Riffle

Description

A riff followed by a spank on the same free foot: brush the ball forward, let the back of the heel strike as the foot keeps moving forward, then swing the ball back through the floor. All three sounds come from the free foot, so the weight stays on the supporting foot. Some teachers start with a touch instead of a brush.

Breakdown

1. Brush
2. Dig
3. Spank

Practice Tips

• Start the brush a little behind you and press into it, so the brush and heel have room to sound separately.
• Keep the foot moving as one smooth swing, forward and back again; if you stop after the heel, the spank comes late and sounds like a separate step.