How to Play the Double Stroke

Once the single stroke roll is mastered, drummers looking for a more challenging way to play a drum roll can graduate to the double stroke roll. It's played similar to the single stroke, but as its name implies, two strokes are played with each hand in an alternating fashion. One advantage of the the double stroke roll is it will help the drummer drastically improve his overall skill. Read on to learn how to play the double stroke.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drum
• Metronome

1. Place the drum between your legs, which should be at a V angle.

2. Position yourself so your arms are parallel to the ground, with a straight back. The drummer's arms should rest comfortably at a 90-degree angle just above the drum.

3. Strike the drum with the right hand twice, allowing the hand (or stick) to bounce off the drum head.

4. Alternate and strike the drum with the left hand twice.

5. Continue playing a right, right, left, left pattern.

6. Practice these basic steps and gradually progress the speed.

Tips & Warnings

• When playing hand drums, the djembe is most commonly used for drum rolls.
• When playing the drum set with sticks, the drum roll is usually played on a snare drum. However, it can be played on any drum.
• Using a metronome will help with timing.
• Learn to play the single stroke roll first. Once the drummer learns the double stroke roll, he can move on to the more challenging buzz roll.
• Start slow to learn the basic rudiment then add about five beats per minute each week.
• Use proper posture to avoid injuries which could develop over time.