Drumming Concepts 101: The Importance Of Drum Rudiments
It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran drum player or you’re still taking beginner drum lessons – you must keep on learning the new drum rudiments to improve!
Rudiments are defined as the drum tools that help learners play the drum as precisely as possible. They’re known as the building blocks to every pattern, beat, fill, and solo.
Refusing to practice on this aspect of drumming will only limit your skills and potential as a drummer. Now, before we discuss the importance of these sticking patterns – let’s have a quick look at the meaning of drum rudiments.
What are drum rudiments?
While attending basic drum lessons – you’ve probably heard of drum rudiments.
Even if you go onto Google, and pop drumming basics into your search bar – you will surely come across this term frequently. In simplest terms – drum rudiments refer to 26 sticking patterns that provide the player with plenty of musical options when playing the drum set!
Some patterns are technical while others are super simple such as single stroke roll, flam stroke, double stroke roll, and more.
Like scales and chords in other musical instruments – rudiments are super important for drummers. You’ve got to master them to make the most of your practice.
How to develop a learning routine
As mentioned before, drum rudiments are essential elements of your drum lessons.
They allow you to have control over the speed, drumsticks, and playing. You only need to use a metronome, practice pad, and drumsticks to get started with the drum rudiments. That’s right – it’s all you’ve got to do!
However, it’s not as simple as it sounds – there are a total of 40 drum rudiments. We know, shocker. But if you’re taking drum lessons for beginners – you can begin with the easiest and first five sticking patterns, which include:
- Flam Stroke: It’s known as a foundational pattern that you have to learn if you want to master more advanced rudiments. Know the flam stroke inside out, and you can easily pick the flam accept, flamacue, flam tap, and all sorts of other drum rudiments.
- Single Stroke Roll: The very basic of them all! It’s the most common drum rudiment, and it’s usually played in fills, beats, and drum solos.
- Double Stroke Roll: In simple terms, they are made up of two strokes on each hand – the second one is always louder than the former. The pace of drumming is then sped up until a roll happens – which sounds similar to a machine gun.
- Single Paradiddle: This extremely popular drum rudiment works by alternating between right and left-hand strokes to perform the rhythm.
- Double Paradiddle: Incorporated by the single paradiddle; it’s a 12-note pattern that is often seen in a 12/8 feel, or fills with a triplet feels and beats. This sticking pattern is absolutely perfect for Latin, Jazz, and other styles!
Once you start practicing these rudiments – you will have better control over the drumsticks and patterns.
And the best part about every drum rudiment is that they are a variation of another rudiment. Simply put, it’s a whole lot easier for advanced learners to learn all the sticking patterns without having to remember each one separately.
For instance, learners will find the flam paradiddle super easy if they get used to playing the paradiddle pattern and flam stroke. But, you must still go over each rudiment to get an insight into their pattern and playing rules.
Drum rudiments are much more than the standard sticking patterns. The professional drummers are often seen using the sticking patterns in drum beats, solos, and fills.
In short, each rudiment is useful in multiple drum applications!
Drum rudiments are important – have that burned into your memory. Whether you’re signing up for drum lessons for adults or kids – that’s one of the few steps you’ve got to take to be a top-class drummer!
