Turning Rudiments into Grooves and Fills: The Paradiddle as a Gateway to Creative Drumming
Drum rudiments are often seen as the foundational exercises for developing technique, speed, and control on the drums. However, rudiments are more than just repetitive drills; they can be the building blocks for creative grooves and expressive fills. In this blog post, we'll explore how to transform rudiments, particularly the paradiddle, into musical grooves and fills that can be used in various styles of drumming. We'll discuss the importance of starting slow, mastering the sticking pattern, and then applying it across the drum kit with different orchestrations and subdivisions.
Understanding the Paradiddle
The paradiddle is one of the most fundamental rudiments in drumming, consisting of a simple sticking pattern: RLRR LRLL. This sequence combines single and double strokes, making it an excellent tool for developing hand coordination and control. The paradiddle's alternating nature also makes it ideal for creative exploration around the drum kit.
Step 1: Start Slow and Get the Sticking Perfect
The first step in turning a rudiment into a groove or fill is to master the sticking pattern. This process begins with slow, deliberate practice. Starting on a practice pad at a slow tempo ensures that each stroke is executed correctly and that the rudiment becomes ingrained in your muscle memory.
At a slow tempo, focus on making each stroke consistent in terms of volume and timing. Use a metronome to ensure that you’re staying in time, and listen closely to the sound of each stroke. This attention to detail will pay off when you start increasing the tempo.
Practice Tips:
Start uncomfortably slow. 60bpm is often my starting point.
Focus on flow and motion. Exaggerate movements.
Articulation is key. Make sure you are playing the correct dynamics and there is an obvious contest between accents, non-accents and ghost notes.
Goal tempos (16th Notes): Beginner = 100bpm. Intermediates = 140bpm. Advanced = 180bpm.
Step 2: Apply the Paradiddle to the Snare Drum
Once you're comfortable with the paradiddle at multiple tempos, it's time to start applying it to the snare drum. Follow the same process as you did on the pad. Starting slow and building the tempo up gradually. As you get faster you can make your motion smaller, aiming to have all the movement come from the wrist.
Paradiddle Challenge:
Paradiddle inversions: This accent pattern can be varied—try accenting the second, third, or fourth notes in each group to create different rhythmic feels. This variation in accents is one of the first ways to start turning a simple rudiment into a more complex and musical idea.
Step 3: Orchestrate Around the Kit
With the paradiddle solid on the snare, the next step is to orchestrate it around the drum kit. Orchestration refers to the process of moving the rudiment to different drums and cymbals, creating new textures and patterns.
Start by moving the accented notes to the toms while keeping the non-accented notes on the snare. I call this the Tomadiddle! This creates melody between the toms and snare, which can serve as the basis for a fill. You can then experiment with changing the accented and non-accented notes.
The possibilities are endless, and experimenting with different orchestrations will help you develop your unique voice on the drum kit. Mess around and find what you think sounds good.
Step 4: Explore Different Subdivisions
Another powerful way to transform rudiments into grooves and fills is by experimenting with subdivisions. Subdivisions refer to the rhythmic value of the notes you play—whether they are eighth notes, sixteenth notes, triplets, etc. Changing the subdivision of a paradiddle can drastically alter its feel and application.
Start by playing the paradiddle as sixteenth notes (four notes per beat). Then try playing it as eighth note triplets (three notes per beat), which gives it a completely different feel.
You might need to return to the pad before trying different orchestrations, but this is a great way to develop your vocabulary and create grooves and fills that sound complex (even though it’s just a paradiddle!).
You can also experiment with quintuplets (five notes per beat) or septuplets (seven notes per beat) for a more complex and polyrhythmic feel.
As you practice different subdivisions, focus on maintaining the integrity of the paradiddle sticking pattern. This exercise will not only improve your timing but also your ability to shift between different rhythmic feels seamlessly.
Step 5: Combining Everything into Musical Phrases
The final step in turning rudiments into grooves and fills is to combine the orchestration and subdivision variations into musical phrases. These phrases can be used in a variety of musical contexts, from solos, to grooves within a song.
Start by creating a simple groove based on the paradiddle, hand split between the hi-hat and snare, with a basic kick pattern underneath. Then, experiment with breaking away from the groove to insert a paradiddle-based fill. This fill could use a different orchestration or subdivision to create contrast and interest.
For example, you could play a 16th note paradiddle groove followed by the Tomadiddles mentioned earlier. If you want more of a challenge, try swapping between 16th notes, 8th note triplets and 16th note triplets.
Conclusion: The Creative Power of Rudiments
This method can be applied to all rudiments. Simply adjust the tempos and subdivisions to the rudiment and you can quickly improve your vocabulary, allowing you to play more complex and creative ideas.
Turning rudiments like the paradiddle into grooves and fills is a powerful way to expand your drumming vocabulary. By starting slow, mastering the sticking pattern, and then applying it creatively around the kit with different orchestrations and subdivisions, you can unlock a wealth of musical possibilities.
This approach not only improves your technical skills but also your ability to think musically and creatively. As you continue to explore different ways to apply rudiments, you’ll find that your drumming becomes more expressive, versatile, and dynamic.
Whether you’re playing in a band, recording in the studio, or just jamming at home, the ability to turn rudiments into grooves and fills will enhance your drumming and help you stand out as a musician.
Ready to take your drumming to the next level? If you want personalized guidance on how to transform your rudiments into powerful grooves and fills, sign up for my drum lessons today! Whether you're a beginner looking to build a strong foundation or an intermediate drummer aiming to expand your creativity, I can help you achieve your goals. Click here to schedule your first lesson and start your journey toward becoming a more skilled and expressive drummer!
And don’t forget—I post daily blogs with tips, tricks, and guides like this one, so be sure to check back regularly for more drumming advice!
Until tomorrow,