Back To Back Rolls

Here are some exercises in back-to-back rolls. These rolls are a series of the same stroked roll (five-stroke, six-stroke, etc.) played in a continuous fashion, so as not to break the flow of constant 16th notes or an 8th-note triplet feel. Below, I have listed various ways in which these combinations can be used around the drumset.

Ways To Practice
First, practice each exercise on the snare. Repeat each exercise at least ten times, using three different speeds: slow, medium and fast. Make sure that the accents are strong, and the rolls are crisp and even. Count in 16th notes.

Next, practice each exercise on different drums by playing the accents on the toms and the double strokes on the snare drum. Right-hand accents should be played on the floor tom, and left-hand accents on the small tom. For example:

Next, practice each exercise playing the double strokes on toms (right-hand double strokes on the floor tom, left-hand double strokes on the mounted tom). All accents are to be played on the snare drum. For example:

Next, try each exercise as in the two examples above, but place all accents on the bass drum, as shown below:

Last, add a cymbal to the exercises when playing the accents on the bass drum. Right-hand accents should be played on a cymbal placed on the right side, while left-hand accents should be played on a cymbal placed on the left side of the drumset. Here’s an example of how that would work:

Apply the various practice methods I’ve suggested to the exercises below, remembering to concentrate on keeping the rolls clean, crisp and even, no matter where the sticking is placed. Also, be sure to keep the single-stroke accents strong, yet fluid, so as not to break up the basic pulse of the roll.