12 - The paradiddle
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- Written by Henrik
The paradiddle
A paradiddle is a combination of single and double strokes and is one of the basic rudiments - the different variations or combinations of left and right hand.
The paradiddle is extremely useful in all styles of drumming!
The reason is the there is a inherent musicality to this sticking combination. Within the paradiddle there is a rhythm to be used - turn it around, and just have fun with it. Your will get what I mean by saying that when you look at the excersices below!
There is actually only one paradiddle and the name is onomatopoethic pa - ra - diddle (R - L - R R). When you have played this sequence, repeat it mirrored - that is L - R - L L.
Now buckle up, and meet The Paradiddle!
Paradiddle in four flavours
Like I said above, there is only ONE paradiddle, but you can start on different places within the phrase, getting four different variations. They in turn sound different.
Variation 1
(double stoke at the end of the paradiddle):
Variation 2
(double stroke in the middle of the paradiddle):
Variation 3
(double stroke in the beginning of the paradiddle):
Variation 4
(double stroke "between" the paradiddle groups):
As you can hear, they all (hopefully) sound the same, so did I lie when I said the were "musical"?.
- No, I most certainly did not. Read on.............
Paradiddle excercises
Here are a number of way to use the paradiddle. It is recommended that you play one variation at a time, even though I put them all together in each section. Start with all excercises named "Variation 1" and try them first, before going on to 2,3 and 4.
Make sure you return to this lesson later on, when you have acquired more technique and proficiency on the instrument .Then you will be able to benefit more from these excersices!
Concept 1: Playing right and left on different instruments
Try to play with right hand on a tom and left hand softer on snare. Add hihat foot or bass drum on the quarter notes to embelish the beat.
Compare the different variations!
Variation 1
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Variation 2
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Variation 3
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Variation 4
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More advanced examples:
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Move your right hand between toms.
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Play right hand on crash (together with bass drum) and move left hand between toms.
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More both hands. Two different tempos:
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The paradiddle pattern is so strong, even if you move both hands freely you should be able to hear the rhythmic pattern.
Paradiddle beats
You can also make a beat from the paradiddle. Play bass drum on all four and add a back beat on the 3:rd beat of the measure.
Variation 1
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Variation 2
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Variation 3
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Variation 4
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Now feel the paradiddles as 16:th notes. Bass drum on 1 and 3.
Variation 1
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Variation 2
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Variation 3
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Variation 4
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This is the same as above, but let the right foot on bass drum follow your right hand pattern.
Variation 1
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Variation 2
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Variation 3
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Variation 4
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Here's the "Variation 1 beat" a little faster:
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And the "Variation 2 beat" even a little bit faster:
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You can try to play these grooves along with any bass drum rhythms
Here's one example on every permutation, but try any of the bass drum patterns from previous lessons.
In these sound files you will first hear the beat played as a 8:th note hihat beat, and then as a paradiddle .
Note that the bass drum rhythm stays the same throughout.
Variation 1
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Variation 2
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Variation 3
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Variation 4
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Concept 2: Natural accents
Play an accent on the note following the double strokes. There's plenty of time to gain momentum for playing the accent while your other hand plays the double strokes.
Variation 1 (Accenting the first note)
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Variation 1 (Accenting the last (fourth) note)
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Variation 3 (Accenting the third note)
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Variation 4 (Accenting the second note)
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Play the accents on toms
Tip: Play right hand on right tom and vice versa, and it will easier to find the correct movement in the beginning.
Variation 1
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Variation 2
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Variation 3
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Variation 4
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You can also play the accents on crash cymbal/bass drum:
Variation 1
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Variation 2
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Variation 3
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Variation 4
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An exempel containing "paradiddle pimped" drumming:
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If this insires you, then check out these related patterns:
- Double and tripple paradiddle
- Paradiddlediddle
Good luck!
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