Linear "Bonham" Triplets poll and discussion

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
I'm taking a little poll. It's 4 questions related to linear triplets. I'm just curious, as usual, as to the defaults people default to, or if you switch your linear triplets up. I'm just starting serious work on linear trips with the metronome. I always default to left hand lead, only because I like the sound of linear trips the best that way, so that's how I decided to practice them. They never came easy for me. I only really know how to actually use them at gigs one way, with a LH lead. Getting the first 3 trips placed just right is the hard part for me. Once they're going, I got it.

On to the poll.

1. Are you right or left handed?

2. Do you play your linear triplets the same every time? Meaning do you start with the same limb every time, or do you use different "limbings" (substitution for the word "stickings")

3. Which limb do you start with on your default setting? (only if you only do them the same way every time) Why? (very curious to your answers here)

4. If you play your triplets the same way all the time, are your "limbings"...

a. R,L,K
b. L,R,K
c. K,L,R
d. K,R,L
e. Something else (please specify)

They're the main questions I'm interested in. Any other tricks, suggestions, ways of thinking about triplets, uses of triplets, comments, ways of practicing them, or anything else related to triplets are welcome.

My answers:

1. Right

2. For now, the same

3. Left, because I prefer how they sound that way compared to the other permutations.

4. b.

Much respect to anyone who can use the 4 permutations interchangeably as they see fit, on the fly.
 
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Hey Larry! This is a great post as triplets are my favorite thing to whip out while drumming.

1) Right Handed

2) I play the triplets differently whenever I feel the need to. I have no preference, but I lead with the left only if the kick follows right after.

3) Default setting would be RLK, it just seems to flow naturally for me.

4) I actually change it up as much as possible. I love starting with LKR then just doing whatever else.

A good lick I love doing is LKRLKRLK LKRLKRLK play them as 16 note triplets or what have you.
 
1) Right Handed

2) I am better at R hand lead but have been working on L hand lead because I also like the sound of it better...and...it's how "The Man" himself played them.

3) RLK (I'm better at this). LRK (I'm working on this).

4) See #3

I also enjoy doing RLK LRK repeat... It just flows well and sounds awesome
 
Good timing since I am working on them now for Hey Hey What Can I say.

RH
Working on both but seem to do better with RH lead
Funny though for 1/16s I seem much better with R(h) L(h) L(f) R (f)
RH mostly. Because I am trying to get consistent.

RLK (right now I can do a full measure ok but the second measure my K starts to get closer to the L
 
1. I'm right handed, very so...
2. No, not always the same.
3. Right hand mostly, sometimes kick drum.
4. a, sometimes b.
 
1) Right Handed
2) One of two ways
3) Mostly left hand lead, but also right on occasion.
4) a or b. I have trouble starting with the kick.
 
1) Right handed

2) No, I do them different ways (RLK, LRK, RRK, LLK, RLK LRK)

3) I probably start with R most often, because I'm right handed and it's feels most natural

4) N/A

I probably actually play this three note linear lick more often in 8th notes or 16th notes than I do as triplets, in a solo context. Technically that would mean they're not triplets, of course.
 
My answers:

1. Right

2. The same when on automatic pilot but I do work on variety.

3. Right foot because it feels like I anchor the fill (and my balance) more solidly this way other wise I feel like I'm wobbling... does it make sense to you ?

4. d.


I'm taking a little poll. It's 4 questions related to linear triplets. I'm just curious, as usual, as to the defaults people default to, or if you switch your linear triplets up. I'm just starting serious work on linear trips with the metronome. I always default to left hand lead, only because I like the sound of linear trips the best that way, so that's how I decided to practice them. They never came easy for me. I only really know how to actually use them at gigs one way, with a LH lead. Getting the first 3 trips placed just right is the hard part for me. Once they're going, I got it.

On to the poll.

1. Are you right or left handed?

2. Do you play your linear triplets the same every time? Meaning do you start with the same limb every time, or do you use different "limbings" (substitution for the word "stickings")

3. Which limb do you start with on your default setting? (only if you only do them the same way every time) Why? (very curious to your answers here)

4. If you play your triplets the same way all the time, are your "limbings"...

a. R,L,K
b. L,R,K
c. K,L,R
d. K,R,L
e. Something else (please specify)

They're the main questions I'm interested in. Any other tricks, suggestions, ways of thinking about triplets, uses of triplets, comments, ways of practicing them, or anything else related to triplets are welcome.

My answers:

1. Right

2. For now, the same

3. Left, because I prefer how they sound that way compared to the other permutations.

4. b.

Much respect to anyone who can use the 4 permutations interchangeably as they see fit, on the fly.
 
1. right handed

2. pretty much the same most of the time...LRK mostly and then RLK sometimes when they are 16ths or 32nds in a hemiola situation. and LLK (a lot in jazz). Tony double stops too; unison RL on snare / floor. i play around w/ this sh*t all the time, displacing, etc.

3. mostly L as in LRK (learned from gadd , bonham). on tom voicing, hi-low-low w/ LRK always seems natural to me vs. low-high-low in RLK

4. mainly b. L,R,K

i lead into LRK many times w/ (2) a six stroke rolls with last sextuplet a kick leading into the triplet fill: RllrrL RllrrK LRKLRK etc. or LRR LRK LRK (good for phrases of 9).
 
1. right handed
2. working on having more variety
3. default limb is probably L, though occasionally K
4. b and d
 
Cool poll, I'll play...

1. Right handed

2. Nope!

3. Right hand as default

4. E - I play both RLK and KRL, but also RLKK and KKRL with the double bass.
 
1. Are you right or left handed?

2. Do you play your linear triplets the same every time? Meaning do you start with the same limb every time, or do you use different "limbings" (substitution for the word "stickings")

3. Which limb do you start with on your default setting? (only if you only do them the same way every time) Why? (very curious to your answers here)

4. If you play your triplets the same way all the time, are your "limbings"...

1: Left playing righty

2: No. I lead with the hand nearest to the starting instrument. If I lead with the snare or rack1, I lead with the left. If I lead with a floor tom or rack2, I lead with the right. This is possibly convenience (avoid crossovers) and possibly inexperience on my part.

3: Most of the time, the triplet is part of a groove, so it is by virtue of the groove that a lot of stuff starts on the right (RLLRKK for example). I seem to have a feral "LRK" that I tend to use on the & of the 2.
 
the real question should be ....

...why do most call these "Bonham Triplets" when so many before him played them so masterfully ..... and are actually where John Henry got them from ?

I love John as much as the next obsessed drummer.... but I doubt that he would appreciate his name so attached to something that he loved so much about his heroes

I would agree that he would probably humbly admit he was not the inventor. It's probably the same phenomenon that gave us the "Rosanna Shuffle." Porcaro was not the first to play that kind of beat (and neither was Bonham who Porcaro claimed was one of his influences on that groove) but he made it famous.
 
I'm taking a little poll. It's 4 questions related to linear triplets. I'm just curious, as usual, as to the defaults people default to, or if you switch your linear triplets up. I'm just starting serious work on linear trips with the metronome. I always default to left hand lead, only because I like the sound of linear trips the best that way, so that's how I decided to practice them. They never came easy for me. I only really know how to actually use them at gigs one way, with a LH lead. Getting the first 3 trips placed just right is the hard part for me. Once they're going, I got it.

On to the poll.

1. Are you right or left handed?

2. Do you play your linear triplets the same every time? Meaning do you start with the same limb every time, or do you use different "limbings" (substitution for the word "stickings")

3. Which limb do you start with on your default setting? (only if you only do them the same way every time) Why? (very curious to your answers here)

4. If you play your triplets the same way all the time, are your "limbings"...

a. R,L,K
b. L,R,K
c. K,L,R
d. K,R,L
e. Something else (please specify)

They're the main questions I'm interested in. Any other tricks, suggestions, ways of thinking about triplets, uses of triplets, comments, ways of practicing them, or anything else related to triplets are welcome.

My answers:

1. Right

2. For now, the same

3. Left, because I prefer how they sound that way compared to the other permutations.

4. b.

Much respect to anyone who can use the 4 permutations interchangeably as they see fit, on the fly.

Mine are different every time so I couldn't answer. It's complicated ;)
 
Probably they are Bonham Triplets because of his extensive use of them in songs and solos. Just a theory...
 
Interesting. Just the kind of data I was looking for. So far, most of you guys start with your hands.

Yea Tony I don't like calling them that either, but most people recognize the exact triplet I am talking about, incorporating the kick drum.

Unlike Bonham, Purdie I'm sure has no problem with his namesake beat.

Triplets are highly customizable, depending on what limb you lead with, what drum you start with, if you put in any accents, and I was interested in a mini cross section, just for S&G.

I forgot to ask if anyone accents anything. I tend to accent the first partial and every other first partial after that if I am going for a few seconds like on an ending.

It's also interesting to see that not one person placed the kick on the 2nd partial. You humans are interesting.
 
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It's also interesting to see that not one person placed the kick on the 2nd partial.

It's the lowest note value. So an ascending fill will be KRL. A descending fill will be LRK.

Kick is often used on the second partial if the sequence is longer than 3 (the Markus Williams pattern for example)
 
Practicing all of the permutations, including alternating between a "RL" orientation and a "LR" orientation, while keeping time on the left foot, is something every drummer should learn eventually. For myself, I tend to use KRL, KRLKLR, or LKR since my favorite drummers also use them, but also to force myself into less travelled territory.

EDIT: Doubling (diddling) each of the partials of the triplet is also a great way to enhance control, and to come up with new ideas and licks. For example:

RLK -> rrLK or RllK or RLkk

LRK -> llRK or LrrK or LRkk

LKR -> llKR or LkkR or LKrr

and so on. You would practice by playing a measure of triplets (RLKRLKRLKRLK) and then a measure with diddles on a partial (i.e. rrLKrrLKrrLKrrLK), and so on. If you're counting the triplets as 8th note triplets, then the diddle becomes a pair of 16th note triplets.

(I'm surprised you don't see this type of lesson in instructional books.)
 
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