Rate Changes with a three-beat triplet figure

There is a rich vein of jazz drumming ideas and challenges to be had by translating patterns and figures into different rates. This is one such idea.

In this exercise, the base figure is a common three-beat motif - upbeat of the first triplet to downbeat of the third triplet. All the triplets in between are played with the figure/accent on the ride cymbal.

Exercise [A] shows the basic figure. The sticking pattern is important here - notice the double stroke in the snare drum after the downbeat. Although it isn’t written, the bass drum should be played with the ride cymbal accent and the hi-hat is on 2 & 4 throughout.

Exercise [A1] voices this figure around the kit - left to right - rack tom to floor tom to snare drum. This in itself is a great pattern to build licks and solos ideas off.

Spend time on slowly getting this comfortable.

Now the fun starts.

Exercise [B] translates the same figure down to eighth notes. The pattern and the sticking remain exactly the same, it is just played at a slower rate. What took three bars to repeat in Exercise [A1] now takes nine bars to repeat.

Exercise [C] translates the same figure up to sixteenth notes. I must admit that I am still struggling to get this together! It’s a good challenge. Again, it takes nine bars to repeat.

Using Exercises [B] and [C] directly in your playing probably isn’t going to work. This is an exercise to expand and challenge your rhythmic vocabulary.

Instead, take some of the one, two or four-bar sections and use them to develop shorter phrases you can use in your playing.

Eventually you (we) want to be able to shift the figure between the different rates with ease.

Have fun. Make music.