A different feel to the 4-beat roll

If you caught the “Tiddlywink” 4-beat swing roll from a few weeks back, this new phrase heads in a different direction rhythmically. It’s tighter, and more angular — with a structure that could even be interpreted as a 6-beat phrase, depending on how you hear it. That’s part of what makes it so interesting.

In the video, I walk through the roll slowly, break down the slap placements, and finish with a play-along section to help you embed it in your own playing.

Sharing the journey

I’m always exploring new ways to develop solo phrasing and technique — and this roll has been a really enjoyable challenge. Sharing these ideas through video is part of how I keep the learning alive and offer something that others might find useful or inspiring in their own playing.

 If you’d like to support the channel and help keep the rhythm flowing, you can buy me a coffee here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/unbeatableenergy

Thanks for reading — and happy drumming!

-Steve Rivers

We start with body percussion (so you can follow along even without a drum), then explore different ways of playing the rhythm on the djembe, including bass note and grace note variations. And once it’s in your body, there’s a full rhythm you can groove along to.

This lesson is part of a growing series aimed at giving new drummers a strong sense of groove and confidence from the very beginning — no fast hands or fancy solos required! Timestamps are provided in the video description and pinned comment to help you jump to each section easily.

If you find it helpful, feel free to leave a comment, ask a question, or share it with someone else who’s just getting into hand drumming. And if you’d like to support future videos, you can buy me a coffee here: http://buymeacoffee.com/steverivers.

See you in the groove!

If you’re developing your djembe solo phrasing, this latest video is for you. It’s the second part of a growing sequence focused on solo structure and flow, and this time we’re diving into the 4-beat roll — a key technique that brings energy and movement to your playing.

Rather than just playing it fast, this lesson is all about how the roll sits within a phrase, how it connects with the groove, and how to practise it in a way that feels musical and satisfying. It builds directly on the swing Kassa-style rhythm we looked at last week.

I hope you enjoy exploring this new layer of solo phrasing. Let me know how you get on — and as always, happy drumming!

As I prepare to share a 4-beat roll phrase next week, I wanted to create a preliminary lesson to set the groundwork. In this new video, I focus on building a swing framework that will make it easier to integrate the roll into a specific swung ternary rhythm.

• How to develop swing and timing with grace notes
• Preparing your hands for a 4-beat djembe roll
• How swing can feel different depending on the rhythm

Last weekend, I attended Billy Konaté’s workshop and Billy demonstrated a Sofa family rhythm with a noticeably extreme gallop-like swing. This reminded me just how much variation exists in ternary swing—some rhythms have a very relaxed feel, while others have an almost horse-riding gallop to them!

This upcoming 4-beat roll phrase fits within a specific type of swung Kassa-like rhythm, so this first lesson focuses on getting that swing feel locked in before moving on to the roll itself.

Let me know what you think—what are your favourite types of swing? Have you come across rhythms with a strong gallop like this?

✅ How to play the 3-beat roll cleanly and smoothly
✅ The relationship between the roll and an accented note
✅ Why different musicians place the accent in different ways

This is one of those techniques that’s full of nuances (yes, I love that word! 😆). Even though the 3-beat roll follows a pattern, how you phrase it changes the feel of your solo.

This video is just the first step in a bigger exploration of solo phrasing. Next, I’ll be releasing a lesson on ghost notes, which will set up the framework for integrating the 4-beat roll into your playing.

📅 New lesson coming next Saturday!

Whether you’re new to this concept or refining your technique, try the 3-beat roll and experiment with where you place the accent. Let me know what you think in the comments on YouTube! 🚀

In my latest video, I demonstrate the flam technique on djembe and how you can use it to develop more fluidity and expression in your playing. If you’ve ever wanted to add more variation and dynamic feel to your drumming, this is a great technique to explore!

A flam is typically described as two quick, slightly offset strikes—one as a grace note, followed by a main note. However, on the djembe, the relationship between the two notes is much more fluid.

Unlike snare drum flams, where the grace note is significantly softer, the two notes in a djembe flam can be closer in volume and timing, creating a subtle “double attack” effect. There are many nuances in how wide apart the two notes are, ranging from a very tight, almost simultaneous hit to a more open flam with a pronounced separation.

These subtleties are rarely explored in snare drumming, making the djembe flam a unique and expressive tool in traditional and contemporary rhythms.

In this video, I present a finished example of the flam technique on djembe and discuss its practical applications. Whether you’re new to flams or refining your approach, this tutorial will give you a clear way to experiment and develop your own variations.

✔️  Adds texture and dynamics to your playing
✔️  Helps develop coordination and control
✔️  Essential for soloing and improvisation
✔️  Creates subtle rhythmic variations within traditional djembe patterns

I’m planning more in-depth breakdowns of djembe rolls and flam applications within rhythms—so if you find this video useful, let me know in the comments!

Have you tried incorporating flams into your djembe playing? Drop a comment on YouTube—I’d love to hear your experiences!

This approach isn’t something new—it’s a well-established phrasing technique in djembe drumming—but it’s one that can really help you develop control, groove, and movement in your solos.

In this new video, I break the concept down step by step:

✅ Starting with bass and tone placements to feel the phrasing.
✅ Moving to tones and slaps for sharper articulation.
✅ Building a short solo sequence to practice and develop fluency.

This lesson is aimed at intermediate players and improvers—those who are already comfortable with slaps and tones but want to refine their solo phrasing.

If you’ve worked with phrasing in threes before, this might be a good chance to solidify the technique and experiment with new variations. And if this is a fresh concept for you, it’s a great way to add a sense of motion and groove to your solos!

I’d love to hear your thoughts—do you already use this phrasing approach? How do you incorporate accents into your solos? Feel free to leave a comment on the video or get in touch with me.