Rolls, Rolls, Rolls

By Joel Rothman

The best book for learning how to play and read drum rolls.

Rolls of varying duration are presented in 4/4, 6/8, and cut time. You will learn to overcome many of the difficulties that exist in the reading and execution of rolls.

This is a wonderful book for players that are passing from beginner level to intermediate level reading. Once a student finishes the first few books that generally teach them “How To” read. I then immediately place them in this book. So typically, this would be about the 4th or 5th book that they would play. This is also the first book that is specific; meaning that it is the first book that covers a specific topic in drumming. This is one of the best books that cover rolls for then snare drum. Usually, when a drummer is advancing from beginner level, they tend to have a problem with rolls.

List of Intermediate Drum Method Books

Rolls are extremely useful and tend to be the next most desirable thing to learn right after being able to play a 4/4 rock beat or just plainly learning how to read. The drum roll is one of the trademark aspects of learning how to play the drums. So nearly all drummers want to be able to do it immediately. Additionally, when reading drum music; it is loaded with rolls. Without having a developed roll, or without being able to read a roll well; it will seriously hinder your progress.

I remember when I was first presented with this book. It was right after I played a book that introduced me to how to play on the drum set as a whole. Before that book, was an elementary book that ran me through all of the basics of how to read drum music. When my drum teacher presented me with this book, I remember opening the book and flipping through the pages with him standing over my shoulder. I remember speaking out and saying, “but Mike, is full of drum rolls! I hate drum rolls! He said, “I know, that is why I got it!”

Now, my drum teacher was a great guy and had a very colorful old-school New York, Italian American personality, but he was completely correct in his thinking! Right now, if you are at the beginner level, and you already learned how to “generally” read. Then your very next step is to figure out what is the most miserable part about your playing, and then, ATTACK IT!

The whole idea of what you’re doing when you play the drums is not to just learn how to play (one) thing, and then, stay there. You want to challenge yourself more in the areas that you find more difficult. Now, a drummer at this level is almost always going to have the problem of playing drum rolls well. Therefore, Rolls, Rolls, Rolls, by Joel Rothman is probably one of the best books to read next.

The book is nearly 100% drum rolls. Every page that you turn will be rolls.

  • It has rolls is 4/4 time signature.
  • Rolls in 6/8 time signature.
  • Rolls using triplets.
  • Rolls on a 2/4 signature.
  • Rolls that take up a quarter of a measure.
  • Rolls that take up a whole 4 measures.
  • Any way that a roll can be thrown at you; this book has it! (Unless if it is a crazy time signature or something that is super-advanced, but that is a different article and we are talking about that here)

To make a long story short!

When you start the book; you are typically not very good with rolls!

When you finish the book; you will be an advanced player of rolls!

What the publisher says the book is about.

Rolls, Rolls, Rolls presents a comprehensive study of rolls in 4/4, 6/8, and cut time. Rolls are, according to Joel Rothman, by far the greatest single problem faced by drummers; indeed, many professionals, as well as students, never overcome this problem completely. The book will help the up and coming, as well as the professional percussionist, achieve roll nirvana.

Paperback: 65 pages Publisher: JR Drum Publications; Revised edition (January 1, 1967) Language: English ISBN-10: 1617270229 ISBN-13: 978-1617270222

look inside Rolls, Rolls, Rolls Composed by Joel Rothman. Book. Published by Joel Rothman Publications (JR.JRP44).

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. D Mark Agostinelli

    Curtis Cobb
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Rolls, rolls, rolls,
    February 29, 2016
    Format: Paperback
    Be honest, I went through this excellent book on roll control in the mid to late 70s, excellent for teachers or students, has tempo settings for all rolls, in chart form you can break them down in 4 bar phrases, top of pages simplifies how to play and read rolls,

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