Avoid blurring the transitions from one subdivision to the next, and play the patterns as precisely as possible with a metronome. The first example outlines the quarter-note triplet within each nine-note grouping.

The next three variations accent one partial of each quarter-note triplet within the nine-note groupings.

The next three variations accent two partials of each quarter-note triplet within the nine-note groupings.

 Now we’re going to accent all three partials of each quarter-note triplet within the nine-note groupings. In addition, we’ll accent one entire triplet within each quarter-note triplet.

Finally, we’ll accent two out of three triplets within the quarter-note triplet of each nine-note grouping.

Bill Bachman is an international drum clinician, the author of Stick Technique (Modern Drummer Publications), and the founder of drumworkout.com. For more information, including how to sign up for online lessons, visit billbachman.net.