, clean gospel-chop fill dropped smoothly into a groove
Heard in: Sonar · Spank the Monkey · The Mirror
Leads to: Stage 5 — Advanced coordination — extreme four-way independence
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 100 BPM
Advanced coordination — extreme four-way independence Each of the four limbs playing a different subdivision simultaneously
Carries in from: Stage 4 — Fills & transitions — gospel-chop fills
• Hands playing 16th-note subdivisions while feet play an 8th-note ostinato • Swapping which limb carries the 'lead' part mid-phrase • Polyrhythmic layering (3 over 4, 5 over 4) across all four limbs Unlocks: A four-way independence exercise with the lead part switching limbs live
Heard in: Vitamin · Hipnotica · Clockwork
Leads to: Stage 6 — Song applications — solo composition vocabulary
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 88 BPM
Song applications — solo composition vocabulary Applying independence and chops inside structured solo compositions
Carries in from: Stage 5 — Advanced coordination — extreme four-way independence
• Playing a written solo section with exact fill placement • Combining double-kick finesse with hand-based melodic phrasing • Holding tight dynamic control across a full composed passage Unlocks: A full run-through of a Thomas Lang-style composed solo section
Heard in: Vitamin · Double Agent · Kiss the Sky (groove study)
Leads to: Stage 7 — Advanced song studies — odd-meter independence pieces
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 108 BPM
Advanced song studies — odd-meter independence pieces Bringing four-way independence into shifting, odd-meter material
Carries in from: Stage 6 — Song applications — solo composition vocabulary
• A 7/8 independence groove with all four limbs doing separate things • Metric shifts navigated while an ostinato holds steady underneath • Fast recognition and execution of odd-meter fills at speed Unlocks: An odd-meter independence piece played cleanly at performance tempo
Heard in: Vitamin · Hipnotica · Clockwork
Leads to: Stage 8 — Signature performances — clinic showcase pieces
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 112 BPM
Signature performances — clinic showcase pieces Combining every technique into a polished, performance-ready showcase
Carries in from: Stage 7 — Advanced song studies — odd-meter independence pieces
• A full clinic-style piece combining chops, independence and double kick • Dynamic shaping across an entire multi-section showcase • Ambidextrous switching used as a deliberate visual and musical device Unlocks: A complete clinic-style showcase piece performed start to finish
Heard in: Sonar · Spank the Monkey · Insight
Leads to: Stage 9 — Challenge workouts — independence and endurance combined
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 116 BPM
Challenge workouts — independence and endurance combined Sustaining extreme independence and double-kick speed without fatigue
Carries in from: Stage 8 — Signature performances — clinic showcase pieces
• Ten minutes of continuous four-way independence without any limb tightening • Double-kick endurance patterns held at speed across a full piece • Fast chop-based fills inserted repeatedly without losing groove feel Unlocks: A ten-minute endurance workout combining independence and double kick
Heard in: Vitamin · Hipnotica · Clockwork
Leads to: Stage 10 — Mastery — free improvisation with full independence
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 120 BPM
Mastery — free improvisation with full independence Improvising freely while drawing on the complete independence and chops vocabulary
Carries in from: Stage 9 — Challenge workouts — independence and endurance combined
• Improvising a solo that freely swaps which limb leads at any moment • Combining odd meters, polyrhythms and double-kick finesse on request • Performing a fully improvised piece indistinguishable in control from a written one Unlocks: A fully improvised solo demonstrating total four-way command
Heard in: Vitamin · Hipnotica · Clockwork
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 110 BPM
