John Parks' Special Sauce Tambourine Roll Tutorial
- Nathan Coles
- May 1
- 3 min read
A quick, expressive tambourine roll that bridges tricky orchestral moments with funk-inspired finesse.
When a summer in Germany, orchestral rehearsals, and a funk band collide, you get something unexpected—a game-changing tambourine roll. In this post, we’ll dive into the Special Sauce Roll, a technique developed by professional percussionist John Parks that makes fast transitions and tricky orchestral passages feel effortless. If you’ve ever felt clumsy trying to move from a hand-to-hand passage into a roll, this is the trick you’ve been waiting for.
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Meet Your Instructor: Dr. John Parks
John Parks is a Black Swamp Educator, the professor of percussion at Florida State University and a respected orchestral and solo performer. Known for blending technical precision with creative expression, John has a gift for developing practical solutions to musical challenges—like the “Special Sauce Roll,” a technique he first crafted while preparing auditions overseas. He’s here to share not just how it works, but why it works.
What Is the Special Sauce Roll?
Imagine you’re moving quickly from rhythmic passages to a roll—like in The Nutcracker or Carnival Overture—but your traditional thumb or shake rolls just don’t cut it. Enter the Special Sauce Roll, which uses a fast “flapping” motion with your hand in contact with the tambourine frame. It’s fast, expressive, and avoids the time-consuming process of regripping or repositioning.
Instead of detaching and reattaching your hand to get a buzz, you flap your hand (like a rapid wave) while maintaining light contact with the tambourine’s frame. The result? A smooth, crisp roll that’s perfectly timed and great for transitions.
Origins of the Special Sauce Tambourine Roll
John developed this technique while studying and playing in Germany, balancing daily orchestral rehearsals with rigorous audition prep. He was listening to G. Love & Special Sauce—a funky, laid-back band whose name captured the feel of this newly invented roll. It felt fluid, rhythmic, and slightly unconventional, just like the music.
So, when it came time to name the technique, “Special Sauce Roll” stuck.
How It Works: Mechanics & Motion
Think of it like this:
You’re flapping your hand quickly while keeping it lightly pressed to the frame of the tambourine—not bouncing off it. The motion is driven from the wrist and fingers, not the arm.
Technique Element | Description |
Contact | Continuous with the frame, not bouncing off |
Motion Source | Rapid, loose flapping from wrist/fingers |
Sound Result | Sustained, even roll with minimal effort |
Hand Position | Tambourine head facing toward the ground, dominant hand, palm down against edge of frame |
Key Benefit | Seamless transition from rhythmic passage to roll |
Musical Contexts: Where It Shines
The Special Sauce Tambourine Roll is perfect for quick transitions that would otherwise be awkward with traditional methods.
Example Spots:
The Nutcracker – after hand-to-hand playing in the Russian Dance
Carnival Overture – mid-phrase roll after accents
Peer Gynt – when a sudden roll is needed following rhythmic hits
By using this roll, you’re not just making your playing technically smoother—you’re improving the musical flow and character of the moment.
Student Action Plan
Here’s how to try it out and integrate it into your repertoire.
Step-by-Step:
Flip the tambourine so the head faces away from you. This gives you better visibility and control for practicing.
Place your right hand gently on the frame, palm down.
Practice the flap motion—relaxed wrist, fast movement, keeping contact with the frame.
Add sound gradually. Don’t worry about dynamics at first. Just get evenness.
Integrate into musical phrases from Nutcracker or Peer Gynt.
Record yourself. Listen back to check tone quality and timing.
Weekly Challenge:
Choose a short orchestral excerpt that includes a roll. Practice replacing the traditional roll with the Special Sauce Roll. Reflect on what changes musically.
Final Reflections & Call to Action
Musical growth happens when technique meets imagination—and that’s what the Special Sauce Roll represents. It’s not just a cool trick; it’s a solution born out of necessity, artistry, and a little funk.
Your turn: Try the technique, test it in context, and discover where it fits into your voice as a percussionist. Want more insights like this from the pros? Subscribe to the Black Swamp Newsletter, and never miss a tip that could change your playing.
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