Rhythmic coordination

Drum Rudiments and Paradiddle Stickings

Read, filter and hear 120 R/L cycles for practising rudiments, paradiddles, permutations, accents and drum-kit orchestration.

Interactive rudiment library

Paradiddles, diddles and sticking cycles

Rudimental frame

R/L is not the whole music

A sticking describes the hand sequence. The rhythm, accent pattern, dynamic level and orchestration turn it into a musical phrase.

Practice frame

Tempo means pulse plus subdivision

A paradiddle in sixteenths at quarter note = 70 feels different from the same hands in triplets. Associate BPM with a beat unit and subdivision.

Patterns found: 120 / 120

Search and family filters run across the full 120-cycle catalog before pagination. Filtered URLs are shareable; Copy all 120 still exports the complete catalog.

#001 · 4 strokes

Single paradiddle

Traditional
R L R R

Cell RLRR Complete rudiment RLRR LRLL

BPM
R 3 · L 1
#002 · 4 strokes

Inward paradiddle

Traditional
R L L R

Cell RLLR Complete rudiment RLLR LRRL

BPM
R 2 · L 2 balanced mirrored reversible
#003 · 4 strokes

Reverse paradiddle

Traditional
R R L R

Cell RRLR Complete rudiment RRLR LLRL

BPM
R 3 · L 1
#004 · 4 strokes

Alternating single strokes

Alternating
R L R L
BPM
R 2 · L 2 balanced mirrored
#005 · 4 strokes

Double strokes

Balanced
R R L L
BPM
R 2 · L 2 balanced mirrored
#006 · 4 strokes

Sticking permutation

Permutation
R L L L
BPM
R 1 · L 3
#007 · 4 strokes

Sticking permutation

Permutation
R R R L
BPM
R 3 · L 1
#008 · 6 strokes

Paradiddle-diddle

Traditional
R L R R L L
BPM
R 3 · L 3 balanced
#009 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Permutation
R L L R R L
BPM
R 3 · L 3 balanced mirrored
#010 · 6 strokes

Double paradiddle

Traditional
R L R L R R

Cell RLR LRR Complete rudiment RLR LRR LRL RLL

BPM
R 4 · L 2
#011 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Permutation
R R L R L L
BPM
R 3 · L 3 balanced mirrored
#012 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Balanced
R L R L L R
BPM
R 3 · L 3 balanced
#013 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Balanced
R R L L R L
BPM
R 3 · L 3 balanced
#014 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Balanced
R L L R L R
BPM
R 3 · L 3 balanced
#015 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Right lead
R L R R L R
BPM
R 4 · L 2 reversible
#016 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Left weighted
R L L R L L
BPM
R 2 · L 4
#017 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Right weighted
R R L R R L
BPM
R 4 · L 2
#018 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Alternating
R L R L R L
BPM
R 3 · L 3 balanced mirrored
#019 · 6 strokes

Sticking permutation

Symmetrical
R R R L L L
BPM
R 3 · L 3 balanced mirrored
#020 · 8 strokes

Sticking permutation

Permutation
R L R R L R L L
BPM
R 4 · L 4 balanced mirrored
Page 1 / 6
Drum education

From rudiment vocabulary to musical coordination

Identify the rudiment

First separate singles, doubles and diddles. A strict paradiddle combines alternating singles with a double on one hand; useful permutations are not automatically official rudiments.

Read the cycle

The same sticking changes function when its starting point, accent, subdivision or drum-kit orchestration changes. Rotation can create a new phrase without changing the hands.

Core practice principles

  • Start below the tempo where tension appears.
  • Listen for identical sound from both hands before adding accents.
  • Treat accents, ghost notes and orchestration as independent layers.
  • Reverse the lead hand so the weak side learns the same control.

Essential rudiment reference

PAS frame

Percussive Arts Society terminology groups rudiments into roll, diddle, flam and drag families. This page focuses on paradiddle-related diddle vocabulary and a wider set of practice cycles; it does not describe all 120 patterns as official PAS rudiments.

Rudiment Reference sticking
Single paradiddle R L R R | L R L L
Double paradiddle R L R L R R | L R L R L L
Triple paradiddle R L R L R L R R | L R L R L R L L
Paradiddle-diddle R L R R L L; often repeated with either alternating lead hands or a fixed lead-hand strategy
Reverse paradiddle R R L R | L L R L
Inward paradiddle R L L R | L R R L

Sticking, rhythm and accent are separate

Analysis

R L R R names a hand order. It does not by itself specify sixteenth notes, triplets, accents, ghost notes, drum sounds or phrasing. Keep those musical parameters separate when you practise.

In the circular previews, each pattern ring distributes its S steps across the displayed 4/4 bar. At BPM B, one full visual cycle lasts four quarter-note beats, and each equal step lasts 240 / (B x S) seconds. The 6-, 12- and 14-stroke cycles are therefore practice groupings across the bar, not automatic changes of meter.

  • Hand sequence: R/L order.
  • Rhythmic subdivision: how the strokes fit the pulse.
  • Accent placement: which strokes speak louder.
  • Dynamic level: taps, ghosts and full strokes.
  • Orchestration: where the strokes are played.

Technique without unnecessary tension

Control

Use rebound where the surface allows it, but do not force one technical school onto every tempo or instrument. The useful test is sound, relaxation and repeatability.

  • Keep the taps low after accents instead of lifting every stroke equally.
  • Let doubles rebound, then control the second stroke so it does not disappear.
  • Practise open-close-open: slow, faster, then slow again with the same sound.
  • Stop if speed creates shoulder, wrist or finger tension.

Progressive rudiment exercises

12 exercises

Each exercise is playable with the existing pattern cards and circular previews. Tempo numbers are starting suggestions, not universal mastery thresholds.

Exercise Setting Objective Success criterion
Alternating singles RLRL, 60 BPM, 1x or 2x Even sound and spacing. Both hands sound matched for one minute.
Controlled doubles RRLL, 55 BPM, 2x Two strokes on one hand without rushing the second. Second stroke is clear and relaxed.
Single paradiddle RLRR LRLL, 60 BPM, 2x or 4x Hear singles and diddles inside one cycle. The double does not compress the pulse.
Reverse paradiddle RRLR LLRL, 55 BPM Start with the diddle and keep orientation. The first two strokes stay even, not flammed.
Inward paradiddle RLLR LRRL, 55 BPM Control the middle diddle and return stroke. No accent appears unless intended.
Double paradiddle RLRLRR LRLRLL, 60 BPM, triplet feel or 3x Feel six-stroke grouping without losing pulse. The phrase resolves cleanly every six strokes.
Triple paradiddle RLRLRLRR LRLRLRLL, 50 BPM Extend the alternation before the diddle. The final diddle lands without tension.
Paradiddle-diddle RLRRLL, 55 BPM, 3x Balance a six-stroke diddle pattern. Lead-hand strategy is deliberate and repeatable.
Accent displacement Choose any four- or six-stroke cycle Move one accent through every stroke position. The hands stay unchanged while the accent moves.
Ghost-note control Paradiddle with low taps Separate accents from soft inner notes. Ghost notes remain audible but light.
Snare and tom orchestration Accents to toms, taps on snare Keep sticking while changing sound sources. The rhythm does not shift when drums change.
Groove or fill application Add kick/hi-hat ostinato if available Turn the rudiment into time or a fill. The phrase returns to the downbeat reliably.

Grooves, fills and orchestration

Music

After the hands are stable, distribute accents to snare, toms, cymbals or kick patterns. A rudiment becomes musical when it supports time, phrase direction and style.

  • Use the metronome for pulse and tempo ladders.
  • Use Rhythm Reading to separate notation from sticking.
  • Use Pulse Orbit to visualize displacement and cyclic accents.
  • Use Playalongs or Live Looper to test whether the rudiment still grooves in real music.

Practice troubleshooting

FAQ

Most problems are not solved by more speed. Diagnose whether the difficulty is hand order, subdivision, accent height, balance, relaxation or orchestration.

  • If the pattern collapses, say R/L aloud before playing faster.
  • If accents blur, practise accent-to-tap transitions at a lower stick height.
  • If the loop feels uneven, check subdivision before blaming the hands.
  • If orchestration changes the time, return temporarily to one surface.

Continue rhythm practice

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