Sticking For The Standard Paradiddle

As with the Double Stroke Roll, the Paradiddle will sound exactly the same as a Single Stroke Roll but the hands will move in a different order.

As with our previous rudiments there are many reasons to spend time learning this. Because the sticking is a bit more complicated it is great for your hand co ordination. Some quite intricate patterns can be built from this rudiment that will sound awesome when thrown into your playing.

The sticking for a paradiddle is two single strokes followed by a double stroke and can be thought of as being in two halves. The first half being 'R L R R' and the second half being the same but backwards 'L R L L'. The exercises below are the most basic versions of this rudiment, but they are important to master. It is also incredibly important at this stage to ensure your grip is correct and you are using proper technique.

In our previous rudiments any note that was played on a crotchet count was done so with a right hand. With the Paradiddle however, these notes are now played with alternate hands. So on beat one you would hit with a right, beat 2 a left and so on.

Counting and sticking is provided in each exercise. If you play left handed, reverse the sticking. When practising all exercises in this series, repeat the bar over and over. Don't just play it once then stop.

Exercises 1 – 3 are the rudiment played as Crotchets, Quavers and Semi Quavers and in exercises 4 – 6 the sticking is reversed. This is a very useful and important concept as it will greatly improve the independence of your hands.


Exercise 1

A Paradiddle in standard sticking as crotchets.

A Paradiddle in standard sticking as crotchets.


Exercise 2

A Paradiddle in standard sticking as quavers.

A Paradiddle in standard sticking as quavers.


Exercise 3

A Paradiddle in standard sticking as semi quavers.

A Paradiddle in standard sticking as semi quavers.


Exercise 4

A Paradiddle in reversed sticking as crotchets.

A Paradiddle in reversed sticking as crotchets.


Exercise 5

A Paradiddle in reversed sticking as quavers.

A Paradiddle in reversed sticking as quavers.


Exercise 6

A Paradiddle in reversed sticking as semi quavers.

A Paradiddle in reversed sticking as semi quavers.


TASK

  1. Using the 2 minute rule, get all 6 exercises up to a tempo of at least 120bpm.

Lessons that will help with these exercises.

Lessons

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