Stick Control Rate Loop

This simple idea takes what Mark Guilliana calls the rate loop, a short rhythmic scale, and applies it to various sticking control exercises. All you do is move the patterns from eighth notes to triplets to sixteenth notes and back down again, playing each pattern for two bars at each rate.

This is a great foundational exercise and warm-up.

It is easy enough with the single strokes and doubles that come on the first page of G.L.Stone's Stick Control but things get a bit more tricky as the stickings become more complex further down the page.

Here I have written out a few examples to show you what I mean.

Above is Exercise 14 and below is Exercise 17 - which is an inversion of the triplet paradiddle. You should notice that when patterns last two bars in the initial position, you need to play four bars at each rate.

The PDF has two more exercises written out for you - 19 & 24 - that might prove challenging.

With these exercises, it is essential to use a metronome and make sure the transitions between the rates are smooth.

You can also try moving the hands around the kit and exploring different sounds.

Practice with and without feet keeping time.

Try one bar of each rate. And four or eight bars of each rate. Experiment.

This idea works well with the first three pages of Stick Control - Exercises 1 - 73.

Have fun. Make music.