MOVING AROUND THE DRUMS

The First variation we can use will be to change drums on each 1/4 note pulse while doing our single stroke roll.

What I mean, when playing 1/8th note pattern we will move drums on count of 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 .So we will do 1+ on snare, 2+ on tom, 3+ on tom and 4+ on floor tom for example. EX 4

We will do 1e+a on snare, 2e+a on tom, 3e+a on tom, 4e+a on flr tom for example. EX 5

MORE COMPLEX IDEAS AROUND THE DRUMS

Within the 1/8th note format we can still do a few more combos.
What we are doing here is following the feel of the rudiment, hence the single is split up one hit per drum. EX 6

These exercises are just a small taste of what you can do in this relatively simple feel of 1/8th note. By keeping the combos strong and accurate you can make these fills sound better than their simplicity allows. Once you have gained a good level of fluidity with these of course you should experiment with other sound on your kit and see what sounds and rhythms you can come up with.

Make sure you do follow the bar and the count to its exact start and finish to keep these and other drum fills you do in proper time.

Now we look at some more 1/16th patterns.

Now lets look at the doubles in 1/16th. By following the double technique down the toms to the floor tom we can get a great descending tom feel happening. The next example shows us doing the same basic fill but following the toms down with the second hand to make the fill sounds more like its flowing down the toms. The last one here sees us splitting up the double stroke to get a quicker flow down the toms and to also give your doubles a good workout. EX 7.

As you will see these sound great and more complex than they really are.  At the quicker tempos we need to be at this stage careful of the combos we will do with regard to the toms etc we hit, as some combos don’t work as well due to cross sticking concerns. I have also included some more ideas you can attempt and explore EX 8.

Please do have fun with these ideas and remember the crucial aspect here is to ensure that you are playing cleanly and clearly all the time. If it doesn’t sound clear slow down to where it smoothens out and practice at that tempo for some time. Also come up with your own combinations if you practice the exercises outlined here many new tom ideas will naturally happen.

USING YOUR NEW FILLS IN BEATS

What you need to do now is to practise using your new drum fill ideas with some grooves and beats as that is why you learned them. It is of no use you being able to play some great grooves and some great drum fills if you don’t  put them together to make up a pleasing sounding passage. It is after all the cornerstone of most drum playing.