Sixteenth Note Triplets
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Learn How To Play Sixteenth Note Triplets On Your Drum Set!
Now I'd like to explain sixteenth note triplets. You will hear hear these types of fills a lot in double bass drumming, rudimental drumming, classical orchestral sounds, and many more types of music. Sixteenth note triplets consist of six notes per quarter note. The best way to count them is: one trip let and trip let, two trip let and trip let, etc.
When I was first learning, I was told to count them one, two, three, four, five ,six. This presented a big problem when I got to college. My teacher asked me to play sixteenth notes. After I did, he asked me how I counted them, and I told him. I said "one, two, three, four, five, six." So he asked me how I count 6/8 time. I said "one, two, three, four, five, six." Next he asked me what the difference was, and I made the mistake of saying "nothing". The fact is, there is a big difference, and the two different cadences should be counted differently. By counting the way I have taught you, you will be able to count sixteenth note triplets in any time signature.
In the exercises that you download from this page, you'll find the count written above the staff. This count demonstrates how you make the switch from eighth notes, to eighth note triplets, to sixteenth note triplets and various combinations in between. On the sheet, the counting is a little different than what I taught you. The downloadable file counts sixteenth note triplets the same as eighth note triplets (one trip let, two trip let, etc.) but plays two notes for each count when the triplets are sixteenth notes. This works well when the triplets are always played in even pairs, like in the samples.
Learn how to play tom-tom drum beats in the next drum lesson.
