Paradiddle

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In percussion, the paradiddle is a four-note drum sticking pattern consisting of two alternating notes followed by two notes on the same hand (i.e. a diddle). The basic pattern is RLRR or LRLL. When multiple paradiddles are played in succession, the lead hand always alternates between right and left.

Single Paradiddle

1 Other Paradiddle Rudiments
2 Paradiddle Variations
3 Examples
4 Exercises

[edit] Other Paradiddle Rudiments

Other rudiments in the paradiddle family are:

	Double Paradiddle
	Triple Paradiddle
	Paradiddle-Diddle

[edit] Paradiddle Variations

There are three variations on the single paradiddle. They can be written as follows, where R represents the right hand and L represents the left hand; the bold letters indicate where the accent typically falls (after the diddle).

Reverse Single Paradiddle - RRLR|LLRL
Inward Single Paradiddle - RLLR|LRRL
Outward Single Paradiddle - RLRL|LRLR

Other variations on paradiddle rudiments:

Paradiddle-diddle-diddle (RLRR LLRR LRLL RRLL)

double inverted paradiddle (RLRRLR LRLLRL)

double permutated paradiddle (RLRLLR LRLRRL)

triple inverted paradiddle (RLRLRRLR LRLRLLRL)

triple permutated paradiddle (RLRLRLLR LRLRLRRL)

[edit] Examples

Paradiddles and their variations can be combined in many ways to achieve different effects, whether on a single snare drum, multiple tenor drums, or a drum set.

Example #1: Single Paradiddle followed by variation #2:

RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL | RRLR LLRL RRLR LLRL

Example #2: 2 single, 2 double, and 2 triple paradiddles:

RLRR LRLL | RLRLRR LRLRLL | RLRLRLRR LRLRLRLL

Example #3: (2 paradiddles and 1 paradiddle-diddle) twice, then the whole pattern reversed:

RLRR LRLL RLRRLL | RLRR LRLL RLRRLL | RLRRLL RLRR LRLL | RLRRLL RLRR LRLL

[edit] Exercises

A very famous exercise for practicing the 4 variations of the paradiddle.

||: RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL | RLRL LRLR RLRL LRLR | LLRL RRLR LLRL RRLR | LRRL RLLR LRRL RLLR | | LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR | LRLR RLRL LRLR RLRL | RRLR LLRL RRLR LLRL | RLLR LRRL RLLR LRRL :||

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