4th March 2019 Wil Wainwright

6-Stroke Roll Part 3

This time we are looking at how we could interpret a “standard” rhythm as a 6-stroke roll to create interesting fill patterns that have a really cool flow to them. 

I hope you have worked through part 1 of this series as I will be referencing one of the exercises to start with.  If not, go check it out here first: https://www.istanbulmehmet.com/6-stroke-roll-part-1/

We are going to be taking the idea from example three where we looked at the link between swung 16th notes and the 6-stroke roll pattern.  The four examples in exercise 1 below, take this concept a step further and allow us to have four possible outcomes of RLL and RRL based off a simple rhythm that keeps the accents in the same place as said rhythm.

1A) The first example is comparing two 8th notes to the 6-stroke roll “fragments” and we end up with RLLRLL where the right hand is accented.  

1B) The second fragment is the “e” and “a”, so the two upbeats.  This is the opposite of 1A so we have RRLRRL where the left hand is accented.

1C) Now, we have the first combination pattern.  This is “1” and “a”. This ends up giving us the normal 6-stroke roll pattern of RLLRRL where the first and last notes are accented.

1D) Finally we have the opposite of 1C, the “e” and “and”.  This gives us the inverted 6-stroke roll of RRLRLL where the accents are in the middle of the phrase.

2-5) I have written out four combination exercises for you.  The first bar is simple the accent pattern that we are going to play.  Start off by playing the first bar along with a metronome and try and internalise the rhythm.  Make sure you remember that the 16th notes are swung when playing them.  Once you are feeling happy, move onto the second bar and play the accents through the 6-stroke roll fragments.  Exercises 3 and 5 are some of my personal favourites, but take this idea and make some patterns of your own and have some fun with them.

Once you have the above phrases, start moving the accents around the kit.  A great starting point is right hand to floor tom and left hand to rack tom.  This linear motion also really helps to cement the two dynamic levels as you can really focus on keeping all the snare notes nice and quiet.  

 

I hope you enjoyed this lesson and I will see you next time.

 

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