Triplets

If you feel like your triplets are not evenly spaced and you're more comfortable with binary rhythms, you can work on it in 3/4 time:
Code: 
1 2 3
R L K

1 + 2 + 3 +
R L K R L K
Or you play it in 4/4
Code: 
1 e + a 2 e + a ...
R L K R L K R L ...
 
basset52 said:
I've been working on them for well over a year now 2- 3 times a week for 20 to 30 mins at a time - RLK, with the aim to get a fluent roll around the kit, but a while ago I reached a plateau and can't seem to get any faster , so moving around the kit , snare to Rack to floor is still quite slow. I see others doing it very fast! Very frustrating for me ! I use a digital metronome so I can get the spacing right. I'm beginning to think I'm just not capable of getting any faster! I recently decided to go RLK on snare to LRK on rack tom then RLK on floor tom to see if this would help with speed and fluency, it didn't seem to. Its been a very frustrating 12 months - part of me says at 67 years old and basically playing for fun , just give up, but the other part of me wants to continue the challenge!
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Hi. Am also trying to get triplets up to speed and similar to you have hit a wall. How are u getting on with them? Agree the video is inspiring and more musical than the usual Bonham licks that we see. Jo Jo is a master and his take on it is good but my challenge is the hihat. Linking it all together and making it smooth Gets frustrating. I am Interested in any feedback or tips. Cheers. Stay safe. Mike.
 
My favorite linear triplet exercise is

RLK RRK KLR KLL

Either all 4 of those on one drum/cymbal, then move to another, or the first two on one drum, the move the hands and do the second two on a separate drum. I take it around the kit that way, very VERY slowly, for about 5 minutes.
 
I've been doing alot of Salsa practice. I've noticed that the broken/asymetric measures in clave strengthen my triplets. Almost like a metric modulation.
 
Alain Rieder said:
Out of curiosity, what is the speed you would like to attain?
Click to expand...
Really good question. Checking out some videos I reckon I would be happy if I could play a nice "rolling " RLK around the set at 100 -110 BPM. I just can't get that "rolling" technique. Mine sounds like a bit of a gallop. As I said , I've been using metronome set at 3/4 time to try to get even spacing.
 
basset52 said:
I would be happy if I could play a nice "rolling " RLK around the set at 100 -110 BPM
Click to expand...

I think it's too boring and frustrating to spend time mechanically repeating sequences of strokes. Most of the time, I work on rhythmic concepts that I find interesting, in a rather slow tempo, and it provides me with the technique I need to use them in a musical context.
Working your way up from 40 BPM will give great results.

There are many possible variations to these patterns, I'm writing a book that addresses this concept in a thorough way, keep posted!
 
basset52 said:
Really good question. Checking out some videos I reckon I would be happy if I could play a nice "rolling " RLK around the set at 100 -110 BPM. I just can't get that "rolling" technique. Mine sounds like a bit of a gallop. As I said , I've been using metronome set at 3/4 time to try to get even spacing.
Click to expand...
I sometimes like the gallop sound. No accents makes it boring...
 
Hiya Larry.

So my experience with triplets?

It started when I needed to learn La Grange by ZZ Top.

I played the RLK fill very slowly.......with a quarter note around 50 bpm.

I did this over and over again for hours on end.

As I started to improve, I then played the bass drum for the 1st note of the triplet, then the second note of the triplet then the third note.

So I developed a series of patterns as such:

K R L

R K L

R L K

I then strung them together and I came up with some very interesting combinations.

K R L R K L R L K R L R......and repeat.

I play the hats on the quarter note regardless of what combination I'm playing.

It's really good for independence too.

That second combination of R K L with a hat on the quarter note is a slippery little sukka.

Oh....and of course I do them leading with the left hand too.

They are quite simple in their structure, but it gives endless substitutions around the kit.

I play them to blues drumless backing tracks and straight ahead rock stuff as well.
 
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