What If Playing in 5 or 7 Felt Just Like 4/4?
Odd Meters Syncopation VOL.1
If odd meters still feel like math problems, this masterclass will flip the script.
Learn how to make 5, 7, and 9 feel natural, musical, and swinging — even if you’re just starting out.
✅ For all levels
✅ No pattern memorization
✅ Groove > math
🥁 Who Is This Course For?
Whether you’re just starting to explore odd meters or you’ve been stuck counting your way through 5s and 7s for years — this course is for any drummer who wants to make odd time feel good.
✅ Beginners who want a musical, not mathematical, introduction to odd meters
✅ Intermediate drummers who feel trapped by rigid patterns and want to groove with confidence
✅ Advanced players looking to expand their phrasing, coordination, and soloing vocabulary
✅ Jazz drummers seeking to master the swing-feel in odd meters
✅ Creative drummers who want to break out of the box and stop sounding mechanical
If you’ve ever thought:
“I get lost in 7.”
“I can’t make 5 feel natural.”
“Odd time makes me tense.”
— this course will change that.
🎵 Odd Meters Can Flow — You Just Need the Right Approach
Stop memorizing patterns. Start feeling time. This course shows you how to make odd meters musical, creative, and second nature.
Groove Without Counting
Learn to feel 5, 7, and 9 intuitively — using Paolo’s rhythmic awareness drills and swing-based approach that frees you from the metronome.
Play Musically, Not Mechanically
Develop real coordination and phrasing that supports your ideas — no more robotic patterns or stiff grooves.
Unlock Creative Freedom
Break the barline, explore polyrhythms, and make soloing in odd time exciting, expressive, and fun — even if you’re just starting out.
❓ Struggling with These?
You’re not alone — most drummers hit the same roadblocks when it comes to odd time. That’s exactly why this masterclass exists.
I always get lost when playing in 5 or 7
👉 You’ll learn how to feel the pulse using Paolo’s “bus exercises” and metronome strategies — so odd meters become second nature, not something to survive.
Odd meters make me tense. I overthink every note
👉 This course is all about removing tension and replacing it with flow. Through triplet-based phrasing and swing concepts, you’ll finally relax into the groove.
I’ve learned patterns… but I still don’t sound musical
👉 This masterclass ditches the pattern-based approach. Instead, you’ll develop coordination that supports your own musical ideas — not someone else’s.
I have no idea how to solo or comp in odd meters
👉 Paolo teaches the Straight Vs. Swung method to help you create musical, swinging solos and comping phrases — even over 5 or 7 — with clarity and intention.
Odd meters feel like math problems, not music
👉 That ends here. You’ll discover a deeply creative and human approach to time — one rooted in jazz, feel, and phrasing — not numbers and stress.
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🧭 What You’ll Find Inside
This isn’t just a set of exercises — it’s a complete system to transform your relationship with odd meters, from feel to phrasing.
🌀 Rhythmic Awareness
Learn to feel odd meters away from the kit
Use “bus exercises” and metronome tricks to internalize the pulse
Build time without counting or getting lost
🧠 Creative Coordination
Unlock the musical potential of your limbs
Develop groove and melodic ideas in 5, 7, and 9
Say goodbye to stiff, robotic phrasing
🎷 Straight VS. Swung
Explore swing, ternary feel, and phrasing in odd meters
Craft musical solos and comping parts
Understand the clash between triplets and eighths — and make it groove
🥁 Your Path to Grooving in Odd Time
This course is designed to guide you step-by-step — no overwhelm, no confusion, just steady progress toward feeling completely at home in odd meters.
✅ Step 1: Rewire How You Feel Time
Start with rhythmic awareness drills and creative metronome work. You’ll stop thinking in numbers and start feeling the groove — even in 5, 7, or 9. This is where everything shifts.
🎶 Step 2: Build Musicality and Freedom
Once the foundation is set, we add coordination, phrasing, and soloing. You’ll learn how to swing in odd meters, phrase with triplets, and break free from predictable patterns — all while sounding like you.
✨ What Makes This Masterclass Special?
Most odd meter lessons teach you patterns.
This one teaches you to think and feel musically — so you can create, groove, and express yourself with total freedom.
🚫 Not Just Another Pattern Library
You won’t memorize fixed phrases or pre-packaged claves. Instead, you’ll develop a deep understanding of how odd meters work and how to move inside them musically.
🎵 Feel It — Don’t Count It
Paolo’s method is based on swing feel, triplet phrasing, and the natural interplay between binary and ternary rhythms — the heart of jazz. You’ll learn to internalize time so odd meters feel as intuitive as 4/4.
🧠 Designed for Real Musical Growth
This isn’t about sounding complicated. It’s about sounding good. The course is built to open up your creativity, coordination, and musical vocabulary in the most natural and inspiring way possible.
💡 More Reasons Drummers Love This Course
This masterclass isn’t just deep — it’s designed to make your practice more enjoyable, your playing more confident, and your growth more consistent.
🎯 Practice That Sticks
No more confusing exercises you forget the next day. Paolo’s method is built around real-world application — so every concept becomes part of your playing..
🛠️ Tools You Can Use Forever
From metronome hacks to coordination systems, you’ll gain tools that apply to any style, not just jazz or odd meters.
💬 Taught by a Real Educator
Paolo has helped hundreds of students break through their rhythmic blocks — now it’s your turn. This is a course built from experience, not just theory.
Gene Aitken
"Paolo is a very inspirational teacher and with a great deal of experience and background in both teaching and playing. For many years Paolo worked with Jazz Education Abroad in different parts of the world, with great, great success. To this day, Paolo maintains a very high standard of teaching, and performance excellence."
Adam Cruz
"Paolo is, by far, one of the most gifted and talented students I’ve had the pleasure of working with. His complete musicianship, his technical mastery and his great touch, combined with his deep thoughtfulness about the craft of drumming make him an immensely valuable performer and educator in today’s world of music"
📦 What’s Inside This Masterclass?
Here’s exactly what you’ll get when you join Odd Meters Syncopation Vol.1 — everything you need to master odd meters musically, step by step. IMPORTANT: the course is currently being filmed, content may slightly vary.
🎥 4 Core Learning Modules
Rhythmic Awareness: Feel odd time without the math
Creative Coordination: Develop fluid movement and phrasing
The Straight Vs. Swung method: Solo and comp using both straight and swung phrasing
Breaking Down Barriers: Free yourself from the “bar line” and groove with intention
🧩 Practical Exercises + Drills
Unique, repeatable exercises designed to rewire your feel and coordination — playable even away from the kit.
🎧 Real-World Applications
Not just theory. You’ll apply every concept in ways that sound great, feel good, and push your creativity forward.
🕘 Anytime Access — Go at Your Own Pace
Take your time or binge it all in a weekend. You’ll have unlimited access to revisit lessons anytime, anywhere.
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🛠️ The Features of This Masterclass
Everything you need to transform how you feel, phrase, and groove in odd meters — all in one complete package.
📚 Structured, Step-by-Step Curriculum
No fluff. Each module builds logically on the last, taking you from rhythmic awareness to full musical freedom in odd time.
🔄 Lifetime Access + Instant Streaming
Watch anytime, on any device. Go at your own pace and revisit lessons whenever you need a refresh.
🎧 Practical, Musical Focus
This isn’t academic theory. Every concept is rooted in real-world drumming — so you sound better, not just smarter.
Paolo Orlandi
Meet the author
Paolo is an accomplished jazz performer who has shared the stage with luminaries such as John Patitucci, Dado Moroni, Robert Bonisolo, Sharon Clarke and many others. He co-leads the projects "North East" and "Voices," and has also contributed to higher education departments worldwide. He holds a M.A. in Jazz Performance at the City College of New York, and studied drums with greats such as Tony Arco, Adam Cruz, Nasheet Waits, and Portinho.
Odd Meters Syncopation Vol.1
- Course
- 48 Lessons
✅ 4 in-depth modules covering awareness, coordination, phrasing, and creativity in odd meters
✅ The Straight Vs. Swung Method — unlock swing and groove in 5, 7, and 9
✅ Zero pattern memorization — develop real musical understanding instead
✅ Creative soloing + comping strategies
✅ Exercises you can do anytime — even off the kit
✅ Lifetime access so you can learn at your own pace
✅ Supportive teaching style from a pro with years of experience
🎟️ Don’t miss it. This is your chance to finally make odd meters feel easy, musical, and fun.
FAQ section
Frequently asked questions
You've got questions. We've got answers.
I’m not an advanced drummer. Can I still take this course?
👉 Absolutely. This masterclass is designed to be accessible for all levels — including beginners. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by odd meters, this course will help you approach them musically and with confidence.
How long do I have access to the course?
👉 You get lifetime access. Start when you’re ready, go at your own pace, and come back to the material anytime.
What makes this different from other odd meter courses?
👉 Paolo’s approach is about musicality, not math. There are no dry patterns or rigid systems — just powerful tools to help you feel time, groove naturally, and express yourself in odd meters with confidence and freedom.
I’ve tried other odd meter courses and still feel stuck. How is this different?
👉 Most courses focus on rigid patterns or counting systems. Paolo’s method is designed to help you feel the time — with tools rooted in groove, swing, and creativity. It’s a whole new way of thinking.
Do I need a drum kit to do the exercises?
👉 Not always! Many of the exercises — like the “bus drills” — can be done anywhere, without drums. You can make real progress even when you’re away from your kit.
How much time will I need to commit?
👉 You can go at your own pace. Even short, focused practice sessions with these concepts can unlock major breakthroughs. There’s no pressure — just results
I mostly play in 4/4. Why should I care about odd meters?
👉 Learning to play and feel odd meters will transform your overall rhythmic awareness, coordination, and phrasing — even in 4/4. It’s one of the best ways to grow as a drummer.