Snare Drum Subdivision Exercise

Basic Pattern
Here is the basic pattern that is the backbone of all the exercises to come.
It is sixteenth notes divided into 5+5+3+3. Its essential to have this one
down before moving on.
A good exercise to reinforce the pattern is to move between the accents and the
full !
th
note pattern" while maintaining the pulse.
Flams
#ell begin b$ adding flams to the original pattern. %emember flams are
additional strokes and do not change the sticking of the original sticking.
&he flam exercise on the groupings of 3 is a 'flam accent(
Flam Exercise no. 1
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Flam Exercise no. 2
Add two flams to the groups of 5
Flam Ta Exercise no. 1
)$ changing the flam accents to flam taps we now alternate lead hands
from bar to bar.
Flam Ta Exercise no. 2
*ow add the two flams to the groupings of 5s. Along with the flam taps
its a real workout
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Double Stro!es
+oving on to double strokes" starting with the five,stroke roll.
-eep in mind the original sticking. .se wrist action throughout" utilising
rebounds at the appropriate points.
"#Stro!e $oll no. 1
#e will begin b$ using the 5 strokes on the groupings of 3s. #atch out for
the change in accents. #e are following the traditional method of finishing
our rolls with an accent. &his will appl$ to all the roll exercises.
*ote/ &he second roll could be thought of as a !,stroke roll" if $ou include
the accent on the return to beat .
"#Stro!e $oll no. 2
*ow add the 5,stroke rolls to the groups of 5. Again watch out for the
accents at the end of the rolls. 0o not pla$ accents on the unaccented
beats.
%#Stro!e roll no. 1
#e lengthen the roll to include doubles on the second grouping of 3"
which including the accent on beat gives us a 1,stroke roll.
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%#Stro!e $oll no. 2
2nce again watch out for the accents at the end of the rolls" do not pla$
accents on the unaccented beats.
&#Stro!e $oll 'o. 1
&his is self,explanator$. However be aware the two groupings of 3 are
now re,divided into a 3 and a 4. &he doubles pla$ed on the group of 4.
&#Stro!e $oll 'o. 2
&his differs from our traditional 5,stroke roll in that it is pla$ed
continuousl$" without the usual rest between each side. %emember to
keep the wrist strokes constant" and watch out for the accents.
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11#Stro!e $oll
&he roll leads with the left hand starting on the second stroke of the
grouping of 3.
1(#Stro!e $oll
)oth groupings of 3 are doubled
Drags
&he drags are all in the groupings of 3 side of the bar. 6or the first time I
use rests" and dotted notes" however the 5+5+3+3 sub,division still holds.
( stro!e $uff no 1
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( stro!e $uff no 2
6or this one the usual 3 groups of 3 now become 3 groups of 3" with each
bar alternating lead hands
Single drags
&hese fairl$ move along and $ou ma$ need to reduce the tempo on the
metronome to ensure accurac$.
Drag Paradidddle no 1
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Paradiddles
2f course no rudimental stud$ would be complete without the paradiddle.
)eginning with the single" we double,time the groups of 3" pla$ing them
as 3 groups of 4" thus alternating the lead hand in each bar.
Single Paradiddle
Double Paradiddle 1
#e pla$ the double paradiddle on the 3 groups 3" but pla$ing it as a
single group of ! with 7ust one accent.
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Double Paradiddle 2
Here the double paradiddles are pla$ed as 33
nd
notes using two accents"
thus giving us 3 groups of ! allowing us to pla$ the complete double
paradiddle in one bar.
Paradiddle#diddle
&he paradiddle,diddle doesnt change lead hands" so we pla$ it in the
same direction twice in each bar.
Single Stro!es
8ingle stroke exercises are often taken for granted" but I think the$ are
one of the hardest rudiments. If $oure a rightie then the left hand lead
will be a challenge" and of course vice versa if $oure a leftie.
Single stro!e Exercise
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