Rudiments can be applied to the drum set in a variety of ways. In this lesson we’ll discuss ways of applying the double stroke roll to the drum kit.
16th Notes With Double Stroke Rolls
First of all I want you think of the following grid. One measure of rock beat and one measure of sixteenth notes.
Notice the sticking I’m using for the 16th notes is RLRL. It’s important when you are learning to improvise on the drums that you use consistent sticking patterns, especially in the beginning. That way when you hear something in your head, you won’t have to think about how you’re going to play it.
Next we’re going to put double strokes on each 16th note.
The last step in this process is to replace double strokes with accents on certain notes. Start with something very easy. We’ll start by putting an accent on count 1. instead of playing the accent on the snare drum we’ll put the accent on the small tom. Watch the video for a demonstration.
That’s a very simple example. You should practice putting accents on various notes within the 16th note measure. Those accents can be on the snare drum or the toms. You may want to write down 1 measure examples of 16th notes with accents on a piece of paper. Then apply those ideas to the drum set.
Here is a more advanced example.
Notice I’m using my bass drum to help accent – not necessarily on every accent, but just enough to keep the bass drum going. This gives your playing a fuller sound. If you leave out the bass drum too long it starts to sound empty, like the bottom fell out of your playing.
As I’m playing these type of patterns I’m focusing on the melody created by the accents. Once you learn how to do this, you just automatically fill in the double strokes. You don’t really think about them. Again that’s why it’s important to maintain a specific stickling as you’re practicing this type of pattern.
Again start with very simple accents – maybe 1 and 3, or just 1 and. Then gradually work up to more complicated accent patterns.
Start with one measure fills. Then extend this idea to 2 measures, 4 measures, etc. You want to learn to improvise accents around the set using this idea.
The example I gave here was used in a rock context, but you can do the same thing for funk or latin grooves. Anything where 16th notes will fit well.
One more tip concerning this type of pattern is that you’ll find it works well at certain speeds. It doesn’t sound as good extremely slow or fast. Experiment to find out what tempos work best.
Triplets With Double Stroke Rolls
Lets try that same idea with triplets. We’ll play a shuffle for the first measure and triplets for our fill. Again notice my sticking is RLR LRL
Now we’ll add double strokes to each note of the triplet just like we did with the 16th notes.
Go through the same process as you did for the 16th notes. Try playing an accent on the small tom on count 1. Again watch the video for a demonstration.
And just like before practice various accents within that triplet pattern around the set. Here is a more advanced example.
I used my bass drum on all 4 beats because that felt comfortable..
Again this can be extended to longer solos. It can be used for other styles – jazz, or triplet rock for instance.
And just like the 16th notes you’ll find it works well at certain tempos and not as well at other tempos. That’s pretty much true of everything we play on the drum set.
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