Five Stroke Roll — Metal Drumming Technique | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Five Stroke Roll?

The five stroke roll is a double-stroke-based rudiment built from two double strokes capped by a single accented stroke - RRLLR or its mirror, LLRRL. It belongs to the family of "measured rolls" defined by an odd number of notes ending on the hand opposite the one that started the phrase, which is exactly what gives it a natural, punctuated feel rather than the continuous hum of an open-ended roll. Where the double stroke roll simply repeats RRLL indefinitely, the five stroke roll packages that same bounced-stroke technique into a short, self-contained figure that resolves on a single accent - making it one of the most direct ways to turn raw double-stroke control into a usable musical phrase. In metal drumming, the five stroke roll shows up constantly in fills that need to land cleanly on a downbeat: a quick RRLLR burst across the snare and toms, capped by an accented final stroke that locks back into the groove, is one of the most common phrasing tools available to a technical drummer.

How fast are five stroke rolls played?

Five Stroke Roll is typically played around Any.

Who is the best five stroke roll drummer?

Mike Mangini (Dream Theater) is among the most cited Five Stroke Roll drummers, alongside Gavin Harrison, Thomas Lang. See the full list on MetalForge.

What are the different types of five stroke rolls?

Five Stroke Roll has 4 main variations: Open Five Stroke Roll (Slow, fully articulated RRLLR with clear separation between each of the five notes); Closed (Fast) Five Stroke Roll (Tightly bounced doubles compressed toward a single roll sound, resolving on the accent); Mirrored Five Stroke Roll (LLRRL version practiced equally so the roll can resolve from either leading hand); Accented Fill Five Stroke Roll (The roll applied across snare and toms as a compact fill that resolves back into the groove).