Solo · Odd-subdivision groove writer — quintuplets, septuplets and hybrid grooves that still feel like pop
Foundations — clean subdivision control Getting comfortable feeling subdivisions beyond straight 8ths and 16ths
• Even singles and doubles at a range of tempos • Basic accent control moved around the snare and toms • Steady quarter-note pulse held internally without a click crutch Unlocks: The basic groove pulse under Alter Ego
Heard in: Extrovert · Abbey Road Medley (live arrangement) · Waiting 2
Leads to: Stage 2 — Core grooves — hybrid hands and feet
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 85 BPM
Core grooves — hybrid hands and feet Building grooves that split a pattern unusually between limbs
Carries in from: Stage 1 — Foundations — clean subdivision control
• Snare and kick trading a 16th-note pattern between them • Hi-hat foot used as a genuine voice, not just timekeeping • Ghost notes filling gaps left by the hybrid split Unlocks: The verse groove in Wobble Frame
Heard in: Wobble Frame · Waiting 2 · Yala
Leads to: Stage 3 — Signature techniques — quintuplet phrasing
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 92 BPM
Signature techniques — quintuplet phrasing Making five-note groupings feel as natural as a straight beat
Carries in from: Stage 2 — Core grooves — hybrid hands and feet
• Quintuplets sung and counted before being played • Quintuplet fills dropped into a straight groove without rushing • Displacement of the backbeat using five-note groupings Unlocks: The signature fill in Alter Ego
Heard in: Alter Ego · Perpetual Free · Extrovert
Leads to: Stage 4 — Septuplet phrasing and odd fills
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 96 BPM
Septuplet phrasing and odd fills Extending odd-grouping vocabulary to sevens without losing the pocket
Carries in from: Stage 3 — Signature techniques — quintuplet phrasing
• Septuplet groupings played cleanly at a slow tempo • Odd-meter-style fills built from sevens resolving into 4/4 • Combining fives and sevens inside the same phrase Unlocks: The bridge fill sequence in Perpetual Free
Heard in: Alter Ego · Perpetual Free · Mono Poly
Leads to: Stage 5 — Groove writing — melodic orchestration
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 100 BPM
Groove writing — melodic orchestration Treating the whole kit as a melodic instrument inside a groove
Carries in from: Stage 4 — Septuplet phrasing and odd fills
• Orchestrated groove moving accents around snare, toms and cymbals • Open hi-hat used dynamically as a colour inside the groove • Tom voices integrated into the main pattern, not just fills Unlocks: The main groove of Puzzle
Heard in: Alter Ego · Wobble Frame · Puzzle
Leads to: Stage 6 — Fills & transitions — musical fill writing
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 100 BPM
Fills & transitions — musical fill writing Writing fills that feel like the next line of a melody, not a burst of chops
Carries in from: Stage 5 — Groove writing — melodic orchestration
• Composing a fill that answers the groove's phrase directly • Linear fills that keep an odd-grouping feel without confusing the listener • Smooth transitions back into the groove with no seams Unlocks: The fill into the final chorus of Alter Ego
Heard in: Alter Ego · Perpetual Free · Extrovert
Leads to: Stage 7 — Advanced independence — four-limb odd patterns
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 100 BPM
Advanced independence — four-limb odd patterns Layering odd subdivisions across all four limbs at once
Carries in from: Stage 6 — Fills & transitions — musical fill writing
• Kick ostinato in 4 with hands phrasing in 5 over the top • Four-limb independence exercises played at increasing tempo • Switching the odd-grouping voice between hands and feet mid-phrase Unlocks: The independence section in Puzzle
Heard in: Alter Ego · Puzzle · Perpetual Free
Leads to: Stage 8 — Song applications — full arrangements
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 96 BPM
Song applications — full arrangements Playing complete pieces with odd subdivisions embedded in the groove throughout
Carries in from: Stage 7 — Advanced independence — four-limb odd patterns
• Alter Ego from groove through fill through outro • Wobble Frame's hybrid verse groove sustained for the full form • Dynamics shaped across a whole piece, not just within one section Unlocks: A full run-through of Alter Ego
Heard in: Alter Ego · Puzzle · Extrovert
Leads to: Stage 9 — Challenge workouts — speed and precision
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 104 BPM
Challenge workouts — speed and precision Pushing odd-subdivision vocabulary up to performance tempo cleanly
Carries in from: Stage 8 — Song applications — full arrangements
• Quintuplet fills played cleanly at a fast tempo • Hybrid grooves sustained without drifting off the pocket • Rapid switching between straight and odd-grouping feels Unlocks: The full-speed groove-and-fill cycle in Perpetual Free
Heard in: Alter Ego · Perpetual Free · Extrovert
Leads to: Stage 10 — Mastery — composing your own grooves
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 118 BPM
Mastery — composing your own grooves Using the full vocabulary to write original hybrid grooves and fills
Carries in from: Stage 9 — Challenge workouts — speed and precision
• Composing an original groove using odd subdivisions and hybrid sticking • Improvising a melodic fill that answers a given groove • Applying Nilles-style phrasing to any backing track on request Unlocks: Improvising a full Nilles-style groove-and-fill section from scratch
Heard in: Alter Ego · Puzzle · Perpetual Free
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 100 BPM
