Drum Rudiments
Drum Rudiments are the basic tools of the drummer. The rudiments were created through the development of the military snare or side drum. Although drums have been used as alarm signals for many hundreds of years, it was not until 1386 when there is evidence that Swiss troops at a military campaign at the Battle of Sempach actually used fifes and drums to signal troops in battle. Because the Swiss were often employed throughout Western Europe as mercenaries the military use of the drums and fifes were quickly accepted across Europe. In 1588, "Orchesographie"was pubilshed by Thoinot Arbeau from Dijon, France. In this publication, Arbeau notated the "Swiss stroke" and the "Swiss storm stroke." The strokes were shown in various combinations, but did not indicate which hand was to play each stroke. By 1778, the drum was well integrated into the military and Baron Friedrich von Stuben, working for the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, wrote "Regulations" which specified drum signals for the Revolutionary Troops. In 1812, Charles Stewart Ashworth wrote "A New, Useful and Complete System of Drum-Beating." This first drumming manual ended the rote learning of these rudiments, but retained the common names. Most rudiments are named by what they sound like (i.e. Flam, Ruff, Ratamacue, the "da-da, ma-ma" roll, etc.). Ashworth is known as the father of rudimental drumming because of this book.In 1932, William F. Ludwig & The Ludwig Drum company met with the most prominent drum instructors from all parts of the country at the American Legion National Convention in Chicago. At this meeting, they came to a consensus on a practical system of drumming. They adopted a practical set of rudiments, 13 essential that each applicant had to play as a test for membership, and an additional 13 rudiments that one would not be tested on. Today, there are 40 rudiments that a drummer is required to know in four catagories shown below. The History of the RudimentsDrum rudiments provide a standard approach to the performance of the basic rhythmical patterns that typically comprise most common rhythms in Western music. All rudiments have very specific sticking patterns, or the pattern and order in which sticks (right or left) are used to strike the drum. For example, the Long Roll has a pattern of two strokes of the left stick followed by two strokes of the right stick, repeated over and over (LLRR, LLRR, LLRR, etc.). Typically in the performance of rudiments, the pattern is started slowly in strict rhythm and then is sped up. Rudiments were often named after their sound.Rudiments have a rich history that is tied directly to the development of the snare drum, known earlier as a side drum or military drum. The Swiss were the first to use drums to signal troops in battle. The Battle of Sempach in 1386 was the first recorded use of fifes and drums by the Swiss in a military campaign. By the early 15th century, many elite Swiss fighting forces were employed throughout Western Europe as mercenaries. Their signals and marches using drums & fifes were quickly used in other European countries.Although the Swiss are generally credited for the creation of drum rudiments and with some of the first drum notation in the late 1600's, the first use of the term rudiment was by Charles Stewart Ashworth. He used the term to classify a group of drum figures, thus establishing himself as the father of rudimental drumming. In 1812, he published his drumming manual, "A New, Useful and Complete System of Drum-Beating." By the 1880's, Director of the U.S. Marine Band, John Philip Sousa wrote a manual of instruction called "A Book of Instruction for the Field-Trumpet and Drum." This book became the guide for military drummers in all branches of the armed services and had also a wide civic distribution because it contained all of the drum rudiments.
PERCUSSIVE ARTS SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL DRUM RUDIMENTSAll rudiments should be practiced: open (slow) to close (fast) to open (slow) and/or at an even moderate march tempo.
1. SINGLE STROKE ROLL 10. NINE STROKE ROLL 2. SINGLE STROKE FOUR 11. TEN STROKE ROLL 3. SINGLE STROKE SEVEN 12. ELEVEN STROKE ROLL 4. MULTIPLE BOUNCE ROLL 13. THIRTEEN STROKE ROLL 5. TRIPLE STROKE ROLL 14. FIFTEEN STROKE ROLL 6. DOUBLE STROKE OPEN ROLL 15. SEVENTEEN STROKE ROLL 7. FIVE STROKE ROLL 16 SINGLE PARADIDDLE 8. SIX STROKE ROLL 17. DOUBLE PARADIDDLE 9. SEVEN STROKE ROLL 18. TRIPLE PARADIDDLE Many More...
Paradiddles
PARADIDDLE RUDIMENTS 1
When playing paradiddle rudiments we should take special care with the accents. Remember to
make the accented notes loud and play them from the elbow. All the other notes, including the
"diddle" (or double stroke) are tap strokes, and are played with the wrists and fingers.
R L R R L R L L
Single Paradiddle
The single paradiddle has just one accent on each hand. The accents should be "Down
strokes" - ie they do not rebound, but stay down low after the note. The notes after the accents
should be "Up strokes" - ie the arm is lifted immediately after the note.
R L R L R R L R L R L L
Double Paradiddle
The double paradiddle is identical to the single paradiddle, but there is an extra accent and tap
for each half. The double paradiddle is played in exactly the same way as the single paradiddle,
however the first accent on each hand should be a "Piston stroke" ie. it should bounce
right back up to the high position it started from.
R L R L R L R R L R L R L R L
Triple Paradiddle
The triple paradiddle simply has yet another accent and tap for each hand. So now each
hand has two piston stroke accents and one down stroke accent.
