I have no idea how I do it. Never actually thought about it. I've been doing a one handed roll for longer than I can remember. I know it has nothing to do with the rim. It's just the stick on the head and my wrist and hand work in unison to make a sound. No big deal, really. I have some vids up where it makes appearances every now and again. It's just another sound on the snare. Odd. It never occurred to me that it would be an unusual thing to do. Is it really that rare?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw4vMV3EnRw[/ame]

Hope this helps. Johnny Rabb is pretty much the master at this, haha.

I've never felt the musical need to be able to do a one handed roll.

I'm talking about just one hand by itself and no other limbs touching anything doing a solid press roll that has no pulsations and sounds like the ultimate two-handed press roll. I have yet to see that.

I've done stuff where if you looked at my left hand you'd think I was doing it, but I think I'm relying on the kick drum and the general commotion to mask that it's really not perfectly smooth. I've never seen anyone go up to a snare and with one stick go "ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ".

Even if you could, and probably someone can, it would be akin to a yo yo trick. Just my opinion. Anytime the main focus is away from the song things start going weird, but sometimes it's good for learning and I get that.

You can do press rolls way easier with the snare wires loose compared to the way Buddy Rich adjusted them real tight, but it sounds cleaner when they're tight.

When I was teaching at a music store in southern Florida the death metal guys were working on this. It's a blast beat snare rim trick. Please don't take this wrong but that's not a one handed roll. It's a trick developed to be able to handle the extreme speeds of a style of music. Johnny has it down for sure. He's a trickmiester.

Yeah, michael i know it isn't a true one handed buzz roll, even mangini said yeah I'm cheating,michael this technique is way before the metal guy's, buddy rich, did it, No I very much know about johnny rabb, out of this world,

Here's what I "discovered" when I was a kid: if you take a R-L-R-L single stroke roll and hit your kick with your right hand, and then leave out your right hand you're doing a roll between your left hand and your kick.

If you do that really fast and start doing multiple hits with each left hand stroke (and even press it a bit it) will be sort of a left hand roll. You can impress people... even more if you do a bunch of cymbal crashes with your right hand.

I don't claim many points in the originality category for that, I imagine everyone "discovered" that at some point.

I sincerely apologize. I really didn't post that vid as a "is he or isn't he" kind of thing. Yes, I am doing a one handed roll and yes, I can do it on a snare, a tom, a table, a boot, an onion, a cat, or a 72 VW Westfalia Bus. It doesn't matter. I'll remove it so as not to provoke anyone into a silly go nowhere discussion.

I agree with you, though. There's really not much call for it. I mentioned that I have been doing it for many many years. It's just not something that I've ever thought about. Of all the songs I've recorded, I can think of maybe two that it has appeared in. One years and years ago and one about six years ago. It's just a texture tool that's there when needed. You are right on the money...play for the song!

I read a quote somewhere that said one handed rolls are GREAT for getting somebody to come help you at the drum store.

I had NO idea Buddy did that rim trick! That is so incredibly cool. THIS is precisely why this forum is the absolute best place to hang a hat!