← Drums · Rudiments · about 20 min
Rudiments: single and double strokes
The alphabet of drumming, starting with the two basic rolls.
What's a rudiment?
Rudiments are the basic stick patterns every drummer learns. Rolls, fills, and grooves are all made from them.
R means right hand. L means left hand. Practice each one on a pad, slowly.
Single stroke roll
Alternate every stroke. Right, left, right, left. Every note sounds the same.
R = right hand, L = left hand. Lowercase small letters are soft “grace” notes. You'll hear left in your left ear and right in your right ear with headphones.
Double stroke roll
Two strokes with the right hand, then two with the left. The second stroke is a rebound: let the stick bounce instead of hitting twice.
R = right hand, L = left hand. Lowercase small letters are soft “grace” notes. You'll hear left in your left ear and right in your right ear with headphones.
The tempo ladder
| Step | Tempo | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 60 | Perfectly even |
| 2 | 72 | Relaxed hands |
| 3 | 88 | Same loudness every note |
| 4 | 100 | Clean and controlled |
Move up only when you can play the current step without mistakes.