Drum Lesson 3 - Intro To Paradiddles with Exerices

Wednesday March 26, 2013


Another week has passed and once again time for my next lesson.  This was my third lesson and I was really looking forward this one as Jack, my instructor, and I did not discuss what we would work on for this lesson. Like all my lessons, I met my instructor at his studio inside the Hurstbourne Willis Music Store here in Louisville, KY.

Today I started off with questions about my previous lesson in which I was having trouble (See Drum Lesson 2 - Introduction to Drum kit).  The first issue I was having was the last measure of the eighth note exercises that he provided.  So, he told me to put the sheet music on the music stand and go to it on the kit.  He started the count and off I went, but with a twist, I repeated the measure several times and with no problems.  So he told me to move on the next measure that I was having trouble; this was the last two measures of the sixteenth note exercise.  Again I hit the kit to play the two measures and again only had an issue with a couple of the notes while playing each several times.  He said that he didn't see a issue that I had them down and was where I should be with my progress.

Paradiddle

So, he pulled out his odd yellow blank music sheet and asked me a question:  Do you know what Paradiddles are? "Yes" I answered and he wrote out the measure to the right which a single paradiddle. He then proceeded to have me play this on the snare drum a couple times to get used to it.  A little background if you don't know what paradiddles are, they are in the drum rudiment family.  Now, rudiments, are to drums what scales are to the guitar, in a nut shell, patterns for stickings to apply to the drum kit.  These different sticking patterns make it easier to move around the drum kit and not get crossed up. The benefit will be seen when I cover the exercises that he provided me later in this blog.

The single paradiddle, starts out with a single right and left stroke followed by two strokes with the right hand: R, L, R, R.  Then we reverse the order with two single strokes, left and right then two strokes with the left hand: L, R, L, L.

Next, he then moved to the next line and wrote out the next measure (See Double paradiddle image below), which is a double paradiddle.  Again he had me apply it to the snare drum.

Double Paradiddle

The basis of this paradiddle builds upon the single paradiddle, but adds another set of left and right single strokes before the double; same for the reverse side: R, L, R, L, R, R and then reverse it, L, R, L, R, L, L.  As the name applies, we just double the first part.

Triple Paradiddle

We moved onto the next measure that he wrote the Triple Paradiddle (See image Triple Paradiddle).  This again builds off the single and double paradiddle and again adds another single stroke of right and left before the two right strokes and a left and right combination before the two left strokes.  This would be R, L, R, L, R, L, R, R and reverse L, R, L, R, L, R, L, L.

Finally, he added the last of the paradiddles for this lesson, the Quad Paradiddle (See Quad Paradiddle image). Again, we are just building up on the previous triple paradiddle and adding another set of single strokes of right and left and left and right before each of the two right strokes and two left strokes.

Quad Paradiddle

There is the theory behind the paradiddle, with an introduction to the single, double, triple and quad, so lets take a look at how to apply the first paradiddle to the drum kit like my instructor showed me.

Exercises - Single Paradiddle applied to the drum kit

#1 - Single Paradiddles with sixteenth notes using the hi-hat, snare and kick drums

Paradiddle Exercise #1

The first exercise starts out with a a hi-hat and kick drum beat combination, the second beat is a single snare drum, the third beat is a single hi-hat followed by another single hi-hat. With your right and left hand you this would be played as I noted above the notes in the measure R, L, R, R.  The next set of notes are a single snare drum, then a hi-hat beat, then two single snare drum beats.  It would be played in the reverse of the first set of notes L, R, L, L.  The third set of sixteenth notes are the same as the first set of notes and would again be played R, L, R, R.  Finally the fourth grouping of sixteenth notes are the same as the second set and played L, R, L, L.

#2 - Single Paradiddle with sixteenth notes using the hi-hat, snare and kick drum

This measure is the same as in exercise #1, but notice there is an added kick drum on the & of the first and third sets of sixteenth notes; adds just another element to the first exercise.

Paradiddle Exercise #2

 #3 - Single Paradiddle with sixteenth notes using the hi-hat, snare and kick drum

This exercise again is the same as the first two with the hi-hat and snare drum beast but adds yet another kick drum beat to the measure, this would be on the "e" of the second and fourth sets of sixteenth notes.  Also notice that the kick drum is played along with the hi-hat (right hand).

Paradiddle Exercise #3

  #4 - Single Paradiddle with sixteenth notes using the hi-hat, snare and kick drum

Noting fancy about this measure either, it builds upon the last increases the complexity and coordination by adding another kick drum beat to the measure, this would be on the "a" of the first and third sets of sixteenth notes.  Again, the kick drum is only played along with the hi-hat (right hand).

Paradiddle Exercise #4

#5 - Single Paradiddle with sixteenth notes using the hi-hat, snare and kick drum

The final measure, this exercise actually removes the kick drum on the "&" of the first set of notes, removes the kick on the second measure, one kick drum on the third measure and then removes the kick drum of the last measure. Looking at the measure, it would seem that this would be easier to play than the last couple with some of kick drum beats removed, but be careful here as this is an odd rhythm and it took me a couple tries to get it down.

Paradiddle Exercise #5

The world of Paradiddles, another tool that you to add to your practice and toolbox for playing drums.  This introduction provided what paradiddles are and some exercises that will get you up to speed with applying the single paradiddle to the drum kit using the snare, hi-hat and kick drum.  When working through the practice measures, like all new things being applied to the drum kit, start slowly at first and when you can do them without mistakes several times, increase your speed and use a metronome.  I can't say enough about using a metronome when practicing and playing.  I used to play without one and now with my instructor asking me to use one with my practice, and is so vital to keeping time.  Like always, comments always welcome and here to answer any questions that anyone may have.