Bear with us, here, but: the single-handed roll is akin to the Greedo-shot-first controversy. Outside of a small, rabid community (technique-obsessed drummers / Star Wars fanatics) most folks will have no idea what the term means, but to the initiated the (proper single-handed execution / Special Edition revision) is a source of endless debate and wonder.

OK, maybe not. One thing's for sure, though: Jojo Mayer is the Sith Lord of the one-handed roll. Just dig this excerpt from Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer (Hudson Music DVD, 2007), in which the Swiss-born Mayer makes this sick stick trick look all too possible:

See? All you have to do is know the technique, practice, and sell your soul to the Dark Lord Mayer. And remember to avoid the flam!

Now if you picked up on the discrepancy in pitch between the initial explanation of the technique and the exhibition of the stroke and are prone to conspiracy theory, you might be interested in plying the depths of the YouTube DIY instructional community for some more home-grown education. But those depths are deep, and you don't want to spend all day looking for the right instructor — not when you have years of woodshedding between the present and the day when you can safely perform a single-hand roll in public. Let Gearwire sort through the fray for you.

Here, then, we present the top five amateur videos on hot to properly execute the one handed snare roll.

#5) "How To Gravity Blast."

This video features "Winston Varn, Drummer for Diavolo," a friendly, bearded bro with a southern drawl and a gentlemanly disposition. Winston describes how he learned to "Gravity Blast" (the hardcore / metal term for the technique) and what the videos he learned from failed to explain. He does spend a bit too much time on his video's backstory, but when he does get to the explanation and demonstration, it's clear and concise.

#4) "How to perform the one handed roll(free hand technique)"

The enigmatic Fransisco Gabrielle forgoes any explanation, figuring a 32-second video at 30 fps has got to be worth at least 960,000 words. While the demonstration is fairly clear, we miss the context that a real teacher would provide. Whatever, just be thankful we linked you to this video on Fransisco's channel and not the one where he looks like he's taping his pre-martyrdom statement.

#3) "one handed roll tutorial"

The self-proclaimed "masterofmoeller" obviously has his technique down and his YT followers in line, but we've got a bit of advice for the master of modesty: don't open an instructional video by doing a character voice. Otherwise, good explanation, with extra props for showing both French and German grips. And thumbs up if you think "m.o.m."'s real name is "Skeet Ulrich."

#2) "Easy One-hand drum roll"

We like the title of this one —it holds a lot of promise. And we like the presenter. "rdrummer332" is neither pretentious nor flippant, he's just here to present his take on the one-handed roll. Problem is, his isn't really the true freehand roll. He's come up with a sort of inverted German grip for getting around the admitted fact that he could never master the standard technique. Your results may may passable, but heed this video at your own risk.

#1) "One Handed Roll Free Hand Technique Drum Lesson by: Jason Purcell "

We typically don't trust a headless man, but Jay "thedrummerman" Purcell has got a winner in this spartan DIY video. So the first 8 second are utterly superfluous — the rest of the video is a course not only in one-handed drumming technique, but in how to shoot a DIY hot-to video for YouTube. He explains the basic technique's concept, then — and this is key — describes what most beginners to the technique do wrong. He then masterfully executes the free hand roll to wrap things up. So he's no Jojo Mayer. But Mr. Purcell knows what he's doing and wants you to know too. So listen up, youngin'.