Phil Rudd

≈ 96 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Immovable, iconic straight-eighth groove

Also trains:

Hi-hat consistency, Minimal fills, Backbeat consistency

Key groove:

A steady, driving groove with a hard backbeat and an unwavering hi-hat pattern

Signature fill:

A single simple pickup fill announcing the chorus, nothing more

Transition:

The groove barely changes; a small dynamic lift signals the chorus instead

Listen for:

How little actually changes between verse and chorus, and how effective that is

Training:

Total consistency on one of rock's most recognisable grooves

Challenge:

Play the whole song with the groove sounding identical on every repeat

• Intro: Iconic riff enters over a steady groove
• Verse: Driving, unwavering groove
• Chorus: Small dynamic lift, same core groove
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Groove rides out unchanged to the fade

≈ 116 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Driving, unembellished groove

Also trains:

Time consistency, Backbeat weight, Restraint

Key groove:

A straightforward, driving 8th-note groove with total consistency throughout

Signature fill:

A brief snare fill leading into the chorus, played identically each time

Transition:

A small crash accent bridges the verse into the chorus without embellishment

Listen for:

How the groove never wavers even as the energy of the song rises and falls

Training:

Time consistency across a full, high-energy rock song

Challenge:

Play the whole song with zero measurable tempo drift start to finish

• Intro: Groove and riff enter together
• Verse: Steady, driving groove
• Chorus: Same groove, slightly fuller energy
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Groove rides out to the final chord

≈ 121 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Minimal, purposeful pickup fills

Also trains:

Hi-hat consistency, Backbeat weight, Restraint

Key groove:

A driving, unwavering groove punctuated only by the smallest necessary fills

Signature fill:

A short pickup fill announcing each chorus, never varying in shape

Transition:

A brief fill bridges each section without adding unnecessary decoration

Listen for:

How the same tiny fill works every single time without ever feeling repetitive

Training:

Minimalist fill discipline within a driving groove

Challenge:

Play the whole song using only the same simple fill on every chorus entrance

• Intro: Groove enters with the driving riff
• Verse: Steady groove, no fills
• Chorus: Pickup fill launches into the hook
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Groove rides out unchanged

≈ 124 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Pocket held steady under pressure

Also trains:

Four-limb independence, Backbeat weight, Endurance

Key groove:

A driving groove that must stay locked even as the band's energy pushes hard

Signature fill:

A brief, punchy fill marking the transition into the chorus riff

Transition:

A hard crash accent bridges the tense verse into the full-band chorus

Listen for:

How the tempo never creeps up despite the song's escalating energy

Training:

Resisting tempo creep during a long, high-energy song

Challenge:

Play the whole song and check the tempo at the end matches the tempo at the start

• Intro: Groove and riff enter together at full energy
• Verse: Tense groove building anticipation
• Chorus: Full-energy groove with a punchy fill
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Full energy sustained to the final chord

≈ 133 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Fast, steady groove under a repetitive riff

Also trains:

Hi-hat consistency, Endurance, Restraint

Key groove:

A fast, driving groove that stays rock solid underneath the famous guitar riff

Signature fill:

Almost no fills — the groove itself carries the song's tension and release

Transition:

Dynamics build gradually rather than fills marking the shift into full band energy

Listen for:

How the groove supports the riff without ever trying to compete with it

Training:

Sustained hi-hat consistency at a fast tempo over a long song

Challenge:

Play the whole song with the hi-hat pattern sounding identical throughout

• Intro: Famous riff enters, groove holds it steady
• Verse: Driving groove under the riff
• Chorus: Fuller dynamics, same core groove
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Full energy sustained to the final chord

≈ 78 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Slow, heavy half-time groove

Also trains:

Weight and tone, Consistency, Restraint

Key groove:

A slow, weighty half-time groove with a huge, consistent backbeat

Signature fill:

A single heavy tom hit used sparingly for weight rather than decoration

Transition:

The bell intro gives way directly to the groove with no fanfare

Listen for:

How much weight each single hit carries in such a sparse arrangement

Training:

Playing convincingly heavy while staying totally consistent at a slow tempo

Challenge:

Play the whole song with every backbeat hit carrying the same weight

• Intro: Bell tolls before the groove enters
• Verse: Slow, heavy groove
• Chorus: Same groove, slightly fuller energy
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Groove fades on the same heavy feel

≈ 138 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Fast, tight straight-eighth drive

Also trains:

Hi-hat consistency, Endurance, Backbeat weight

Key groove:

A fast, tight groove that never loses its consistency despite the tempo

Signature fill:

A short, sharp fill leading into the chorus, unchanged on every pass

Transition:

A quick crash accent bridges the verse directly into the chorus

Listen for:

How the groove stays perfectly even even at a demanding, fast tempo

Training:

Fast-tempo hi-hat consistency and endurance

Challenge:

Play the whole song with the hi-hat sounding perfectly even from start to finish

• Intro: Fast groove enters at full energy
• Verse: Tight, driving groove
• Chorus: Full-energy groove with a sharp fill
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Full energy to the final chord

≈ 128 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Raw, live-energy groove discipline

Also trains:

Backbeat weight, Time consistency, Restraint

Key groove:

A raw, driving groove that stays disciplined even with a rough, live energy

Signature fill:

A brief, punchy fill marking the chorus entrance, kept identical throughout

Transition:

A hard backbeat accent bridges the verse straight into the chorus

Listen for:

How the groove keeps its discipline despite the raw, energetic performance

Training:

Maintaining discipline within a raw, high-energy performance

Challenge:

Play the whole song keeping the groove disciplined despite a raw, energetic feel

• Intro: Raw groove enters with the riff
• Verse: Driving, disciplined groove
• Chorus: Full-energy groove with a punchy fill
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Full energy to the final chord

≈ 150 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Fast, aggressive but disciplined drive

Also trains:

Endurance, Hi-hat consistency, Backbeat weight

Key groove:

A fast, aggressive groove that never loses its underlying discipline

Signature fill:

A quick, punchy fill leading into the chorus, played the same way every time

Transition:

A hard crash accent bridges the aggressive verse directly into the chorus

Listen for:

How aggression and discipline coexist in the same groove

Training:

Fast-tempo endurance combined with total time discipline

Challenge:

Play the whole song at tempo without the aggression causing any tempo drift

• Intro: Fast, aggressive groove enters
• Verse: Driving groove building tension
• Chorus: Full-energy groove with a punchy fill
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Full energy to the final chord

≈ 116 · 4/4

Prep with: Stage 1 — Foundations — the metronomic groove

Primary technique:

Laid-back, groove-forward pocket

Also trains:

Relaxation, Consistency, Restraint

Key groove:

A relaxed, slightly laid-back groove that still stays perfectly in time overall

Signature fill:

A minimal fill marking the chorus, kept exactly the same on every pass

Transition:

A small dynamic lift bridges the laid-back verse into the fuller chorus

Listen for:

How relaxed the groove feels while still never actually dragging

Training:

Playing relaxed without sacrificing overall time consistency

Challenge:

Play the whole song with a laid-back feel that never once actually drags the tempo

• Intro: Laid-back groove establishes the feel
• Verse: Relaxed, steady groove
• Chorus: Slightly fuller dynamics, same relaxed feel
• Bridge: Groove holds through the instrumental
• Outro: Groove fades on the same laid-back feel