I’ve always felt uneasy about unsubstantiated claims. This drew me to the Scientific Method for use in practice. I don’t want to just be able to DO something… I want to understand exactly how and why it works so I can share with others. If I observe a technique producing consistent results, I know there's something real behind it — even if I don't fully understand the mechanism yet.

I’m so fanatical about this approach, there’s not a single thing I’ve published that I haven’t field tested and had it work for EVERYBODY, including me. (Save for any neurological or physical anomalies that prevent someone from executing a specific move.)

Recently, researchers from Cambridge have started examining the frameworks I've developed. They're not looking at my drumming techniques specifically — they're interested in the information processing systems underlying everything I do.

We're setting up experiments to measure what happens in the brain when people use these systems. The researchers are particularly focused on the timing experiments — how quickly information moves through neural pathways when organized using the frameworks I've developed through practical application over decades.

Research has revealed that my approach to rhythm and cognition explores neural territories that traditional research hasn't explained yet. That's fascinating to me because I arrived at these methods through observation and testing, not academic theory (which is the arena that the researchers live in).

The research is still ongoing. We're being methodical because that's how science works — you observe, test, and refine your understanding. The early explorations suggest these methods might create more efficient pathways for processing complex information, but we need rigorous studies to confirm exactly what's happening.

What's most interesting is that these researchers see potential applications beyond music — in rehabilitation, cognitive development, and learning optimization. The question becomes: If these frameworks help with rhythm comprehension, could they help with other forms of information processing?

I don't have definitive answers yet. The formal research will take time. But having these methods examined through the lens of neuroscience and cognitive psychology feels like the right step. It's not about validating me — it's about understanding these principles so they might benefit people in various fields.

If something I discovered through drumming turns out to have broader applications, that's not my achievement — that's just how knowledge works. One discovery leads to another, and boundaries between disciplines start to disappear.

Those research collaborations I mentioned are examining cognitive processes, but my scientific journey began much earlier with something more tangible — understanding the physical body and the forces acting upon it. This is where theory meets reality in the most immediate way.

Your body is an instrument governed by physics.

Everything you do — every movement, every action — follows these universal laws. When I started exploring the biological and physical forces at work in drumming, I discovered principles that apply to all human movement.

Everything you do — every movement, every action — follows these universal laws. When I started exploring the biological and physical forces at work in drumming, I discovered principles that apply to all human movement.

The GRID organizes all possible musical expressions exactly like the periodic table organizes elements into categories. It fundamentally reimagines how we organize and access information… And it turns out that what I had discovered intuitively, by creating The GRID and rigorously field testing it until it became flawless, would line up perfectly with what the cognitive collaborations would later prove scientifically — That the human brain THRIVES on effective organizational frameworks.

The GRID began as a way to approach improvisation on the drum set, but it quickly evolved into something far more universal. At its core, The GRID is a multidimensional framework that organizes information according to logical relationships rather than linear sequences. Imagine having instant access to any piece of information, any skill, any concept — not by working through a predetermined path, but by navigating a network where everything is connected to everything else.

Understanding the physics of timing naturally led me to a deeper question. What is happening in the brain when we process and execute rhythms? This curiosity opened the door to fascinating collaborations with cognitive scientists and neuroscientists.

I've been fortunate to work with researchers from institutions like Cambridge who specialize in cognitive processing, timing mechanisms, and neural adaptation. These aren't just casual conversations — we're conducting structured investigations into how systematic thinking and performance processes affect rhythm perception.

When we discovered overlaps between my practical methods and their theoretical models, it created this amazing synergy between practical application and academic research.

Another set of tests focused on pattern recognition with purposefully uneven rhythms (literally a “No Man’s Land” of rhythm). We looked into how the brain identifies, stores, and retrieves complex patterns. The cognitive scientists were particularly interested in my Rhythm Knowledge system because it organizes information in ways that seem to accelerate the ability to learn

What makes these collaborations special is the two-way exchange of knowledge. The researchers bring rigorous methodologies and theoretical frameworks, while I bring four decades of practical observation and application. They're as curious about my experiential discoveries as I am about their scientific models.

My quest for knowledge has even taken me to CERN, where I spent much time talking with the scientists there about the Planck limit and information storage and retrieval. Read more here.

This lifetime of study has been synthesized into one system: Rhythm Knowledge. It's where science meets practical application.

I still get excited seeing the lightbulb moment in a student's eyes — that magical instant when someone understands how physics, mathematics, and cognition work together in something as seemingly simple as striking a drum.

The same is true for me when a student comes up with something that I didn’t think of before. It’s the moment when complexity becomes simplicity never gets old.

It’s the shared pursuit of truth.

What began as my quest to understand how to teach drumming evolved into a broader exploration of human performance for everyone. I didn't set out to create a teaching system; I was following my curiosity about why certain approaches worked better than others. The science wasn't separate from the art — it was illuminating it.

Drumming serves as the perfect laboratory for exploring human performance. It demands split-second timing, four-limb coordination, creative problem-solving, and emotional expression—all simultaneously. Understanding these elements on the drum set gives us insights into how they work in countless other contexts.

Understanding enough of the science enhances the artistry. When you grasp the physics of movement or the mathematics of rhythm, your playing becomes more fluid and expressive. Knowledge creates freedom. Understanding the rules allows you to transcend them.

These principles aren't just about drumming—they're about fundamental aspects of being human: how we learn, move, process time, and create. Drums happen to be an incredible vehicle for exploring these questions.

I'm still a student of these concepts. Every day brings new connections and possibilities. That's the beauty of approaching performance through science — the exploration never ends. And I can't imagine anything more exciting.