In the last article, we discussed efficient 16th note stickings for funk drumming. Today I’m going to show you how to apply the same concept to triplet stickings. This is especially useful for playing shuffles and jazz.
As mentioned in the last article, it is much easier to learn to play the drum set leading with your right hand, than to constantly switch from right hand to left hand lead. With that in mind, we’re going to explore 2 basic triplet stickings.
Note: This article is written from a perspective of a right-handed drummer. If you play left-handed,just switch the stickings around and lead with your left hand.
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Conventional Triplet Sticking
The first triplet sticking that most drummers learn is simply RLR LRL. This is a very useful sticking, and it makes sense for some figures. It’s difficult to execute certain figures though, using this sticking alone. It also tends to sound very heavy handed in some styles of music. To be more specific, it’s difficult to play quietly, and dynamically using this standard triplet sticking, when you start adding accents to the figure.
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Alternate Triplet Stickings
Here are two alternate triplet stickings.
A. RLL
B. LLR
Using these two stickings together will allow you to play right hand rhythms or “melodies” around the drum set using a right hand lead. I’m specifically talking about rhythms based on the shuffle or “swing 8th” rhythm. These are the same types of rhythms found in “Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer by Ted Reed.”
Again, these are useful stickings for any style of music utilizing triplet rhythms. They’re particularly useful for big band drummers, wanting to play ensemble figures within a triplet context.
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Examples And Application
Note: All figures are to be interpreted as “swing” 8ths.
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Example 1:
Here’s a basic syncopated rhythm. This could be a big band horn line, or in a rock group, an accent figure that the whole band is hitting together.
We’re going to play the figure with our right hand. The figure can be played on the toms, or a combination of toms, crash cymbals, hi-hats, etc. The left hand will fill in all the notes between the notated ones, on the snare. Keep the snare notes softer, possibly ghosted. Again this is much easier to do with this type of sticking than the standard RLR LRL triplet sticking.
Here’s one possible way of voicing the figure.
As noted in the last article, the bass drum always plays in unison with the right hand. That makes these type of figures easy to execute, because biologically, the right side of your body is connected in your brain.
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Example 2:
In some cases you need to modify the stickings a little bit to avoid having to play too many notes in a row on the snare drum. Otherwise, if the tempo is fast enough, you’ll have trouble keeping up. One solution is to simple add one extra right hand note on the snare drum. Another solution is to simply leave out a couple of ghosted notes on the snare. This works well, because it helps the music breathe. It helps it to keep your drumming from sounding to busy.
Here’s a possible voicing, leaving out a couple notes on the snare.
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One thing to be aware of in the two voicing examples I gave is that I did not take into account the concept of “long” verses “short” notes. Usually it’s best to keep long notes-quarter notes, dotted quarter notes, etc., on the crash cymbal, or maybe a tom. You want the note to sustain along with the rest of the band, since they’re playing the same note. Obviously if you’re soloing, it doesn’t make a difference.
For more practice, write 2 measure patterns of your own, using nothing but 8th notes and quarter notes. Practice various voicings around the drum set. Play 2 measures of either shuffle or swing time before each example, so you can really incorporate this sticking concept into your playing.
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