Supplement 30A & 30B: The 3-Stroke & 4-Stroke Motion | Part 1 of 3

The 3-stroke motion using the fingers starts with a downstroke as the fingers open, lets the stick rebound once while the fingers stay open, then closes the fingers on the upstroke; the rhythm stays straight and works well for up-tempo cymbal timekeeping. A second version has the fingers motivate the second note, then close as the stick prepares for the next cycle — this gives a slightly different articulation, and you can add stress to the third note by squeezing the fingers into the palm (Supplement 30A). You can let the second note rebound naturally or apply the fingers for a different articulation, keeping the arms and wrists relaxed throughout.

The 4-stroke motion follows the same idea: a downstroke with the fingers opening, then the stick rebounds twice while the fingers stay open, closing on the upstroke. The rebound strokes can happen without finger help at first, but it becomes difficult to get more than a couple without engaging the fingers to keep the stick moving. A second version has the fingers motivate the second and third notes, changing the articulation, with extra stress on the fourth note available by squeezing the fingers into the palm (Supplement 30B). As with the 3-stroke version, you can let the middle notes rebound naturally or shape them with the fingers — keep everything relaxed.