JAZZ DRUMMER’S WORKSHOP

Triplet Fill Concepts

Part 3: Three-Over-Four Fills With Rudiments

by John Xepoleas

Welcome to the third and final lesson in our series on jazz-style triplet fills. This lesson continues with the three-over-four triplet concept and incorporates buzz rolls, double strokes, and paradiddles. In our first example, we’ll play the accents using the bass drum and ride cymbal while using buzz rolls on the snare drum.
Let’s play one bar of a swing-time feel into one bar of the fill.

Using Double Strokes
Now we’ll double the unaccented snare notes. Let’s begin by getting a good feel for the sticking pattern. Start slowly and practice with a metronome.

Next add the bass drum to the pattern. This helps give you a deeper understanding of how the accents land with the pulse.

Now we’ll play the accents using the ride cymbal and bass drum.

Let’s play three bars of a swing-time feel into one bar of this version of the fill.

Next we’ll move the right-hand double strokes to the rack tom.

Now we’ll play three bars of a swing-time feel into one bar of the fill.

Using a Paradiddle Sticking
Next we’ll apply a paradiddle sticking to the accented triplet pattern. Start slowly and practice with a metronome.
Once again, we’ll add the bass drum to our pattern.

Let’s play this paradiddle version of the fill from two bars of a swing-time feel.

Now we’ll play the right-hand accented notes with the ride cymbal and bass drum.

Let’s play this version of the fill from two bars of a swing-time feel.

Next we’ll play right-hand accents on the toms. Learn the pattern and then play it from two bars of a swing-time feel.

John Xepoleas has written two drum books, Style Studies for the Creative Drummer and Essential Drum Lessons With the Greats. He is also an active online educator. For more info, visit johnxdrums.com.