Drum Set Education Resources
There's No Pulling in Bounced Doubles!
I've seen people demonstrate how to learn double bounces by bouncing once and then snapping the fingers inward forcefully in to the palm in order to create the second "bounce". It's not a bounce if the motion is forcefully interrupted and then stops. Yet I watch various people tout this as a method to learn a roll. I've seen some really great players explain bounced doubles this way - and I sincerely believe they mean well, but it's literally impossible for a person coming from not understanding how the bounce works. This also creates a louder second note which is not the case when playing a smooth double bounce roll; the second note is slightly weaker. To me it is like trying to teach someone to run by picking up their leg up in the air and slamming the foot down (Monty Python's 'Ministry Of Silly Walks' comes to mind!)
When it comes to this beautiful rudiment the most important thing to do is gradually learn to get out of the way or to not completely stop the stick's momentum. Should a person not first learn to get the stick to bounce freely before they worry about stopping it?
If you are new to this rudiment i- I feel your best shot is to learn to get multiple bounces. Taking time just getting used to just that....4-6 slow bounces and let the bounces die out on their own. Then introduce a tiny gentle squeeze on the fulcrum or light downward pressure to introduce the ability to speed up those bounces to their oblivion. This is actually learning to play a buzz roll. But to sxtep toward the double, then introducing moderating the stick's momentum by using upward wrist motion to "lift" out of the bounce without squeezing the back fingers whatsoever. If playing smaller, faster bounced doubles - bringing in the back fingers closer together to the stick so the stick "bumps in to" them, slightly detracting the momentum as needed.
Tympani grip for classical percussionists actively uses the fingers but the hand is entirely thumbs facing up with is not how we play drum set with matched grip. So just be careful when you see the "snapping the fingers in" version of tutorial!...