In this lesson I’m going to show you how to create high-energy Elvin Jones–style triplet fills based on common jazz rhythmic phrases, like those included in Ted Reed’s classic book Syncopation. This approach was first developed by legendary drummer and teacher Alan Dawson, and this is my spin on it. Let’s get started.

Here’s a typical four-bar syncopated phrase. We’ll use this to demonstrate how the concept works.

To begin, we’ll turn each measure into accented triplets. Where you see a quarter note written, play a triplet with an accent on the first note, using an RLL sticking.

If an 8th-note rest is followed by an 8th note, play a triplet with an accent on the last note, using an LLR or RLR sticking. (When you use the RLR sticking, the first right will be played softer than the second one.)

If two 8th notes are written, play a triplet with an accent on the first and last note, using an RLR sticking.

If a quarter-note rest is written, play unaccented triplets using an RLR or LRL sticking.

Keeping those rules in mind, let’s take the first measure from our four-bar syncopated phrase and turn it into Elvin Jones–style triplets. Here’s the original phrase.

Now here’s what that looks like with the triplets written out and with the accents added according to our rules. Practice this phrase until you’re totally comfortable with it and have it ingrained in your muscle memory.

The next step is to move the pattern around the drumset. To start, play the right-hand accents using the ride cymbal and bass drum. Play them with an aggressive feel, and make sure they’re treated as the lead parts in the pattern. Play all of the left hand notes softly on the snare.

You can also move the right hand between the snare and rack tom.

Now we’ll apply the two previous examples to create a two-bar fill played after two bars of swing time. To transition smoothly into the fill, stop the ride pattern with a quarter note on beat 4 of the second measure.

Let’s turn the entire four-bar syncopated phrase into triplets using the Elvin Jones–inspired stickings. Remember to practice the pattern until it becomes part of your muscle memory.

Next, play the accents using the ride cymbal and bass drum.

Now mix it up a bit and play the phrase as a four-bar fill after four bars of swing time.

See you next month for the second part of this lesson series.