The triple stroke roll drum rudiment is a natural progression from the single and double stroke rolls. The rudiment is played RRRLLL with three strokes on each hand. This is demonstrated in the video below.

Playing the Triple Stroke Roll

As with all the drum rudiments, it is best to start playing slowly at first and master the technique before trying to pick your speed up. At low speeds you can play this rudiment with 3 distinct strokes but as you speed up you will naturally develop a bounce to play the 3 strokes.

Although this bounce technique is similar to the multiple bounce roll, you will need to develop some stick control to create the optimal bounce that still plays 3 separate strokes.

Using the Rudiment

This is a fun rudiment to play around the drum kit, that naturally lends itself to being played as triplets. Try playing it around the kit between the floor, low and hi-toms. You can also experiment using it on the ride cymbal and hi-hat, playing sixteenth note triplets.

Playing around the Kit

One challenge that you may run into is the different drum and cymbal surfaces will affect your ability to bounce the stick. Many drummers have their toms at a lower tension than their snare, which can mean that strokes 2 and 3 of the triplet are less distinct when played at speed. You can compensate for this with good stick control and using the smaller fingers to emphasise the bounce.

If you would like to find out more about mastering the basic drumming patterns, look at the information on the 40 drum rudiments.