Foundations — the metronomic groove Building a groove so steady it feels like a click track with a heartbeat
• A basic quarter-note groove played dead-on with a metronome for five minutes without drift • Even singles at low volume to build a relaxed, unhurried feel • A consistent kick drum weight on every hit, no accents Unlocks: The verse groove of Highway to Hell at half speed
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 2 — Core grooves — the straight-eighth backbone
5 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 90 BPM
Core grooves — the straight-eighth backbone The driving straight-eighth hi-hat groove that underpins most of AC/DC's catalogue
Carries in from: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove
• A steady 8th-note hi-hat pattern with zero variation in volume or timing • A hard, consistent backbeat on 2 and 4 that never wavers • Locking the kick drum pattern tightly with the bass guitar feel Unlocks: The main groove of Back in Black
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 3 — Signature techniques — total hi-hat consistency
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 96 BPM
Signature techniques — total hi-hat consistency Making the hi-hat pattern so even it disappears into the groove
Carries in from: Stage 2 — Core grooves — the straight-eighth backbone
• Hi-hat consistency exercises at varying tempos without any dynamic drift • Open-hi-hat accents used only exactly where the song calls for them • Practising the same groove for extended periods without losing focus Unlocks: The hi-hat groove throughout Thunderstruck's main riff section
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 4 — Fills & transitions — minimal, purposeful fills
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 133 BPM
Fills & transitions — minimal, purposeful fills Using the smallest possible fill to mark a section change
Carries in from: Stage 3 — Signature techniques — total hi-hat consistency
• A single well-placed snare fill that announces a chorus without decoration • Restraint — resisting the urge to add extra notes to a simple fill • Fills that land exactly on beat one with total confidence Unlocks: The simple pickup fills through You Shook Me All Night Long
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 5 — Advanced coordination — pocket under pressure
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 121 BPM
Advanced coordination — pocket under pressure Keeping the groove immovable even as guitars and volume increase
Carries in from: Stage 4 — Fills & transitions — minimal, purposeful fills
• Holding tempo steady while playing along with a loud, driving guitar track • Four-limb independence to keep hi-hat, kick and snare each perfectly steady • Resisting tempo creep during long, high-energy sections Unlocks: Holding the groove through the full length of Whole Lotta Rosie
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 6 — Song applications — Back in Black era
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 124 BPM
Song applications — Back in Black era Putting minimalism and immovable time into full song arrangements
Carries in from: Stage 5 — Advanced coordination — pocket under pressure
• Back in Black's iconic groove held perfectly steady start to finish • Hells Bells' slow, weighty groove with total consistency • You Shook Me All Night Long's driving, unwavering pocket Unlocks: A full run-through of Back in Black
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 7 — Advanced song studies — Highway to Hell era
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 96 BPM
Advanced song studies — Highway to Hell era Applying the same discipline to earlier, rawer AC/DC arrangements
Carries in from: Stage 6 — Song applications — Back in Black era
• Highway to Hell's driving, unembellished groove • Girls Got Rhythm's fast, tight straight-eighth drive • If You Want Blood (You've Got It)'s raw, live-energy groove Unlocks: Highway to Hell played through with total time consistency
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 8 — Signature performances — Thunderstruck and The Razors Edge
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 116 BPM
Signature performances — Thunderstruck and The Razors Edge Sustaining immovable time through longer, more intense arena arrangements
Carries in from: Stage 7 — Advanced song studies — Highway to Hell era
• Thunderstruck's driving groove held rock steady beneath the famous riff • Fire Your Guns' fast, aggressive but disciplined drive • Moneytalks' laid-back, groove-forward pocket Unlocks: Thunderstruck's main groove locked in from start to finish
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 9 — Challenge workouts — arrangement discipline
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 133 BPM
Challenge workouts — arrangement discipline Playing exactly the same part every time through, night after night
Carries in from: Stage 8 — Signature performances — Thunderstruck and The Razors Edge
• Repeating an identical groove and fill combination ten times in a row with no variation • Sustaining total hi-hat consistency across an entire long setlist • Resisting any urge to add extra fills or fills that were not part of the original part Unlocks: Playing Whole Lotta Rosie identically on every single pass
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
Leads to: Stage 10 — Mastery — playing with Rudd's discipline
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 124 BPM
Mastery — playing with Rudd's discipline Applying total minimalism and immovable time to any song, in any style
Carries in from: Stage 9 — Challenge workouts — arrangement discipline
• Stripping any groove down to its simplest, most effective form • Holding perfect time on any song regardless of tempo or energy • Free improvisation that still demonstrates total restraint and discipline Unlocks: Improvising a Rudd-style minimal groove over any song on request
Heard in: Back in Black · Highway to Hell · You Shook Me All Night Long
6 part session · warm-up, build, push, apply · from 110 BPM
