- Author Profile Donna Dahl
Introduction To Practising Around Something
One way to achieve learning a new drum riff or motif, like a triple stroke roll, is to practice related exercises – not the actual figure itself.
The triple (or 3) stroke roll will be approached using the method of “practicing around something”.
They say that when you enter an institute of higher learning you begin to be aware of “how” they study. In my drum practicing sessions, I find that I learn new things not by constant drilling of the actual beat or fill I want to master, but in practicing figures related to it. This method is effective in other ways as well. For example in combating boredom, opening the mind, and gaining all-around skill as a drummer.
How to Begin Learning the Triple Stroke Roll Physically and Emotionally
“Triple Stroke Roll”. When I first saw that term written down and I realized that such a thing existed, I shuddered inside. At first the idea seemed impossible. As I thought about it, I realized that recently I’d been “naturally” leaning that way.
For example, doing one-handed 4-stroke fills on the floor tom. I used my childhood experience when first learning the double-stroke roll. My stick held high, I let it fall on the practice pad for a 3-stroke bounce.
This was repeated with the other hand. I kept the stick grip and hands very loose with the stroke not much controlled because in the very beginning it is the bounce and the feel of the bounce which matters most.
Goals Along The Way
I tried to achieve 3 individual goals which together would make one large whole:
- Maintain the feel of the triple bounce
- With each hand
- While maintaining as much as possible a consistent rhythm
When learning something brand new, you should be OK with, and accept small goals.
Half of our problems will be solved if we are patient with ourselves and desire (or at least accept) a humble goal for that particular moment. Developing this kind of attitude is very important, if only because it can help us to not quit playing. It’s easy to enjoy playing when we have the skill to be able to play. Then there is the other 85% of our musical life. It is in our interest to make practicing enjoyable.
The only road I know toward that is to accept the awkward beginning process, and middle stage of not-quite-there-yet.
Perspective
Another way of looking at it during the awkward and middle stages, is to suspend having expectations of yourself regarding your ultimate goal. It’s a tricky balance, because we want to keep our eyes on the prize. When you’re fixing leaky pipes or bumming out at your day job, that’s an ideal time for mental practice. Your beacon-goal shines and beckons you on.
It’s a great attitude during practise too – but during practise I encourage you to squelch that agitation and impatience. It only saddens and frustrates you and stops you from doing the work you know you need to so that you can gain your prize.
I find more enjoyment during those learning stages through acceptance. Even when hearing and executing riffs, beats, and rudiments done very slowly at that awkward stage, and at the mid-tempo not-quite-there-yet stage.
Examples of 3 Stroke Figures
Practising around something means that you look at the figure itself in multiple ways. The 3 stroke figure can be written or thought of as:
- 8th notes like this: (notation example 1 & 2
- Straight 16th notes (notation example 1 & 2)
- Triplets (notation example)
- A modified drag ruff (notation example)
- An inverted modified drag ruff (notation example)
- A straight 16th note figure ala William Tell Overture (1 & ah)
- A swung shuffle
Numbers 4-7 above are optional. They might even hinder you from executing the even strokes. They are listed because one of you out there may only be able to catch onto a different way of thinking about it.
Practising the 3 Stroke Figure Itself
After the stage of awkward bouncing very slowly, begin focusing on control of the bounce. Control, strength, authority. Follow alternate hands again, set the metronome, and do the following, without changing meter: in 4, 8 or 16 bar phrases, mixing it up according to either what needs attention, what gives you the best feel, etc.:
- * 8th notes (1 & 2)
- * 16th notes (1 e &)
- * triplets
Your metronome will have to be set at a slow enough tempo to be able to hit those 16th notes. It’s important during the beginning and middle stages to return to the slow 8th notes. Use them as a home base and check-in for that nice bounce feel. Mixing up the rhythms with triplets is almost dogma for me at this point. I do it with almost everything I practice. I continue to find it a challenge (and fun) to maintain a steady meter. (* See bottom “A Personal Note on Metronome, Enjoyment and Distractions“)
Practising the Above with One Hand
Middle Stages
This is the point where you are getting close to that magical leap into true multiple-stroke rolling. Go for simultaneous increased speed, control and bounce. Practice the actual figure but first make it easy on yourself. Tight surfaces: high hat closed shut with a firm foot, outer edges of your snare or toms. Give yourself a break, check in at home base with your nice controlled bounce feel, then relax and explore your kit alternate hands, hitting outer edges of toms and snare, hi hat, rims, in straight triplets. Enjoy the sounds and flow, no metronome.
One Handed Related Figures
| 1 | L | R | L | L | - | L | R | L | L |
| 2 | L | L | L | R | - | L | L | L | R |
| 3 | L | R | R | L | - | L | L | R | L |
| 4 | L | L | R | L | - | L | L | R | L |
Alternate Hand Related Figures
Practise around the 3 stroke roll using the following figures:
(I like the first exercise best, for maintaining the exquisite triplet feel, which also contains its own home base for the bounce because it includes double strokes)
- * 1 bar phrase in 16th notes: L L L R R R L L R R R L L L R R
- * Triplet figure followed by 2 over 3 8th notes (notation example) LLLRL RRRLR
- * A Triplet figure followed by 1 count 16th notes (notation example) LLLRLRL RRRLRLR
As ever, these can be applied to one surface or multiple drums. And, do use your metronome (more than occasionally).
A Note on Metronome, Enjoyment and Distractions
More than occasionally I regularly have what may sound like a hard-core method but oddly find it relaxing and stimulating at the same time to have that metronome on for a long time. Practising with no break whatsoever for 15 minutes save an occasional bar or two, is a LONG time, but reckon I keep it going for double and more.
There is no way I would do this if I wasn’t practicing around the figure in question, nor if I didn’t enjoy doing it.
Taking A Break
Sometimes when I need a break, but am in the zen of the moment I’ll do 8th notes (1 & 2) but leave silent the “&” of the 2nd count, while I swig my beverage, eat chocolate, etc; I find myself doing whether or not using the metronome. Increasingly I will intentionally take a few minutes to practice while I’m distracted with something else. The hardest is talking to my children. Truly this is practicing around something, and done only for short periods. I always recall venerable Twin Cities jazz musician Jimmy Hamilton relating that when he was learning to conduct “they had you do it constantly” including while he was talking, walking, etc;
When gigging of course there may be many distractions, so it applies.
Related Articles
If you want to find out more about drums and percussion? If so, you can find articles and tutorials on our Drums and Percussion Articles page.
