Decoding the 6-Stroke Roll: From Rudimental Mystery to Motown Magic
If you have ever thumbed through the Percussive Arts Society or Vic Firth international rudiment sheets, you have likely run into the eccentric sibling of the drum world: the 6-stroke roll.
While numbers like the 5, 7, and 9-stroke rolls behave like closed orchestral ornaments, the 6-stroke roll dances to an entirely different beat.
In this post, we will break down its official sticking, explore why it is structurally unique, uncover its secret life as a Motown studio staple, and solve the rhythmic mystery of why drummers rarely use it inside straight triplet grids—despite it mathematically fitting the slot!
1. The Official Sticking (Vic Firth Standard)
According to official standards, the 6-stroke roll consists of a single accented lead note, two internal double-stroke diddles, and a terminating accented single note.
- Starting on the Right: RllrrL (RllrrL)
- Starting on the Left: LrrllR (LrrllR)
2. Why is it Different from Other Numerically Identified Rolls?
Traditional numbered rolls are closed or open symmetric structures defined strictly by their tap counts leading into a single termination point (e.g., three double strokes plus a tap equals a 7-stroke roll).
The 6-stroke roll breaks the mold:
- Dynamic Bookends: It features two explicit accents—one at the very beginning and one at the end (RllrrL).
- Hybrid Nature: Instead of acting as a smooth, continuous closed roll, its internal single-stroke framework and double-diddle pairing make it feel and function more like a syncopated hybrid rudiment or linear fill.
3. The Motown Secret Weapon
Step into a 1960s Detroit recording studio with legends like Benny Benjamin or Uriel Jones, and you will hear the 6-stroke roll working its magic. Why is it considered a Motown standard?
- The Pocket Turnaround: Motown grooves rely on space, ghost notes, and subtle momentum shifts. Played with soft, whisper-quiet internal diddles and sharp accents, the 6-stroke roll creates an infectious, vocal-like phrasing that turns a beat around without crowding the dance floor.
- Backbeat Resolution: Landing that final accent cleanly on structural beats creates an irresistible groove punctuation.
4. The Triplet Paradox: Why Avoid Semiquaver Triplets?
Mathematically, a 6-stroke roll contains six distinct notes—meaning it fits the exact duration of one quarter-note beat subdivided into sixteenth-note (semiquaver) triplets (six notes per beat). So why do drummers often avoid using it strictly for triplet subdivisions?
Accent Friction:
- The standard accent structure (RllrrL) creates an inherent syncopation that fights against the natural ternary pulse of a straight triplet feel.
The Pull of Paradiddles:
- For 6/8 grooves or shuffle feels, drummers prefer symmetrical options like the Single Paradiddle-Diddle (RLRRLL) or alternating single-stroke triplets that distribute weight evenly across the triplet partials.
I play a hybrid version of the six stroke which blurrs between straight semiquavers and semiquaver triplets. It also implies a dotted quaver accent ‘cross current’ This allows a more malifluous ‘roll’ feel with funky dots inside!
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https://symmetricaldrummingaustralia.org