Drum Rudiments Practice Guide
Lv. 1 Rudiments

Lv. 1 Paradiddles

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You may see this written differently elsewhere. This is a creative choice to help in the identification of a double stroke.

Notes and Practice tips:

Notes:

  • Coordination and Hand Independence:

    • The R L R R L R L L (or L R L L R L R R) pattern requires both hands to work together smoothly, enhancing coordination and helping you change the leading hand while playing. 

  • Speed and Precision:

    • This foundational rudiment helps drummers play cleanly at faster tempos, developing both speed and precision on the practice pad and the drum kit. 

  • Technique and Control:

    • By incorporating both single and double strokes, paradiddles help drummers develop control over their hands, ensuring balanced strength and control between both hands. 

  • Versatility in Playing:

    • You'll find paradiddle patterns used in real-world drumming applications, such as fills, grooves, ghost notes, and moving between drums, making it a versatile tool for any drummer. 

Practice Tips

  1. Start Slow

    1. Use a metronome or choose a slow piece of music to help you stay consistent.

  2. Say “Paradiddle” Out Loud

    1. By splitting paradiddle into four syllables (pa-ra-di-dle) you can get a sense of the pattern.

    2. “Pa”, “Di” “Dle” are hard sounds. “Ra” is a softer sound. Saying the sounds one after the other all together gives a good feeling to how the rhythm should sound.

  3. Stick Height

    1. Explore using one hand consistently higher than the other, either R or L. You will produce some interesting rhythms by doing this

    2. Accent on the first note

    3. The aim is to be able to keep your stick height consistent so there are no louder notes in your rhythm. It should ultimately sound smooth with practice.

  4. Stay Consistent

    1. Keep the relative height of your sticks even

    2. Keep the rhythm even and stay in time

    3. Practice regularly to help build your muscles and endurance

  5. Get Used To Repetition

    1. Settle in, and prepare to do the exercise over and over again

    2. Playing along to music can help to provide variation and interest to your practice time. A 3min track also provides a good time marker as to how long you’ve been practicing.

  6. Slowly Increase Your Tempo

    1. When you feel comfortable playing through the rudiment slowly, incrementally increase the tempo then rehearse with this for a while. You’ll find that this will help you more effectively reach higher speeds rather than jumping straight to a speed in which you struggle