This lesson is part 4 of our series using single strokes in the hands and doubles on the bass drum. As you might appreciate by now, if you’ve checked out the other videos already this concept just has so many combinations and variations. Here we’re scoping out a style of fill that I originally saw gospel drummer Gerald Heyward play and was instantly hooked. I love the way this fill sounds more complicated than it really is and also more importantly, how it’s simply an extension of what we’ve already learned.

I split the lesson into two main fills. The first deals with the now standard sticking of RLRLFF except this time we’re using the hands primarily on the hi-hat. A key thing to note, however, is the back-beat on the snare with the right hand. The doubles on the bass drum remain as standard. This sticking is not played in 16th note triplets though. I play it in 32nd notes, which makes it oh so very ‘gospel chops’.

Fill number two is just a variation but introduces the method of joining two stickings together – RLRLFF as well as RLFF – a group of 6 and a group of 4. The focus on playing the hands on the hi-hat remains as does the back-beat on the snare to maintain the groove. Slightly harder to get the hang of but doesn’t sound quite as predictable as the first fill.

Hope you get something out of this lesson. Check it out and let me know how you go!

Enjoy the vid.

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