The Multiple Bounce roll drum rudiment is a familiar sounding exercise – when there is a dramatic build up at an event and somebody shouts “Drum roll, please!” you can bet that it is a multiple bounce roll that is played.

Also known as the buzz roll, the video below shows how this rudiment can be played on the kit.

Stick Control

The secret to mastering the multiple bounce roll is in stick control.  It will take a little practice at first but you will soon feel comfortable and find that this is useful exercise to add to your playing repertoire – and to impress your friends.

Hold the stick between your thumb and forefinger (index finger). They will be control the bounce of the stick. Let your remaining fingers take up a natural position but don’t let them squeeze the stick; for this rudiment they will not be involved in controlling the drumstick.

When you are starting to practice this rudiment don’t be afraid of varying the amount of pressure that you exert between your thumb and forefinger.  By experimenting you will come to find that there is an optimal way of holding the sticks.  If you apply too much pressure, the sticks will not bounce as much.

Improve Your Playing

This rudiment is similar to the single stroke roll, with the addition of the bounces.  There are no set number of bounces that should be played.  It is good practice to play each stroke very slowly at first and just concentrate on getting the stick to bounce multiple times and playing the strokes evenly.  You can then speed the exercise up.

You will also want to keep an eye on the angle of your drumsticks, as this will affect the bounce.  It is generally easier to play this rudiment with your sticks closer to the horizontal rather than at a steep angle.  It just makes the bounce easier to play.

Although the multiple bounce roll is often associated with the snare drum it is very versatile and can be used in fills around the kit and on other drums.

Find more information and videos on the 40 drum rudiments.