Paradiddle Drum Lesson – Page 6 From Paradiddle Creativity
This is another free Paradiddle drum lesson. It’s taken from my book Paradiddle Creativity
The Paradiddle is one of those drum rudiments that everyone should learn. It’s normally taught as the 3rd rudiment you learn after singles and doubles, and for good reason as It contains both singles and doubles.
It’s also a really usable rudiment and can help you to create interesting, musical grooves and fills. I’m sure once you get it down you will start hearing it crop up in the music you listen to. Steve Gadd is a drummer who uses the Paradiddle, as well as all rudiments, to great effect. Check him out if you haven’t already I’m sure you will be blown away. I am every time I check him out.
In this lesson I will be taking the basic Paradiddle sticking and moving the accent throughout. Starting on the downbeat and moving one 16th at a time till every note has been covered. Not content with just moving the accents throughout the pattern I decided to play them on the crash along with the kick drum. This is a tough exercise and needs to be learned slowly. Playing the doubles split between the crash and the snare is particularly tricky.
I personally use exercises like this one to make sure I can play every varation so that I don’t ever get put on the spot and not be able to play something. Once you have the exercise down it’s up to you to chose what you think sounds good and apply it to the music you play in a musical fashion. Even if you never play this in a song going through it and learning it will make grooving and playing easier fills much easier for you to do.
I hope you enjoy this drum lesson. Be sure to share it on Facebook and Twitter if you do. The sheet music is below the video, print that out to help you follow along.
