Four limbs.
Four independent voices.
The hardest part isn't speed — it's keeping a steady ride going while the left hand and both feet do something else entirely. DrumShed's polyrhythm drill, pattern editor, and beat builder pull the limbs apart one at a time.
Build independence systematically
Polyrhythm drill
Two independent rhythms at once — 8 preset ratios from 3:2 up to 5:3, or dial either side of the ratio wheel up to 16. Start with hands only, then add the feet.
Pattern editor
Build patterns where each limb plays a different rhythm. The grid makes complex independence patterns visual and editable.
Beat builder
The guided wizard sets cymbal, snare, kick, and hi-hat foot on separate tracks. Practice the coordination inside a groove you'd actually play, not a dry exercise.
Hi-hat foot patterns
The beat builder includes dedicated hi-hat foot steps. Build foot independence into your grooves.
AI complexity
Ask the AI for 'groove with independent hi-hat foot ostinato.' It generates patterns that build independence naturally.
Per-voice editing
Every limb gets its own row in the grid editor. Mute a voice, simplify its line, or move one hit at a time — isolate exactly the limb that's dragging.
Three independence exercises
One moving part at a time. The ostinato limb should get boring — that's how you know it's automatic.
Ride ostinato, wandering snare
Ride 8ths · snare walks the 16th gridKeep straight eighths on the ride and play one snare note per bar — on beat 2 for four bars, then on the e of 2, then the & of 2, then the a. Work the snare through all sixteen positions. Start at 60 BPM; the ride should not flinch when the snare lands off the grid line it wants.
Hi-hat foot under paradiddles
RLRR LRLL + HH foot on 2 & 4Hands play paradiddles on the snare, hi-hat foot stomps 2 and 4. The foot wants to follow your accents — don't let it. 55 BPM to start, up 5 at a time to 80. Then move the foot to all four quarter notes.
3:2 kick against hats
Polyrhythm drill, 3:2 presetLoad the 3:2 preset in the polyrhythm drill. Hands play the two-side on the hats, kick plays the three-side. Listen a few cycles before you play, then turn the drill's poly layer down as you take it over. When you can hold it at 50 BPM without counting, flip which limbs take which side.
Practice this in DrumShed
Coming to iPhone, iPad & Android
