Which method of practicing rudiments do you subscribe to?

BigDinSD

Gold Member
When I first started practicing my paradiddles, I had to practice the strokes slowly to get the muscle memory. That of course included the rr or ll. I started off using wrist and fingers and each of those double strokes sounded even.

As my speed progressed, I found I could go faster if I used a controlled bounce for each double with the open-close or push pull technique. In fact, I asked some instructors if they bounce the double rr, ll - or use wrist. Many told me when you hit a certain speed they end up using a controlled bounce. I've seen others out there that mainly use wrist.

So my question is - when practicing paradiddles, are you bouncing that ll - rr or are you using wrist for a cleaner double?

If you eventually do controlled bounces at a fast tempo, do you bother practicing clean doubles without a bounce (wrist?)
 
bounce is kind of a last resort, wrist gets you 2 even controlled strokes, bounce you actually have to accent the 2nd hit so it sounds like 2 even hits. Still there is always a limit to how fast you can do 2 full strokes and usually by that tempo the difference between bounce and wrist is hard to hear, though you still need to accent that 2nd stroke on the bounce.
 
At a certain speed, you have to switch to a more closed roll. This is why it's important to work towards mastering both techniques with even dynamics and control.

Good video on double stroke control: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWXJQzE6GI4
 
I don't really have specific regime for what I practice or when I practice. I practice at least once a day unless I've played a gig that, or the night before. Any other time, probably about an hour and a half, or two hours, maybe more depending on what I'm doing throughout the day. If it's a busy day doing a lot around the house or working then I'm probably gonna' spend a minimal time. But if it's an off day, and I'm listening to music or watching drum videos, I'll probably go in the studio room for a few minutes every hour and do something, rather is be grooving to a metronome or play a couple of songs.

I don't usually practice just rudiments, and I don't have a layout of what I'm practicing. I really just play what comes natural, and spend a few minutes on each thing. I'll often mix them up, ad accents, I basically just practice. There is no pattern or scale to it. I've tried to focus on practicing that way, so when I play live I can do random feels purely by instinct. I hate grooving before I play a fill and saying to myself "Okay, this is what I'm gonna' play now."
 
It's been a few decades since I first learned the standard rudiments.

As I recall, they were first learned as an individual study then applied in context of rudimental solos with the focus being these three books (though there were others). I still use these three books to this day.

- Wilcoxon - The All-American Drummer 150 Rudimental Solos
- Wilcoxon-Modern Rudimental Swing Solos For The Advanced Drummer
- John Pratt's 14 Modern Contest Solos for Snare Drum

As time moves along and control, technique and speed improves, everyone finds there own transition speed when double strokes move from wrist to rebound.
 
It's been a few decades since I first learned the standard rudiments.

As time moves along and control, technique and speed improves, everyone finds there own transition speed when double strokes move from wrist to rebound.

It's been just a few years for me and rudiments.

At a certain speed, you have to switch to a more closed roll. This is why it's important to work towards mastering both techniques with even dynamics and control.

Good video on double stroke control: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWXJQzE6GI4

Video is very enlightening. Gonna use that.

bounce is kind of a last resort, wrist gets you 2 even controlled strokes, bounce you actually have to accent the 2nd hit so it sounds like 2 even hits. Still there is always a limit to how fast you can do 2 full strokes and usually by that tempo the difference between bounce and wrist is hard to hear, though you still need to accent that 2nd stroke on the bounce.

I appreciate the feedback. Honestly, about a year ago I picked up decent speed on the paradiddle rudiments. I had to use double stroke to get there though. Just recently I went back to practicing the diddles with wrist on the doubles. What freaked me out was that even though I was going slower - using wrist on the double strokes was not easy. It was almost like doing one more extra stroke (since I used a bounce earlier).

So in summary, both the wrist and bounce I will employ in practice - Starting out slow with wrist and getting to a "bounce speed".
 
It's been just a few years for me and rudiments.

Not sure of your reading skills, etc... But, a few years with rudiments is long enough in my book to begin putting them in context.

I have done it for decades with my students and it was done with me.

In my view, just practicing rudiments and not placing them in context is like only learning words and not using them in sentences.
 
Not sure of your reading skills, etc... But, a few years with rudiments is long enough in my book to begin putting them in context.

I have done it for decades with my students and it was done with me.

In my view, just practicing rudiments and not placing them in context is like only learning words and not using them in sentences.

My reading skills lack.

When you say "putting them in context", is that something like grooves, licks around the kit? Say applying them within a song?
 
My reading skills lack.

When you say "putting them in context", is that something like grooves, licks around the kit? Say applying them within a song?

I'm going to really try to not sound demeaning or as if I'm ridiculing, because it's not my intent whatsoever to do so.....

A qualified teacher will put a framework around all of this for you. Lack of approach will keep you on an extended goose chase that may or may not get you to your desired goals. This is with rudiments or any other element of drumming....

It should never, ever be about licks. It should never, ever be about thinking about rudiments or sticking patterns. Working on rudiments and anything else drumming related within the framework of a quality approach to the instrument leaves you with the vocabulary and all the other skills (independence, technique, etc...) to focus only on one thing - the music.

Ultimately you could set out to begin this process on your own with some tried & true method books that have become the industry standard over many years such as Alfred's Drum Method Books for snare drum (Books 1 & 2) which would put you on the path for what I'm referring to. Once your done with the Alfred Books, take up the 2 Wilcoxon books, which could take you through this process for the rest of your life (literally). Also most teacher would add a book like Stick Control and / or Master Studies to the mix.

These will provide you with the vocabulary necessary to play whatever the heck you'd like at any given time on a set within the context of any musical environment you are in.

The same approach for drum set can be applied with many other methods - Syncopation, Stick Control and so many others.....

What you can't get by going at this alone or just with the help of any DVD or YouTube clip is the benefit of feedback from a qualified person who can help you with anything you are specifically doing that's hanging you up that you don't notice.

Again, I don't mean to sound demeaning whatsoever. Everyone chooses the path that works best for them. I'm only trying to express the path I've taken and many others have. Should you go the path I'm referring to, the world is your oyster. If not, you restrict yourself with a limited vocabulary.

Lastly, if you want a short example of what I'm trying to communicate, here's a clip I did for a student a few years back which - although may not be wonderful - does attempt to visually demonstrate what I'm trying to say regarding integrating the rudiments within a Wilcoxon solo. http://youtu.be/AZ_U-Y2cTJ4 The clip attempts to break up one of the 150 solos in that particular book and use them as fill ideas within the context of a light funk groove.
 
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