Basic Drum Practice! Learn Rudiments Easily - Stroke and Diddle Edition

Are you familiar with the term ‘rudiments’? In English, it means ‘basics’ or ‘fundamentals’ but in the context of drums and percussion, rudiments refer to the basic techniques collected and named by the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), consisting of 40 foundational drumming techniques.
This time, I will introduce single strokes, double strokes, and diddles from this collection.

Single Stroke

As the name suggests, this technique involves striking the drumhead once by bringing the stick down once. The sequence is ‘R, L, R, L’ or ‘L, R, L, R’.

This is the most basic exercise in drumming, so practice thoroughly with a metronome.
Personally, I believe you will improve faster by practicing without tensing your arms and keeping the stick’s swing consistent.
You can practice making all the notes even when there are no accent marks or try various exercises like shifting accents.
The feeling of hitting strongly and softly is crucial for playing flams and enhancing your performance expression, so it’s beneficial to practice actively and master these techniques.

Double Stroke

This technique involves bringing the stick down once and striking the drumhead twice. The sequence is ‘R, R, L, L’ or ‘L, L, R, R’.

Though not as common as single strokes, double strokes are frequently used, especially in fast-tempo songs.
They are also essential for open rolls and drags, making it a technique you definitely want to master.
In addition to the key points of single strokes, double strokes require finger control. Hold the stick with your thumb and index finger while controlling the movement and assisting with the other fingers.
Finger control is used in various situations, so practicing double strokes will help you develop this skill effectively.

Diddle

Similar to double strokes, diddles involve hitting twice with the same hand. The difference is that double strokes involve hitting the same surface twice with one motion, while diddles are simply hitting twice consecutively with the same hand.
Practice diddles by incorporating tom movements without keeping hitting a single drumhead.

Single Paradiddle

This is a technique combining single strokes and diddles, with a typical sequence being ‘L, R, L, L’ or ‘R, L, R, R’.

● Standard Paradiddle

● Inward Paradiddle

● Reverse Paradiddle

● Delayed Paradiddle

In single and double strokes, the downbeat is always played with the starting hand. In paradiddles, the number of strokes is odd, so the hand playing the downbeat switches.
The paradiddle sequence can vary depending on the position of the diddle, so practice so you can play any sequence and start with either hand.

Applying Strokes and Diddles

So far, I’ve explained the basic sequences, but here are some practice examples unique to drumming that you can try.
Some can be used in actual phrases, so give them a shot!

● Hand-Foot Combination Practice

Rudiments are typically practiced with both hands, but try combining hand and foot movements.
Being able to play any combination will give you more control over your limbs.

● Hand-Foot Combination Example

● Practicing While Playing Quarter Notes or Eighth Notes

Practice playing rudiments with your right hand while keeping quarter or eighth notes with your right foot and left hand.
This will make your hand-foot coordination practice more efficient than just practicing rudiments alone.

● Combining Paradiddles and Quarter Notes

● Combining Double Strokes and Eighth Notes

Playing quarter or eighth notes on the cymbals can sound like a beat, so it might be fun to play along with a song.
Once you get used to it, practicing with your left foot on beats 2 and 4 will be even more effective!

This time, I introduced strokes and diddles!
Some rudiments might feel monotonous, but every training is very important. Mastering them can lead to improved tempo stability, volume consistency, and rhythm-keeping ability.
Why not incorporate a bit of rudiments into your daily practice?