#3, but now that I've got some more time to put behind the set, I'll aim toward #5. My morning starts with a 20 minute practice with a variation of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqj3p8rF4ew
Then I do another 20 minutes of one pedal lead playing triplets, then "meshing" or interlacing alternate strokes to make sextuplets. Then alternate lead pedal. Right hand playing quarter notes on the ride, left hand playing 2 & 4 on the snare. I set the metronome to a slow speed (63 to 72) and work up to 76 or 78. If I have another 20 minutes, I'll work up to 88 or so.
The point isn't speed for me at this point. I'm looking for a consistent sound, a balance with my feet and a grounding, after spending so much time on the snare. After work, if I have time, I play with my son who plays double bass (
strings, that is) or work out of the Ted Reed book, Stick Control (Alan Dawson's exercises) or John Riley's
Art of Bop Drumming. And I'm playing single pedal. Occasionally, I'll work double pedals into some odd time exercise I've worked up but it's mostly for my own enjoyment.
I'm not looking to dethrone Derek Roddy or to play in a death metal band or its equivalent. Maybe someday; just for the challenge of it, I'll work it up to play in that type of band. But I realize the amount of passion and conviction you need to pull something like that off. It requires 100% commitment to do it well and right now I have only a passing interest in working on it. Most of the music I like to play has more of a subtle or sparse bass drum approach. Double pedals for me are just another avenue of technique and sound experimentation. But again- one day, even as I get "too old", I might just commit. "In for a penny, in for a pound."