Drums 8: Rolls and first solo

Short rolls

A roll is double strokes that end with one accent. Count the doubles, land the accent on the click.

8.1Five stroke roll

Two doubles and an accent. First from the right, then from the left.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	R	L	L	R				L	L	R	R	L

Pass: both directions sound the same.

8.2Nine stroke roll

Four doubles and an accent on beat 3.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	R	L	L	R	R	L	L	R

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
L	L	R	R	L	L	R	R	L

Pass: the accent lands exactly on 3.

8.3Roll into the beat

A bar of sixteenths. The last beat is a five stroke roll into the next 1.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	R	L	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R

Pass: the accent on 1 is on the click.

8.4Rolls back to back

An accent, a short gap, then a five stroke roll into the next accent. Right side, then left side.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R		R	R	L	L	R		L		L	L	R	R	L

Pass: the accents stay loud and the doubles stay low.

8.5Eight bars

Learn one bar at a time. Then two bars together, then four, then all eight.

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	R	L	R	L	L	R	L	R	R	L	R	L	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	R	L	L	R	R	L	L	R				lR

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
lR				rL				lR		R	L	rL

1	&	a	2	&	a	3	&	a	4	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	R	L	L	R	R	L	L	R	R	L	L	R	R	L	L

1	e	&	a	2	e	&	a	3	e	&	a	4	e	&	a
R	L	R	L	R	L	R	L	lR

Pass: all eight bars from memory. Record it.

Play every exercise in this book with the left hand leading.
Play the solo at a whisper. Then as loud as you can. Same tempo.
Move to the kit: right hand on the hi-hat, accents on the snare, bass drum on 1 and 3.
Look up the 40 standard rudiments. You already know six of them.

8.6Your own eight bars

Write eight bars with a pencil on the back of this sheet. Use at least one accent pattern, one paradiddle bar and one flam. Then learn it.

BPM

Pass: you can play your solo twice the same way.