Multiple Bounce Roll
Learn How To Play The Multiple Bounce Roll Drum Rudiment!
In this next free drum lesson, Lionel Duperron teaches you how to master the multiple bounce roll – also known as buzz roll - by sharing some cool practice tips and a couple of drum beats and drum fills featuring the multiple bounce roll. The single stroke roll is the basis for the multiple bounce roll. So, whether you’re brand new to the 40 drum rudiments or a more experienced drummer, take a look at the single stroke roll before attempting to learn the multiple bounce roll.
The buzz roll is mostly associated with orchestral and marching band snare drumming. However, one can find this drum rudiment being used in numerous drum solos and on various styles of music like jazz, rock and Latin.
The multiple bounce roll consists of consecutive and alternating multiple bounce strokes, which are represented by the double diagonal lines on the note stems from the sheet music below. Each stroke has an undefined number of notes that are produced by pushing the stick into the drumhead or practice pad surface using a little bit of fulcrum pressure. The number of bounces is generated by the pressure you use on your fulcrum – the more pressure you use the less amount of bounces. Hence, it’s important you work on getting your hands to produce an even amount of pressure on the drumsticks. This is what will get you to have great sounding and consistent buzz roll.
As the stick bounces, you can relax a bit of the pressure on the fulcrum to make it easier to prepare for the next stroke. A common problem found in students that are first learning the multiple bounce roll is their tendency to squeeze the sticks with the back fingers. This kills most of the bounces, and it’s something you should avoid doing. Relax the back fingers and focus on the fulcrum pressure with the thumb and forefinger. Learn how to play the multiple bounce roll leading with both hands.
The first exercise in this free drum lesson combines the single stroke roll with the buzz roll. In the first two counts you play a 16th note single stroke roll between the hi-hat and the snare drum, just like on exercise #1 of the single stroke roll drum lesson. Then on count 3 you play a 16th note multiple bounce roll that ends with a single stroke on count 4. Practice this exercise slowly at first. This will enable you to get used to transitioning smoothly between the single stroke roll and the buzz roll, and between the buzz roll and the single stroke on count 4.
On exercise #2 the multiple bounce roll is played in conjunction with single strokes on counts 2 and 4. The bass drum is played on counts 1 and 3. If you’ve practiced the transitions from single strokes to multiple bounces that we discussed on the previous drum beat, you’ll have no issues in mastering this one.
Exercise #3 is the first drum fill encompassing the multiple bounce roll. Taking a look at the sheet music below, you can see how the drum fill has the same rhythmic pattern being played twice – one starting on count 1 and another starting on count 3. The only difference is the drum played on counts 2 and 4. This rhythmic pattern is the same as the one starting on count 3 of beat #1 on this free drum lesson. So, if you followed our tips while practicing exercise #1 you’ll have no problems with this drum fill.
The last exercise on this drum lesson is another drum fill. The rhythmic pattern is basically the same as the one on the last drum fill. Still, there are some differences. Instead of having a bass drum on count 3, we move it one 8th note to the left to have it on the “and” of count 2. The floor tom played on count 4 of exercise #3 is moved one 8th note to the right – to the “and” of count 4 – so we can add a high tom note in its place. This is a great example of how to create a new drum fill from an existing one.
Once you’re done with this lesson, you can move on to learn how to play other drum rudiments, like the double stroke roll, the single paradiddle, the flam, the drag or the triple stroke roll. Just remember to take your time with the material in each of these free drum lessons on the 40 drum rudiments. These patterns take years to master. The more thorough you are at practicing each one of the drum rudiments, the better you’ll ultimately be at performing them.