Master Single Stroke Rolls: Speed Drills For Drummers

Drummers are always looking for ways to improve their single stroke roll speed. The single stroke roll is the most basic and essential drum rudiment, and it is also the most used. Increasing one's speed can be frustrating, especially without the proper exercises. To improve, one must practice consistently and with purpose. Drummers should also ensure they are practising the correct form and grip. One way to improve is to work on each hand separately, as one hand is usually weaker than the other, and the weaker hand limits the roll. Drummers can also try exercises that move the strokes around the drum set, which helps with speed building and creates some cool-sounding drum fill and drum solo patterns.

Practise with and without sticks/mallets

Practising with and without sticks or mallets is a great way to improve your single stroke roll speed. You can start by practising without any sticks or mallets in your hands. This helps in getting your hands accustomed to moving faster than they would with sticks. You can also try playing to music and doing isolated singles for as long and consistently as possible, and then reverting to a quarter note to continue.

You can also try practising with heavy mallets and sticks. This will help you get faster and more solid chops. You can push your hand speed by trying to match the pace of a song. Practising with heavy sticks on a pillow is another great way to improve your speed.

Another tip is to work on singles on a xylophone. This helps get your wrist used to the correct movement. Playing on a xylophone is harder than on a drum, so when you go back to a snare drum, you won't have to work as hard.

Remember, when working on rolls, you must work on each hand separately. If one of your hands is weaker, it will limit the roll. So, make sure to practise each hand individually to improve your overall speed and consistency.

Focus on hand and wrist mechanics

To get faster single-stroke rolls on the drums, one of the most important things to focus on is your hand and wrist mechanics. The wrists and fingers play a crucial role in achieving speed, so it's essential to understand and practice proper technique.

Start by ensuring your wrists are in the correct position. When playing single-stroke rolls, the wrist should be slightly lower than the fingers, which will help ensure proper finger usage. This setup will enable you to generate speed and control the rebound effectively. Practice this wrist position until it feels natural and comfortable.

Next, focus on finger placement and movement. When playing strokes at slower speeds, the wrist plays a more significant role, but as the tempo increases, the rebound becomes more important, and your fingers will do most of the work. Make sure your fingers remain in contact with the stick, especially your middle finger, which controls much of the rebound. Practice gripping the stick lightly and allowing the rebound to happen naturally, without forcing it.

To improve your hand and wrist mechanics, consider practicing on a xylophone. Playing the xylophone can help you understand how your wrist and fingers should work together, as it requires similar mechanics to a snare drum but without the rebound. Start with a lower height to ensure proper wrist mechanics and finger usage, and gradually work on increasing the height for full strokes. This practice will help you develop the correct articulation and movement in your wrists and fingers.

Additionally, practicing hand and wrist exercises off the drum set can be beneficial. Try playing singles without sticks or mallets to get your hands used to moving faster. You can also practice on your stomach, a table, or a pillow to focus on wrist movement and articulation. These exercises will help you develop the muscle memory and coordination needed for faster single-stroke rolls.

Remember, speed comes from relaxed and efficient movements, so ensure your arms and hands remain relaxed throughout. With consistent practice and a focus on proper hand and wrist mechanics, you'll be able to achieve faster and more controlled single-stroke rolls.

Use a metronome to track progress

Using a metronome is an essential tool for any drummer who wants to improve their skills and get the most out of their practice time. It is a great way to track your progress and improve your single stroke rolls. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Firstly, make sure you are comfortable with the basic technique of single stroke rolls. You can refer to online tutorials or find a local teacher to guide you. Once you have the basic technique down, it's time to set up your metronome. Start with a comfortable tempo, such as 60 BPM, and try to play four strokes per click (right, right, left, left). If you are having trouble keeping up with the metronome, try counting out loud along with the clicks to help you stay in time.

As you get more comfortable, you can increase the tempo in small increments, such as 5 BPM at a time. It's important to be patient and not rush this process. Focus on playing the single stroke roll accurately and smoothly before increasing the speed. You can also try alternating your lead hand to improve consistency and control.

To track your progress, maintain a practice journal where you record your metronome settings and how well you performed at each tempo. This will help you identify areas for improvement and motivate you to keep practising. Additionally, you can film yourself practising to get a "third-party" perspective and spot any issues with your form or technique.

Remember, the metronome is a tool to help you develop a strong internal sense of timing. As you progress, you can experiment with different settings, such as placing the click on the quarter note, half note, or whole note, to challenge yourself further. Practising with a metronome will not only improve your single stroke rolls but also prepare you for more advanced rhythms, grooves, and fills.

Learn the French Grip

Learning the French Grip is essential if you want to master finger control and speed. This grip is a "thumb on top" approach, where the palms of your hands face each other, and the stick is moved primarily with the fingers rather than the wrist. Drummers often switch to this grip when they reach a specific tempo that the wrist can't handle.

Step 1: Hand Position

Hold your hands in front of you, facing each other, similar to the "karate position". This will be your starting point.

Step 2: Add Drumsticks

Now, take your drumsticks and put them into your hands. The stick should rest between your thumb and index finger, with the thumb on top. This creates a fulcrum, or balance point, for the stick to bounce off.

Step 3: Finger Placement

Squeeze your fingers around the stick, but not too tight. The ideal finger placement is to have the stick aligned with the first joint of your index finger, middle finger, and thumb. The back three fingers (middle, ring, and pinky) should rest on the stick, also aligned with their first joints. Make sure your thumb nail is facing up towards the ceiling.

Step 4: Avoid Wrist Motion

Try to avoid any wrist motion while playing. Instead, focus on keeping your wrist stable and allowing all the rotation to come from your elbow. This will provide greater speed and accuracy when playing.

Step 5: Body Position

When practising the French Grip on the snare drum, bring your elbows out away from your ribs. This will help you rotate your radius ulna as you play. Additionally, aim to create a triangle shape with your thumb, arm, and shoulder.

Step 6: Practise Pad Work

Now, try hitting a practice pad with just two fingers controlling the stick. Gradually add more fingers, moving to the middle finger, then the ring finger, and finally the little finger. Once you feel comfortable, try bouncing the stick using all your fingers. Start at a slow tempo and gradually increase the speed as you improve.

Step 7: Rudiments

Once you've mastered the grip and basic stick control, you can move on to playing rudiments. Start with the single stroke roll (RLRL), then try more complex patterns like paradiddles, paradidledidles, doubles, and flams. You can also practise different roll patterns, such as five stroke rolls, six stroke rolls, seven stroke rolls, and so on.

Step 8: The Pyramid Exercise

This exercise involves one hand playing quarter notes in any grip you choose, while the other hand changes the grip bar after bar. Start with eight notes, then switch to triplets, sixteen notes, and so on. This will help perfect your finger control and improve your timing.

Remember, the French Grip is not meant to be used all the time. It is ideal for fast tempos where you need speed and finger control, but for slower tempos, you may want to switch to a different grip, such as the matched or traditional grip, to avoid wrist fatigue.

Try the push-pull or Merlini Technique

The "push-pull" or "Merlini Technique" is a less traditional method to achieve fast single stroke rolls. This technique is attributed to Riccardo Merlini, who showcases his ability to play at crazy speeds on an electronic kit and even on a pillow. The technique involves a twitching wrist motion and a different way of holding the sticks, which results in extremely fast speeds.

The key to replicating Merlini's technique lies in finger technique. Drummers must focus on scaling down the movement of the sticks to a tiny little twitch. Jojo Mayer's "Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer" video covers a similar concept, where he suggests playing constant singles using just the fulcrum and pinky, then switching to the ring finger, middle finger, and so on. This exercise helps develop the finger independence and control required for the Merlini Technique.

The technique also involves a specific grip, which some have speculated may cause joint, tendon, or muscle problems over time. The grip, combined with the twitching wrist motion, allows drummers to achieve speeds in the range of 220-270 BPM, and possibly even break the 300 BPM barrier. However, it is important to note that this technique may not be suitable for everyone, as it relies on the activation of twitch muscles, which vary from person to person.

While the Merlini Technique can help achieve impressive speeds, it may not be the easiest to teach or standardize due to the individual differences in twitch muscle activation. Additionally, some have questioned the practicality of such extreme speeds, stating that twitch muscles are useless for endurance. Nonetheless, for those seeking to improve their speed, the Merlini Technique is certainly worth considering.

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