3 Variations of the 5-Stroke Roll

The 5-Stroke Roll is a classic rudiment, and it can be incredibly useful on the kit as is. That being said, I LOVE creating my own spicy variations for the 5-Stroke Roll. Here are my 3 personal favorites. I hope they inspire you to run to the kit and create a few of your own! - Mike J

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Endorsements
• Gretsch Drums
• Meinl Cymbals
• Aquarian Drum Heads
• Vic Firth Sticks
• DW Hardware
• Audio Technica Microphones
• 64 Audio In Ears
• Rudimental Matcha

00:00 Introduction
00:43 Light Some Candles
01:04 I LOVE the 5-Stroke Roll
01:35 What is a 5-Stroke Roll?
02:37 Variation #1
03:42 Variation #2
04:50 Variation #3
05:54 Let's wrap this up!

[jobaecker]

Not sure how I missed this post, but once again, you have the incredible ability to turn simple and rudimentary into the sublime. Thank you.

[godfreyulex]

Excellent licks and kudos for going with meinl

[Progdrummer]

Thanks Mike great lesson. Great tip about counting buzz rolls ... I'd love to see a lesson from you on counting buzz rolls in different time signatures.

[woodysdrums]

Buddy.and Joe were all about the 5 stroke. Great lesson.

[freddytirado]

bro that Gretsch is sounding "killer"!!! 😍😍

[Jonny_Blair_Drums]

Oh my!! 😍 how awesome is this. And i 100% agree, the fact that after 20 years on tube you are still buzzing with excitement when an idea for something new to teach comes to mind is just awesome! Love it mate 👊

[SpikeTSmith]

Brilliant Mike. I’m Giving this a go pretty early in the morning here in the Uk. Not as early as you though!!🤣

[gballmaier]

HEY CONGRATS ON BECOMING THE NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE!!!
AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT UNTIL I CHECKED THE SPELLING.😅😅😅

[barberjeff]

This is cool. I started doing this in the early 90s instead of doing the 5 stroke on the snare, I got lazy and did it between the hi hat and snare. Thanks for bringing this up!

[synoptic]

Best drum teacher/lover of all time. No one gets people more excited to play than you bro!!!

[oldmanfromscenetwentyfour]

Good Mornin Mike! Nice take on the 5. What you got for the 7?

[jasonmolinari]

How do you count a 5 stroke roll in a 4/4 bar? Or is more "felt" than counted?

[marcusdrums_hh]

Thanks Mike for getting up that early for us! I really like your 5 Stroke Roll ideas. Great content! Cheers!

[robmag]

Stupid question…are you playing these 5 notes as 16 note triplets, skipping the first note? (As opposed to 5 over 1)!?

[איילתדמור]

Hi Mike, big fan! Your channel helped me grow a lot as a drummer.
I wanna share a little problem I have with my drumming and in specific soloing:
I feel like I have collected a nice vocabulary over the years and I can flow endlessly in triplets and 16th. That said, I'm still not stasfied with my solos as they don't make a lot of musical sense.
I would greatly appreciate if you made vidoes about how to make solos that are musical. Thanks!

[DesignRhythm]

Is it really considered a "roll" though if do it with hands / feet combination? Asking for a friend : )

[PalashBackup]

Damn, forget practicing, you made getting up early sound fun. I want to wake up at 4:30 am and get really excited about an idea I have had.

Harrrr-ye-gah Mike. Thanks. :)

[ezramacarena]

hey mike thanx so very much! im a drummer and totally appreciate the rudiment breakdown. speaking of which.. whats the cymbal breakdown size n models for this video? love them tones. thanx again

[Quaffables]

I always love your choices on the drums. The real art is in your taste my friend. ❤

[DesignRhythm]

Cool Mike! Thanks...
I do random combos of these 3 different sticking variations all over the toms+snare which create some wild permutations, while keeping a 4 on the floor pulse underneath. I found it good for improving leading with my weaker left hand and flows nicely in and out of a paradiddle diddle for added complexity.
RRLLR + LLRRL
RLRRL + LRLLR
RLRLR + LRLRL