The Drumroll

[insane96]

Hit the drum in 8th notes and let your sticks bounce aome where around 4 times and gradually press harder to increase the speed of the roll. It takes practice but you will build up speed as you go along.

[Illicom]

It was nice of you to post that, and I'm sure you were just trying to help, but I think most of us here probably know how to do that.

Appreciate you sharing your knowledge, though.

[JCM]

Cut him some slack guys, he was just simply trying to share what he has learnt. Naive it may be but this is his first post/thread, it is understandable.

[Paul Quin]

Cut him some slack guys, he was just simply trying to share what he has learnt. Naive it may be but this is his first post/thread, it is understandable.

One voice of sanity in a cold and most un-Drummerworld series of responses. Come on folks, we're a community of drummers. Support someone new to the forum -even if the post doesn't teach you something new. These sarcastic and elitist responses serve no-one's interest.

Paul

[DogBreath]

I just deleted 13 posts from this thread, mostly from senior members of the forum, for being rude, sarcastic, and off topic. How sad. Can you maybe show some encouragement?

[tomgrosset]

Cool man, thanks for sharing.

-Tom

[retro]

Years ago, in my twenties, when I bought my first much wanted drum kit and began to experiment with it, I had no teacher and was forced to scrounge how-to-play info from the public library because there was no World Wide Web.

Back then, if I'd had even the basic drumroll description that insane96 provided in this forum, I would have been pleased.

Times have changed, of course, and this information is now available online in encyclopaedic detail.

Even so, I still enjoy reading such basic drumming tips, especially from enthusiastic beginners, because it shows they have a passion for the instrument, and that quality can't be taught.

Thanks for the post, insane96, and welcome to the forum.

[gusty]

I just deleted 13 posts from this thread, mostly from senior members of the forum, for being rude, sarcastic, and off topic. How sad. Can you maybe show some encouragement?

ah right.
knowing that information now, i can see why i was a little confused with the first 3 or so posts.

...and in addition, for my stage/concert bands i need to get my drum roll up to scratch. ive got a drum roll solo basically and at the moment i suck. thank you

[Drad-dog]

I just deleted 13 posts from this thread, mostly from senior members of the forum, for being rude, sarcastic, and off topic. How sad. Can you maybe show some encouragement?

Jeeze, Dog Breath, you could have just as easily gotten on young insane's case for not searching the forum before posting. Aren't you constantly telling us not to bring up redundant information? Isn't it, in fact, in the "READ THIS BEFORE POSTING" thread?

[DogBreath]

Jeeze, Dog Breath, you could have just as easily gotten on young insane's case for not searching the forum before posting. Aren't you constantly telling us not to bring up redundant information? Isn't it, in fact, in the "READ THIS BEFORE POSTING" thread?
1. Sarcastic and rude posts will not be tolerated, period.

2. One thing that I know for sure that I tell you constantly is to please not comment on the moderation of this forum outside of PMs, which you obviously have missed so I'm saying it here again.

3. Drop the attitude.

[tomgrosset]

You have to take into consideration that some of the new members who come on this forum aren't aware of the search button. There will always be the odd few.

[bonzolead]

ah right.
knowing that information now, i can see why i was a little confused with the first 3 or so posts.

...and in addition, for my stage/concert bands i need to get my drum roll up to scratch. ive got a drum roll solo basically and at the moment i suck. thank you

I play strictly by ear or heart whichever you prefer but I was always told on a good press roll you can't. tell which sticks are hitting the drum it should all sound even and smooth.I might be off the topic but that's what I thought you were talking about.

Keep Swatting,
Bonzolead

[insane96]

yep.i know it may not have been very helpful but i try.

[jazzsnob]

Hey insane it's all good, this is nothing about you really.

It's just that it's kind of lame when people post something that they didn't seem to put any effort into, from an educational standpoint and from a grammatical standpoint. Next time you want to add you should try and develop a more original idea and present it more thoroughly and people will respond well to it. It's better to wait for a perfect shot before you pull the trigger, no matter how long, because if you miss it's pointless. If you have good ideas and present them well, they will be well recieved, otherwise people might poke fun at you. It's how communities seem to work.

[Wavelength]

It's better to wait for a perfect shot before you pull the trigger, no matter how long, because if you miss it's pointless.

Not only that, but your shot-gone-awry will give away your position and the enemy snipers will start shooting at you...

[Wavelength]

By the way, how do/did you develop your buzz rolls? I've just recently realised that my buzz roll sounds something like "bllrrrrpphh", and I'd rather have it sound more like ripping sheets. Here's an exercise of my own I've been experimenting with:

1) Take a very slow tempo, from 35 bpm up.

2) Play quarter note accents hand to hand and let the sticks rebound as many times as possible and as steadily as possible. Aligning the accented strokes with the click will be a challenge in itself, since you can't rely on any particular subdivision. This will improve your internal time feel, rebound control and relaxation.

3) Play eighth notes, 8th note triplets, 16ths, quintuplets, sextuplets, septuplets, 32nd notes...

4) Even out the strokes as you go faster and try to diminish the accents. Go for smooth, overlapping strokes: the second buzzzz should always start before the first has ended.

Any suggestions, feedback and tips are most welcome.

[jazzin']

I would imagine most would already know this, but just in case...oh, and this is more about the sound, not really the technique. Simple yet a big part of a nice buzz roll.

The edge of your snare drum will always be tighter than the middle and have more rebound so starting from the edge you can develop a nice smooth sound compared to the middle which can sound a bit more open. Also the dynamics. Practicing very soft to loud on the edge and the same thing slowly moving closer to the middle.

I find when playing I generally play most of my buzz' on the outer edge of the snare. It's a smoother, longer sound.

[jonescrusher]

A simple tip to get a more consistent buzz roll is to start the roll with both hands simultaneously.

[NUTHA JASON]

a big thanks to those of you who stayed on topic. i deleted all the rest. Pm me if you have a problem with that.

i developed my buzz in ignorance as i didn't know there was any difference berween double strokes and buzzes until a few years ago. as a consequence i have a lovely buzz roll and an atrocious double stroke roll - yet another proof that even a few lessons from another drummer can make a huge difference.

i learned rolling right out of a list of rudiments when i was a kid and simply started with 4 strokes then 5 then 6 then 7 then 9, 13 etc until i was playing a continuous roll (or more correctly what i thought at the time was a roll). the problem with buzz rolls is that for me they are not as expressive as double stroke rolls. as my proper roll improves i see that i can play it much more dynamically and can vary the speed as needed. my buzzes can sound ripping fast but they peak at a certain volume and can go no louder. i still use buzzes for soft to medium volume playing. also while i find it easy to play a proper roll on a floor tom i find it hard to buzz there unless i play right near the edge (and then the sound changes as a consequence)

rolls are in the ever growing list of things i want to get much better at...sigh

j

[rockitman]

A simple tip to get a more consistent buzz roll is to start the roll with both hands simultaneously.


Agreed. I actually start mine with both sticks resting on the head about 1 inch from the rim. A slight bounce and I am buzzing. I like it when the roll falls out of time a bit and I can adjust by opening it up and then pressing a bit more to get that paper ripping affect from it. I have a bad habit of accenting the final. I have to focus hard on lifting the sticks
in time with the roll to get the affect I want. An example of the this would be the final roll played on Pink Floyds "Mother" At the very end of the song the drummer does this very smooth pressed buzz that sends a shiver up my spine.

[NUTHA JASON]

i just went and listened to it rockit ...nice spot. any other ones?

what about misty mountain hop by led zeppelin? i'll find the exact time i'm looking for in a minute? do you think that's a buz?

j

found it it's at 3:56 just before the outro

[bonzolead]

i just went and listened to it rockit ...nice spot. any other ones?

what about misty mountain hop by led zeppelin? i'll find the exact time i'm looking for in a minute? do you think that's a buz?

j

found it it's at 3:56 just before the outroThe song "tea for one" off Presence by Led Zeppelin Bonzo does a beautiful press roll about 1/2 way threw the song it's in the middle of Page's solo.I always like "Presence" because it's. not totally played out on the radio(except for "nobody's fault but mine")not to mension another press roll on "Achilles Last Stand" one of my favorite Zep tunes they ever did.Since you were on the subject of zep tunes.

Keep Swatting,
Bonzolead

[NUTHA JASON]

tea for one 4:27 ... yes.

achilles... 1:18. i love jamming to this song when i'm nicely warmed up.

j

[Paul Quin]

If finding a great buzz roll is your goal you have to check out Art Blakey. I am at work right now and I don't remember the name of the tune - but I'll find out. His buzz rolls will make you weep!

Paul

[jazzin']

Yes yes! Art's buzz is like listening to a slow thunder storm. Insane! Check out some of the vid's on the internet.

Also, something that is possibly underused or at least understudied is single hand buzz accents or double hand but still for just a short accent. Check out Keith Carlock or Bill Stewart. They use it brilliantly. It can be used for great effect in any music to create a subtly different sound (or not so subtle).

[retro]

From what I've seen on YouTube, many high-level rudimental drummers have the ability to generate fantastic rolls on the marching snare that sound like an electric buzzer:

bzzzzzzzzt bzzzzzzzzzt bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt.

For example, listen to what this drummer does at the start of the below clip,
and at 2:00--2:04. (2:54--2:58 is pretty cool, too, albeit more dramatic.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnYJBYeQ_6Q

Is there any special technique involved in creating that so-called electric buzzer sound?

Or is it simply a basic, garden-variety buzz roll?

Since I've never played a marching snare myself, I'm curious to know.

[NUTHA JASON]

Cool vid retro.

marching snares are very tightly tuned so the bounce is very different.

j

[Flamacue]

Cool vid retro.

marching snares are very tightly tuned so the bounce is very different.

j

I think playing on concrete is softer...(j/k)

[T-unit]

Oh yeah Nico is great. The end bit, sending the stick flying is genius, what a guy.

Marching snares are generally about double the tension of a standard snare which I think are around 90lbs, so that's pretty tight.

I'm actually inspired to get me a marching snare now... I learned some of the technique a while ago, seems cool.

[bonzolead]

tea for one 4:27 ... yes.

achilles... 1:18. i love jamming to this song when i'm nicely warmed up.

j
yes Achelles last stand I too love playing that when i've been jamming for about 10-15 min.
It's. one my favorite zep tunes. it's. really sad Bonham just kept getting better and better he never went into a slump.and then he left us.so sad.

Bonzolead