BY ‘TIGER’ BILL MELIGARI
I originally developed these accented triplet drills to improve my own accenting skills combined with multiple rebounds including single, double, and triple stroke rolls. Over the years, it has helped many of my students. Check out the lesson in the video above, with written notation below in this article.
Practice Tips
Although I apply my system of Tension Free Drumming to these drills, I suggest you use your current technique. If you feel any tension as you attempt to increase speed, stop immediately, shake your arms out to relieve the tension, then slow your current tempo and repeat the drill again.
Playing when your hands, arms, or wrists are under tension is like driving a car with one foot on the gas and the other foot on the brake. It not only slows you down but makes everything much harder to play than it has to be. The more you practice playing without tension, the faster you will be able to play. This takes time but it will be time well spent.
Remember, the more fun you have with your workouts, the more you’ll want to practice and the more your playing will improve. Next time, we’ll get creative and convert these drills into some great-sounding practical fills that you can use on the drum set. Until then, have fun and stay loose!