Beginning Percussion Rudiments

Rudiment Name What it looks like How to play it

A sticking pattern
alternating (going
Single
back and forth)
Stroke R L R L
between the right and
left hand.
A sticking pattern
Double using two strokes
Stroke from each hand.
When it is slow, it is both strokes
with the wrist.

A special sticking pattern

that alternates between left
Single and right hand strokes, and
then a double stroke.
Paradiddle
RLRR
LRLL
Start your right hand and
left hand at different
heights above the drum,
Flam and then bring both
hands down at the same
time.

A Flam Tap is a FLAM

combined with a second
Flam Tap stroke, making one
group of double strokes.

Did you know ‘para’ generally means single strokes and ‘diddle’ generally means double strokes on drums? So,
PARADIDDLE means single strokes followed by double strokes, so RLRR LRLL. As you become more advanced you might
run in to the paradiddle-diddle….What do you think that would be??

Marena Grondziowski 2022 (TPT)