5 Proven Ways To Fix Your Double Stroke (Drum Lesson)

The fastest way to get faster on drums:

Drumming can basically be broken down into two things: singles and doubles. Most things we play are just a combination of these. Like a golfer working on their swing, a drummer needs to be working on perfecting these two strokes since they apply to almost everything.

Note spacing and consistency are your tickets to reaching the next level in your playing. If your double strokes are threatening to–well–give you a stroke, here are five ways to stave off the sloppiness. And they really work!

0:00 Introduction

1:46 Accent the second stroke
A concept taught by pros like Dave Weckl and Thomas Lang, practice accenting the second stroke of each double. Use your full wrist motion to get each one clean and powerful, and get comfortable with how this sounds and feels. Start slow and focus on that accent – it’ll naturally start to even out as you speed up.

3:16 Practice with locked grip
Since it has little to no rebound, practicing on a pillow (or the soft arm of a couch) is an incredible training exercise. Hold your sticks so the end in the palm of each hand (without gripping too tightly). The stick should function like an extension of your arm rather than being allowed to pivot. Now every stroke on the pillow is a result of your wrist movement. If you do this for five or ten minutes a day, you’re going to start noticing massive improvements.

5:26 Displace your doubles
To change the feel and orchestration around the kit, rather than playing square/regular doubles (RRLLRRLLRRLL), play inverted doubles (RLLRRLLRRLLR). Work that around the kit with the bass drum on every quarter note. Start with the right hand leading, then practice with the left. Get used to switching between square doubles and inverted doubles and see how the sound changes. It’s a more musical way to apply what you’re working on.

10:00 Use the note value tree
Practice cycling your doubles between quarter notes, 8th notes, 8th note triplets, 16the notes, 16th note triplets, and 32nd notes. Try it with the metronome at 60 BPM.

14:50 Study the roll rudiments
Whether you realize it or not, you’re always playing rudiments. If you want to unlock more possibilities in your drumming, work on the 5 stroke roll, 6 stroke roll, 7 stroke roll, 9 stroke roll, 10 stroke roll, 11 stroke roll, 13 stroke roll, 15 stroke roll, and 17 stroke roll.

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[DrumeoOfficial]

Do you have any questions about your double stroke? Let us know in the comments below!

[inktloos]

Don't we live in an amazing age where we can get great free drum lessons? Thank you so much!

[anntimme]

I can’t get over how cool that drum set looks (and sounds)

[amateurhourdrums]

I definitely neglected double stroke practice for way too long when I first started playing. It takes time but it’s so worth it once your technique develops!

[fabfishing]

The editing with those Fast to Slowmo doubles was 🔥🔥 🔥

[aloisilles]

This pillow sound more good than my bass drum

[baagoe]

Pure gold! Material for practicing essentials for the rest of your drumming life served in less than 20 minutes.

[rapgonzales]

I started playing drums because I got plenty of time to play during quarantine, this helps a lot specialy for me as a beginner to improve my skills and techniques. 🤘 I could say that I'm addicted to learn more on how to the play drums.

[_gameboy]

“And my playing began to sound sound really really funky”
NEW DRUMMER: That’s right, I play funk

[rickybailey]

THIS VIDEO WORKS!!! I've been using the first technique for the last 2 weeks and already see improvements in my double stoke roll. Thanks for the content.

[Ole-Johan_Amundsen]

Hey Drumeo, I watched this video 2 or 3 times to really understand how you worked the wrists, sat down begind the kit for 30 minutes, and expanded my playing speed about three times! Thank you really, didn’t think I had that speed in me, and I feel super great and thankful! You guys are awesome!

[patrickcarroll]

I don't think you know how good of a teacher you truly are, Jared. Maybe you do. This was so helpful. Thanks.

[drakausdromgatti]

I'm pretty nasty with singles. My doubles however, been practicing push/pull method forever and just recently started fast rolling with my doubles. It feels great when it starts working.

[samukarbrj]

this lesson is gold! im working on my doubles this week and already feeling more flow. this will help alot for sure

[HarryJoiner]

1:41 ... I’ve been playing for 35 years. I’ve never heard this before. Makes perfect sense. Thank you so much!

[Lugh]

I have been drumming in a very noisy punk band 18 years now and we really only use single stroke rolls. So I never learned to play and apply doubles well. This is helping me so much - in 5 minutes I am seeing improvements. ❤

[ryanburchett]

I loved watching these exercises. Very helpful for an new-to-intermediate drummer who desires to improve.

[SamanthaGobert]

Can't tell you how much I appreciate these lessons as I'm getting back into it after over a decade of not playing. What a great teacher, and he is so humble! there are a lot of god complexes in the drumming sphere and it's just real refreshing when you find a great teacher who is down to earth with you and normalizes the struggles you will overcome as you improve!

[keithgreer]

You teach drumming Just exactly the same is my drum teacher taught me 30 years ago practicing on just a pillow and a metronome this is a very good technique to being a successful drum player. Thank you brother for the lesson.

[itsjohnnymillion]

I recently subscribed to Drumeo almost solely because of Jared's free lessons. What an amazing talent and teacher.