More Sixteenth Note Triplets under Jazz Time Ideas

Continuing from the previous post, this idea looks at various ways to use triplet-sixteenth figures under jazz time.

Remember, the musical application of these ideas is going to be limited, but they provide both a technical and rhythmic challenge.

The hi-hat is not written in on 2 & 4 to avoid clutter, but it should be played.

In these ideas, we aren’t playing all the triplet-sixteenth notes but breaking them up in different ways to give us some more interesting and challenging figures.

The first two exercises are essentially five-stroke rolls. The first exercise finishes on the beat and the second exercise finishes on the upbeat. You can isolate each pattern, as well as switch which pattern you start on.

The third exercise is like playing a ruff onto the upbeat. Again you can isolate one pattern and switch which pattern you start on.

The fourth exercise is one pattern that you can deploy musically at slower tempos. Many great drummers including Elvin Jones use this idea.

In the PDF are four further exercises.

Exercise six uses a three-over-two idea.

Exercises seven and eight voice the middle four notes of the sixteenth triplet group in some different ways.

It is vital to work on all of these exercises slowly, making sure everything is even and correctly placed. Don’t move the cymbal pattern.

Once you have them together, try to use the ideas musically and creatively in your playing. And come up with your own ideas based on these.

Have fun. Make music.