The one handed roll (also known as freehand technique) is a great technique for playing a very fast single stroke roll with only one hand. In this free drum lesson, Jared Falk teaches you how to play the one handed roll and a couple of exercises that you can use to practice this technique. The one handed roll is broken down for you with slow motion video as well, so you can see exactly how Jared’s arms behave when applying this technique to the snare drum.
The one handed roll was first introduced to the drumming community by Kenwood Dennard. It was later made popular by the great innovator Johnny Rabb who began applying it to great success to drum solos and drum ‘n’ bass. Since the one handed roll allows for one hand to remain free to play grooves or ostinatos while the other one “rolls”, Johnny named it the freehand technique. This technique has become a staple in the world of death metal drumming as well. It’s used in the form of a blast beat known as gravity blast, hyper blast or Swedish blast.
The one handed roll uses the rim of the snare drum as a pivoting point for pushing and pulling the stick against it with the combination of an upward and downward motion of the arm. The one handed roll is not only a cool hand technique for showmanship purposes, but also for coming up with creative drum beats and drum fills. The one handed roll is not limited to the snare drum. You can use it on toms and cowbells for instance.
If you’re interested in knowing more about showmanship techniques, check the free drum lesson “Double Stroke Sweep” to learn a very cool showmanship technique that makes use of the double stroke roll. If you’d like to get some ideas on how to apply the one handed roll to drum beats, move on to the free drum lessons “One Handed Roll Applications“.
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thanks good lesson very helpful \m/.,
that’s also called a gravity blast, hyper blast, or swedish blast. it’s widely used in death metal drumming.
Actually, the one handed roll is used in blast beats. Saying the one handed roll is a blast beat is like saying the single stroke roll is a blast beat. They aren’t blasts but are used in them.
As for being used in metal drumming, you’re damn right dude.
Great lesson. Very cool. I passed it on to some drummer friends and my son who is stationed in Afghanistan with only drum sticks and pounds out a groove on anything he can find. Thanks.
another great lesson jared, i would certainly appreciate a follow up on the one handed roll=cheers mate
great as always! please, do a follow up video with examples around the kit! thanks!
what happened with your hair???
could you do a lesson on trad grip, or on tuning the drums? Thanks
Awesome stuff jared, love the 4 peice kit. Great Change!!
Thanks so much this has been a mystery to me for so long! Much Love!
Cool !!
Can’t wait to show my students!
Thank you.
Hi Jared,
I can’t really add to all the excellent comments that have already been made. At 47 I still love play and improve (and there’s plenty of scope for that. Let’s just see if you can teach an old dog some new tricks! I promise to give this one handed roll a real good go. I’m sharing all your Youtube tutorials with all my FB friends in the UK and i would encourage others to do the same because you deserve wider recognition. And yes more Youtube videos please!
Excellent job with this lesson, congratulations and thank you.
how long did you practice that technique?
one handed roll is great….
This is actually the first time I’ve seen the 1-handed roll, it is SICK!!!
Thanks for presenting it in such a clear and understandable way. I would love to have more from you on applying it around the kit.
Can’t wait to try it.
Kipp
Spokane, WA
Jarred
Another teriffic video. More and more that i see the more and more wish I weren’t such a screw up in my younger years and applied that hidden hunger to become a pro! The old saying is I wish I knew then what I know now Id be retired drummer with gold records under my resume!
Keep up the good work and maybe My next time around I might learn the key of success!
Happy Holloween!
Don Stixz
Long Island
Jarred
Another teriffic video. More and more that i see the more and more wish I weren’t such a screw up in my younger years and applied that hidden hunger to become a pro! The old saying is I wish I knew then what I know now Id be retired drummer with gold records under my resume!
Keep up the good work and maybe My next time around I might learn the key of success!
Happy Holloween!
Don Stixz
Long Island NY
yeah i would like for u to make another video like that
and can u make a video of how to get faster with the drum sticks
please and thank you.
Loving then lessons you have helped me tons
JARED.
STILL PRACTICING YOUR LESSONS.AND CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH.
MUCH LOVE.
JOANN FONG
Thanks Jared,
Great lesson, super explanation and demonstration of the technique. Tell us more!
This is amazing and I can’t wait to try it! Please do a follow-up. Thanks for all the great tips!
Thanks Jared.
Like others have said I’ve seen quiute a few videos trying to teach this method, but your is by far the best of the bunch. I would love to see a follow on how to apply this around the kit and in grooves etc. Thanks a lot.
p.s. This would be SO cool to do in a gig for pose value 😉
I would definitely be very open to seeing other applications around the kit. I think this is definitely a very good skill to learn, because it would give you so many more dynamics (i.e. bell pattern with rolls on the snare, or alternating hi-hat hits, who knows…) but this is definitely one that needs alot of practice, so if you could give some practice exercises? I would love another sheet to add to my collection >:D
Another great lesson.
I took it to the kit but couldn’t get the downstroke clean; kept hearing the rim hit. Maybe a follow-up lesson showing how to modify grip/tension/fulcrum to overcome this problem?
Would also like to see examples of grooves and ostinatos played by the free hand while the other one rolls.
Keep up the great work!
Great lesson I sure am going to practice this method, where can I see more lessons on developing the weaker hand ???
Friggin’ amazing, Jared. Thank you. I am going to try this. Question; do you find that the stick taper/weight plays a big difference in being able to use this technique? Or should I be able to do it with essentially any stick, based on wrist/finger control?
eres un gran maestro felicidades!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Jared its really cool stuff,Please do a follow up.
Nice. Hey, what’s the Rapture?
the end of the world…. remember when the US went ballistic recently cuz they thought the world was gonna end.. dats the rapture 🙂
Wow, you’re a really good teacher. I enjoy watching your videos. Hey, I have a question though. I noticed under the drum set rudiments you guys only have 25 rudiments listed. Does that mean you can’t apply the all 40 of them to your set or are you guys working on adding the other 15? Please get back with me.
Hey Christian,
The 15 rudiments that are missing will be uploaded to the website in the near future. All 40 drum rudiments are applicable to the drum set.
Cheers mate.
Good stuff Jared, thanks…working on it now.
Really cool thing to have in your tool box. Can you show some more applications to this?
Thanks!
This is a really cool technique…thanks for sharing it. A full version would definitely be good.
Thanks a lot Jared,
I just listend to Red Hot Chilli Peppers “Stadium Arcadium” and asked myself how the Drummer is playing these rolls an his snare drum. Righafter i saw this new video.
Thank you and please give us a follow up!
Actually, the drummer is playing normal rolls on the snares instead of this one-handed roll. It sounds complicated but it isn’t if you break it down.. =D
Hi Jared,
thanks a lot for all your great videos!! Really. This is very helpful.
I didn’t know about that one handed roll. I’m interested to see more, with hands juggling each with different strokes 😉
Cheers.
I’ve always wondered how this could be done—now I know–thanks!!!
nice lesson jared and thanks keep up the good work
thankx a lot jared!!! thz z awsme!!!
Hi Jared. Yet another super video. You make it look so easy, tilt I get to the kit! Obviously, practice is the keyword. Thanks for all the videos – keep ’em coming please!
excellent lesson, as always….finally an actual explanation that is easy to comprehend and put into motion. i have been trying to get this down for a while now, but other videos don’t give the close up performance and are not broken down to show exactly how it is done. Thanx, jared. your lessons have helped my drumming immensely!
I Like it. Please make more. Rwanda is watching you and we are learning a lot from you.
Hello Jared,
Another excellent, well taught method. (I had this DVD from, some time ago… good to review here, now.)
I am glad you used this Video format, with YouTube, — so didn’t have to go to my IE Browser to view it 🙂 (the other format does not work for me in Firefox, as you may know).
As far as “support” — I just really like getting your innovative take or even revisiting of “stuff” at least once a week. There is so much “stuff” out there, no one would have time to watch, let alone, “do” — unless a professional drummer with only this to do.
Again, you, your crew, … really the best approach out there, today.
All the best!
Jared, awesome lesson and breakdown on the single stroke roll. I’ve missed your free drum lessons on line, they’ve helped me improve my playing and understanding technique. Looking forward to more follow-up lessons. Thanks, and keep drummin’
EXCELENTE EJERCICIOS, DIPONDRE MAS TIEMPO PARA LLEVARLO A UN NIVEL AVANZADO Y NO SOLO ESO, SINO QUE LO REPRODUCIRE A MIS ALUMNOS PARA TAMBIEN ELLOS TOQUE A OTRO NIVEL, DIOS TE BENDIGA QUERIDO HERMANO POR COMPARTIR LO K HAZ APRENDIDO.
Hey 😉 Cool video! I hope you can makemore videos like this with cool stuff
to “show-off” with 😉
Hey Jared, don’t stress yourself too much. This lesson is really cool.
I cannot believe how simple you make it. Have always wondered how to get it going. Can’t wait to see more.
grt lesson…….
need some more of it
Avendolo gi giocato svreapo in un progetto totalmente nuovo SPOILER GIGANTE ma sono cos fessi da mettere tra gli screen la boss battle finale?
cool stuff ! bro!
Thank you Jared, I’ve seen this technique a few times on instructional videos but your explanation is by far the best and I think I’ve nearly got it! All the little tips on the various aspects of the technique and the slow mo’s are invaluable. Thanks again and keep up the great work, just don’t wear yourself out too much!