The 40 Drum Rudiments
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Learn How To Play The 40 Drum Rudiments
Do you want to learn the Drum Rudiments?
Lionel Duperron walks you through each of the 40 rudiments individually. They start by breaking down the basic pattern on the snare drum, and then follow-up with demonstrations within the context of drum beats and fills. This way you can see how the rudiments can be used around the entire drum set!
As you will see, the 40 drum rudiments are essentially the building blocks for every drum beat, fill, or pattern that you could ever play. Just as letters and words make up all the sentences on this page, the drum rudiments make up all the patterns you play at on the drum set.
Now, you might not use all the rudiments. In fact, it is rather unlikely that you have used each and every one within your everyday drumming. However, if you practice and fine-tune your ability to play all 40 of the rudiments, you will unlock new and creative ways to express yourself on the drums!
Single Stroke Rudiments
Single Stroke Roll - The single stroke roll is the most common drum rudiment used on the drum set. It's often played in beats, fills, and drum solos. It doesn't matter if you are new to the drums, or if you have been playing for years, the single stroke roll is absolutely essential.
Single Stroke Four - The single stroke four is a simple rudiment based on the single stroke roll pattern. The primary difference is that instead of continous singles, the single stroke four is played as groups of four notes. It's great for use within drum fills, hand-to-feet combinations, and simple solo patterns.
Single Stroke Seven - The single stroke seven is less common than most rudiments, but it is still an excellent pattern to incorporate into your drumming. It is similar to the single stroke roll, but is played in groups of seven strokes (as the name suggests).
Drum Roll Rudiments
Multiple Bounce Roll - The multiple bounce roll is a popular drum rudiment that can been used in a wide variety of ways. It's probably best known for use within a marching band setting, but has be incorporated into modern drumming in a wide variety of ways.
Double Stroke Roll - The double stroke roll is an extremely popular rudiment that should be practiced to perfection by anyone serious about playing the drums. Not only is it popular for use within beats and fills, but it is also the foundation for many other important drum rudiments.
Triple Stroke Roll - The triple stroke roll is a powerful drum rudiment for playing a wide variety of musical styles. It is somewhat similar to the double stroke roll, but uses groups of three notes per hand instead of just two. This makes it more popular within Jazz, Latin, and other styles of music that are "triplet" based.
Five Stroke Roll - The five stroke roll is a powerful rudiment based off the double stroke roll. Unlike the single, double, and triple stroke rolls may suggest - this rudiment does not have alternating groups of five strokes per hand. Instead, it is made up of two double strokes, and a single.
Six Stroke Roll - The six stroke roll is a fun rudiment that is a hybrid of the single and double stroke rolls. It starts with two double strokes, then ads two single strokes at half the tempo, and then repeats with the alternate hand leading into the entire pattern.
Seven Stroke Roll - The seven stroke roll is a straight forward drum rudiment that uses both single and double strokes. It starts out with three alternating double strokes, and ends with a single stroke. Due to the simplicity of this drum pattern, it is usable in a wide range of playing situations.
Nine Stroke Roll - The nine stroke roll is very similar to the five and seven stroke rolls. Like these other two rudiments, the nine stroke roll combines a series of double strokes with one single stroke to create an odd-numbered string of notes.
Ten Stroke Roll - The ten stroke roll is a drum rudiment that is quite similar to the six stroke roll. Both rudiments combine alternating singles and doubles. The key difference between the two is the number of times that the double strokes are to be alternated.
Eleven Stroke Roll - The eleven stroke roll is based almost entirely on double strokes, except that it ends with a single to complete the odd-note group. This drum rudiment's structure is very similar to the five stroke roll, seven stroke roll, and nine stroke roll.
Thirteen Stroke Roll - The thirteen stroke roll is a less common rudiment that is based around double strokes. As with the five stroke roll, seven stroke roll, nine stroke roll, and eleven stroke roll - this rudiment uses one single stroke to end the odd-number group.
Fifteen Stroke Roll - The fifteen stroke roll is a longer rudiment that combines double strokes with one single stroke at the end. In this way, it follows the structure of the five stroke roll, seven stroke roll, nine stroke roll, eleven stroke roll, and thirteen stroke roll.
Seventeen Stroke Roll - The seventeen stroke roll is the longest roll-based drum rudiment. As with the five stroke, seven stroke, nine stroke, eleven stroke, thirteen stroke, and fifteen stroke roll - this rudiment is based on double stroke ending with one single stroke.
Flam-Based Rudiments
Flam - The basic flam is a foundational pattern that you'll need to learn in order to play more advanced rudiments. You won't be able to play the flam accent, flam tap, flamacue, single flammed mill, flam paradiddle, flam paradiddle-diddle, or several other rudiments without first learning the basic flam.
Flam Accent - The flam accent is a powerful drum rudiment that incorporates the basic flam within a triplet feel. The pattern is great for creative drum fills and solo patterns within a wide variety of musical styles. The triplet feel is most popular in Jazz and other world styles, but it also works well within some rock situations.
Flam Tap - The flam tap is a popular drum rudiment that integrates the basic flam into a double stroke pattern. Practice it along-side the flam accent to come up with some really creative combo-patterns. They can be used within musical drum beats, fills, and even solo patterns.
Flamacue - The flamacue is a powerful drum rudiment that incorporates the flam stroke into a partial single stroke roll. It is to be practiced with both right and left hand leads alternating back and fourth. This will give you more options for creativity when using the flamacue within drum beats, fills, and solo patterns.
Single Flammed Mill - The single flammed mill is an interesting rudiment that incorporates the flam stroke with a paradiddle-like foundation. It's a little less popular than some of the other rudiments, but it's definately something you should practice.
Flam Paradiddle - The flam paradiddle is a powerful rudiment that adds flam strokes into the basic single paradiddle. It's great for use within beats, fills, and especially creative solo patterns. You can impliment it directly, or use it in conjuction with the single paradiddle or the single flammed mill.
Flam Paradiddle-diddle - The flam paradiddle-diddle is a combination of the single paradiddle-diddle and the flam stroke. This rudiment is great for use within a variety of drumming styles. Try implimenting it into a beat that already makes use of the basic paradiddle-diddle, by adding in a flam stroke from time to time.
Pataflafla - The pataflafla is a unique drum rudiment that is sure to challenge your ability to play flam strokes. It requires that you play back-to-back flams with the same hand. Consider using this rudiment within creative drum fills and solo patterns. It can be a little challenging at first, but is well worth your time.
Swiss Army Triplet - The swiss army triplet is a unique one-way rudiment that can be played in both right and left hand leads. Unlike most of the other rudiments, this rudiment isn't designed to alternate. Instead, it just loops with either the right or left hand taking the primary roll.
Inverted Flam Tap - The inverted flam tap looks fairly simple, but it can be a little challenging at first. The flam placement doesn't feel very natural, and thus the entire rudiment can feel a little awkward while you are first practicing this. However, once you master the inverted flam tap it is very diverse.
Flam Drag - The flam drag is a unique drum rudiment that alternates flams and drags within the structure of an alternating double stroke roll. With all these unique elements combined, this rudiment becomes a powerful exercise for developing flam strokes, drags, and overall hand coordination.
Paradiddle Rudiments
Single Paradiddle - The single paradiddle is an extremely popular drum rudiment that sounds great while played within drum beats, drum fills, and even unique drum solo patterns. It is an absolutely essential rudiment for any drummer that wants to expand their drumming possibilities.
Double Paradiddle - The double paradiddle is a fun rudiment that is based off the single paradiddle. It is a 12 note pattern that is often used in a 12/8 feel, or in beats and fills with a triplet feel. That makes it perfect for Jazz, Latin, and other world styles.
Triple Paradiddle - The triple paradiddle is a fairly predictable rudiment that is based of what you've learned in both the single paradiddle and the double paradiddle. It's predictable because it follows in a simple progression that you've already seen (assuming you've learned the single and double paradiddles).
Single Paradiddle-diddle - The single paradiddle-diddle is a powerful rudiment that is based heavily on the single paradiddle. As with the double paradiddle, this rudiment ads four notes to create a 12/8 or triplet feel. This makes it perfect for use within Jazz, Latin, and other world styles. Watch the included video to see it demonstrated on the snare, in a beat, and a fill.
Drag-Based Rudiments
Drag Ruff - The drag ruff is a foundational rudiment that is required to play several more advanced patterns. It's fairly basic on it's own, but is still usable in a wide variety of drumming styles. The drag is perfect for ghost notes within drum beats, or as a lead in for simple drum fills.
Single Drag Tap - The single drag tap expands on the drag ruff with one added "tap" stroke (just as the title indicates). This drum rudiment is perfect for creative drum fills, unique solo patterns, or for just improving the timing and control of your drag ruffs.
Double Drag Tap - The double drag tap builds upon the pattern set out by the single drag tap. Instead of one drag before the tap stroke, you simply play two. This gives the rudiment a total of 12 notes, making it work well for use within 12/8 or music with a triplet feel.
Lesson 25 - Lesson 25 is an interesting rudiment because the title doesn't appear to have a special meaning. Nobody seems to know why this rudiment is called "Lesson 25". It would seem more appropriate to call it "Drag Tap-Tap", or something else that is a little more relevant.
Single Dragadiddle - The single dragadiddle is a unique drum rudiment that incorporates a drag stroke into a single paradiddle. This combination is sure to challenge you at the practice pad, and will enable you to master two powerful abilities simultaneously.
Dragadiddle #1 - There are two different varitions of the dragadiddle rudiment. This lesson covers the first version which is known as "dragadiddle #1" or "drag paradiddle". Later, you can learn how to play the dragadiddle #2 alternate rudiment to get complete mastery of these complimentary patterns.
Dragadiddle #2 - This dragadiddle rudiment is a follow-up to the dragadiddle #1 pattern. It is known as "dragadiddle #2" or "drag paradiddle #2". Be sure you master the first version before practicing this rudiment, as it can be a little more difficult to jump right into it.
Single Ratamacue - The single ratamacue is the first in a series of related "ratamacue" rudiments. It's simple structure is made up of single strokes combined with a few drags. This pattern is typically played with a triplet feel, and that makes it work well within Jazz, Latin, and other world styles of music.
Double Ratamacue - The double ratamacue is a slight variation of the single ratamacue. It is still based on simple single strokes with a few drag strokes, but is a little more complicated overall. You can make use of this triplet-based rudiment within Jazz, Latin, and a variety of other world styles.
Triple Ratamacue - The triple ratamacue is the last in a series of "ratamacue" rudiments. It's based off the single ratamacue and double ratamacue patterns you've learned in previous lessons. It has some added complexity, but it is so similar to the previous patterns that you shouldn't have any difficulty mastering it.
Looking for other drum lesson topics? You can check out our
beginner lessons,
dynamic drumming tips,
rock drumming beats and fills,
jazz drumming lessons,
drum play-along tracks, and much more!
