To become an excellent drummer, you need efficient hand coordination. Rudiments are a great way to achieve this, and they’re something you can easily practise every day.
The paradiddle is one essential rudiment widely used for fills and drum grooves in all genres. It’s a fairly simple rudiment, but every drummer has to start somewhere! So, to help you develop your rhythm and hand coordination, in this guide, we’ll teach you how to play a single paradiddle.
Main takeaways
Want the rundown at a glance? Here are our tips for mastering the paradiddle:
- Start slow
- Use a metronome
- Alternate your lead hands
- Focus on the double strokes
- Stay relaxed
- Practise daily
What is a paradiddle?
A paradiddle is a common drum rudiment that comprises alternating single strokes and a double stroke. The basic pattern is right-left-right-right, then reversed as left-right-left-left. Easy! This mix of single and double strokes is a fundamental technique for drummers, providing a solid foundation for more complex rhythms.
Paradiddles are not only essential for building control and speed but also add texture and variation to drumbeats and fills. They can be used in a wide range of genres to create more dynamic and colourful rhythms.
How to play a paradiddle – our 6 top tips!
1. Start slow
Playing the paradiddle slowly will allow you to fully understand the sticking pattern and get comfortable with the rudiment. It’s important that you understand the technique and commit it to your muscle memory – you’ll then be able to develop the pattern in future. Starting slowly will enable you to do this.
Building accuracy before speed will ensure you fully grasp the rudiment and can play it as smoothly as possible; you can then develop your control by increasing the tempo.
2. Use a metronome
A metronome keeps your timing tight, ensuring even strokes across all hits. Keeping time is a key part of being a drummer, so it is important to get into the habit of practising to a metronome – this will help you develop a good sense of tempo. We recommend Boss DB-30 Dr Beat Metronome for drummers of any level.
3. Alternate your lead hands
Practise using each hand for the lead beat; this will develop your non-dominant hand and help you become more proficient at the kit.
Although it may feel more comfortable to just use your dominant hand to lead, being able to alternate will improve not only your rudiments but also your ability to confidently perform drum grooves and fills across the kit.
4. Focus on double strokes
Crisp double strokes are key to a clean paradiddle. As I mentioned earlier – the best way to achieve this kind of accuracy is by starting slowly. You should also take advantage of the drum’s natural rebound as this can help you to gain momentum for the second stroke.
5. Stay relaxed
Tension leads to sloppy playing and can also cause injury, meaning it’s super important to stay relaxed at the kit! To help prevent any mistakes or pain, do some stretching and warm-ups before you start drumming – this will release any tension and ensure your muscles are prepared.
Keep your hands relaxed and only increase the tempo when it feels natural to do so. These are key things to staying comfortable during your practice session.
6. Practise daily
Consistent practice reinforces muscle memory. We recommend practising this rudiment for 10 minutes daily to become more confident and comfortable with your paradiddles. Once you’re comfortable with the sticking pattern, try moving the rudiment around the kit during your practices, or use it as a fill. This will encourage you to incorporate your rudiments into a performance setting.
FAQs
Why are paradiddles so important?
Paradiddles are important for building control, speed, and coordination in drumming. They’re a fundamental rudiment that helps drummers develop even hand movement, transition between patterns, and enhance overall versatility in complex rhythms.
Why is it called a paradiddle?
A paradiddle is called a paraddidle because the name reflects the sticking pattern: “para” signifies alternating strokes (R-L or L-R), and “diddle” represents two consecutive hits with the same hand (R-R or L-L). This combination gives the pattern its unique rhythmic character.
How many beats is a paradiddle?
A paradiddle consists of four beats. The sticking pattern (R-L-R-R or L-R-L-L) divides these four beats into alternating single and double strokes, making it an essential exercise for practising rhythmic accuracy and hand independence.
Final thoughts
After plenty of practice, you should feel more confident in playing paradiddles. One of the key things to remember is to start slow and gradually increase the tempo once you get the hang of the right-left-right-right/left-right-left-left pattern. Do you have any other tips for learning rudiments? Leave us a comment below!
For further reading, check out some of our other drum guides:
How to Set Up a Drum Kit – A Beginner’s Guide
How to Tune Drums – The Dos and Don’ts
Different Types Of Drumsticks – Which Ones Should I Buy?
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