As I have mentioned before, the rudiments can be applied to the drumset.  One popular rudiment is known as the single stroke roll.  It is the most natural for people to play.  It's because the sticking goes LRLR or RLRL. 

In this lesson, we will examine an accent pattern.  Later, this pattern will be applied to different drums on the set.

Note: The a's are 8th note patterns and the b's are 16th note ones. Here is the pattern:

# 1 a -

Chart  | Sound  | Tab

# 1 b -

Chart | Sound | Tab

The following examples expand this concept to other drums and the hi-hat.

# 2 a -

Chart | Sound | Tab

# 2 b -

Chart | Sound | Tab

# 3 a-

Chart | Sound | Tab

# 3 b -

Chart | Sound | Tab

# 4 a -

Chart | Sound | Tab

# 4 b: -

Chart | Sound | Tab

        

The swing rhythm is another name for the common jazz beat.  It is based on a triplet feel.  Triplets are common in this type of music.  However, the goal of this lesson is to examine different beats and drum fills (which are based somewhat on triplets) not triplets alone.

The following exercises have the snare on 2 and 4 on some measures and variations on others.  The bass drum is played on all four beats.  The fills involve the bass and snare but no toms.  However, they are still quite fun.

Note: .jpg = chart, .mid = sound, .ttx = tab trax file (you must buy this(to view tab) but not necessary to see the charts or sound files)

Remember to play the high hat with your foot on 2 and 4 (not written on chart because it looks messy and confusing).


1:

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-1a.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-1b.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-1a.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-1a.ttx


2:

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-2a.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-2b.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-2a.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-2a.ttx


3:

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-3a.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-3b.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-3a.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-3a.ttx


4:

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-4a.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-4b.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-4a.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-4a.ttx


5:

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-5a.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-5b.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-5a.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-5a.ttx


6:

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-6a.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-6b.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-6a.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-6a.ttx


7.

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-7a.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-7b.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-7a.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-7a.ttx


8.

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-8a.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-8b.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-8a.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/2-4-jazz-beat-8a.ttx



Conclusion:

We can look at some beats which don't have the bass drum on all 4 beats in other lessons.

        

These triplets are not really triplets in the traditional sense.  The accents in these non "triplet feel" measures cause triplets. These exercises are fun for solos and fills.  If you want your friends to say "cool" then play this stuff.

Note: .jpg = picture, .mid = sound, .ttx and .dtb refer to different drum tab software 

Ex 1:

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-1.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-1.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-1.ttx

Ex 2:

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-2.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-2.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-2.ttx

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-2.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-2.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-2.dtb

Ex 13 (Snare only) Practice LRLR then RLRL and then alternating RLRL and LRLR

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-13.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-13.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-13.ttx

4:

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-4.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-4.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-4.ttx

5:

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-5.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-5.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-5.ttx

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-5.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-5.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-5.dtb

6.

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-6.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-6.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-6.ttx

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-6.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-6.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-6.dtb

7.

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-7.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-7.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-7.ttx

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-7.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-7.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-7.dtb

Here is a slightly different pattern:


Ex 12 (Snare only) Practice LRLR and then RLRL

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-12.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-12.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-12.ttx

8:

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-8.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-8.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-8.ttx

9:

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-9.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-9.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-9.ttx

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-9.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-9.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-9.dtb

10.

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-10.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-10.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-10.ttx

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-10.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-10.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-10.dtb

11.

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-11.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-11.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/triplet-fill-11.ttx

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-11.jpg

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-11.mid

http://www.koj.50g.com/dtb-triplet-fill-11.dtb

        

The single stroke roll (LRLR or RLRL) is easy to play but not fast. Check out this video to improve your speed.


Snare Single Stroke Roll Video



Conclusion



Check out these other lessons which apply the roll to the drum set.

Single Stroke Roll Lessons

        

Sometimes, you might have to play cut time.  What is that?  Basically you take a small note and make it larger. You are now playing more notes per beat. What do I mean?

For example, quarter notes are counted as 1, 2, 3, 4.  However, in cut time those notes are played as eight notes (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and). 

First, let's get an idea of what standard notes look like. 

4/4 Drum Note Examples



Now let's examine the relationship between average notes and cut time ones.

Here is a quick guide:


Standard 4/4 Time:

half notes	1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and or 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
quarter notes	1, 2, 3, 4
eighth notes	1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
sixteenth notes	1 e and uh 2 e and uh 3 e and uh 4 e and uh
thirty second notes	1 e and uh K e and uh 2 e and uh K e and uh 3 e and uh K e and uh
	4 e and uh K e and uh

Cut Time:

half notes (quarter notes)	1, 2, 3, 4
quarter notes (eighth notes)	1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
eight notes (16th notes)	1 e and uh 2 e and uh 3 e and uh 4 e and uh
sixteenth notes (32nd notes)	1 e and uh K e and uh 2 e and uh K e and uh 3 e and uh K e and uh
	4 e and uh K e and uh

Conclusion


In another lesson we can look at specific examples of cut time.  For right now memorize the above tables.

        

Sometimes it's difficult to read certain measures with quarter and eighth notes.  Let's examine four measures and see if we can fix any problems.

Remember a quarter note is  1 beat and an eighth note is half a beat.  Why?  Because a quarter note takes up 25% of a 4/4 measure and an eighth note takes up one eighth.



How to Read the Notation



If you see a dotted quarter note (a quarter note with a dot after it) then you play that note for 1 and a half beats. In other words, you hit it on the first beat (it might be an off beat "and") and then stop playing for 1 more beat.  Because obviously you can't hold drum notes like a horn unless it's a roll (We can talk more about rolls another time).

Watch out for quarter and dotted quarter notes that are played on the off beat (and).  For example, you read 1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and.  That is what makes this lesson difficult.  Another problem is confusing eighth notes.  Remember, an eight note that is on the beat (1, 2, 3, 4) is played like a quarter note.


Quarter | Eighth Examples


Play each example 20 times.



Conclusion



It's important to understand difficult measures because a lot of written music (snare or drum set) is hard.  In other lessons, we can look at other semi-pro stuff involving sixteenth, dotted sixteenth, half and other notes.

        

What is an accent?  An accent is a note that is played louder than the rest of the notes.



How to Read the Notation



Play each measure of music 20 times.  Use single stroke roll sticking (L, R, L, L or R, L, R, L) on all examples.  However, try paradiddle sticking (L, R, L, L or R, L, R, R) for measures with accents in the first two notes from the left (but not in the rest of the measure).


Snare Accent Examples



Conclusion



Try mixing up the patterns (measures).  Play one measure and then randomly select another measure and play it.   You can also try substituting tom tom, bass, or hi hat hits for accents.  This leads to some interesting sounds.

        

The first single stroke roll lesson dealt with the hi hat; This lesson deals with all the other drums.



How to Read the Notation



Play half of each line 20 times.


Drum Set Single Stroke Roll Examples - # 2

Drum Set Single Stroke Roll Examples - # 3

Drum Set Single Stroke Roll Examples - # 4

Drum Set Single Stroke Roll Examples - # 5



Conclusion



Keep applying these examples to fills and solos.  Mix up the various patterns.

        

Some interesting paradiddle combinations can be made with the hi hat and bass.



How to Read the Notation



Here are some more drum set paradiddles for you to practice.  Play half of each line 20 times.


Drum Set Paradiddle Examples - # 2

Drum Set Paradiddle Examples - # 3



Conclusion



Try to use these examples in fills and solos.  They're useful for nearly all types of music.  Be creative and mix up the patterns somewhat. Please review the 1st paradiddle lesson.

        

Here is a plan to get you started on the set.  Play each example 20 times.


1. Play quarter notes on the hi hat .(1, 2, 3, 4).

2. Play quarter notes on the bass.

3. Play quarter notes on the snare.

4. Play quarter notes on the bass, snare and hi hat.

5. Play quarter notes on the bass and hi hat.

6. Play quarter notes on the snare and bass.

7. Play quarter notes on the snare and hi hat.

8. Practice the eight note hi hat beat by itself (1, and, 2, and, 3, and, 4, and) .

9. Play quarter notes on the bass.

10. Put the eight note hi hat beat and the bass together.

Try online examples.  Play half of each line 20 times.

Basic Rock Beat Examples


How to Read the Notation



Conclusion



Keep messing around with it and eventually you'll get it.  Don't try to learn too much at once.  Start on simple stuff and repeat over and over.  That's how I learned; I repeated over and over one summer during high school.  Before that time I could just play basic snare drum music and crash cymbals (in the marching band).