Rudiment of the Week: Flam Paradiddle

I have always found the Flam Paradiddle to be one of the trickiest rudiments to execute cleanly.  A couple days ago I was spending some time with Charli Persip, and he called me over to show me his recent warm up.  He started to play Flam Paradiddles, but after four bars of the way it looks above, he shifted the flam over one 8th note.  I asked him why he liked to warm up with this rudiment and he said "because it's hard."

Enjoy!

Rudiment of the Week: Alternated Cheese Pataflafla

This week, the rudiment of the week practice is the "Alternated Cheese Pataflafla."  The double flam followed by the double stroke makes this rudiment particularly tricky, but a good way to increase flexibility and quickness.

Keep practicing1

Rudiment of the Week: Book Reports

"Book Reports" are great because they are especially tricky.  When practicing this rudiment, make sure to play the accents clearly, and hear the division of the beat.  The flam followed by the double stroke is particularly tricky at first, but start slow and build up.  Remember to shoot for control not speed.

Rudiment of the Week: Flamill Drags

The rudiment of the week this week is the Flamill Drag.  This one is a particular tongue twister, at least for me, partly I think because it stays with one hand for the 16th notes after the flam.  This one can also be embellished with more added flams to change up the tone, and also make it more challenging.

Remember to start slow and build up to a comfortable speed.

And done for get about the last two weeks of rudiments.  Fine there here:

Week 1

Week 2

Enjoy!

Rudiment of the Week: Du-Fives

Welcome to week 2 of "Rudiment of the Week."  This week begins with the Du-Fives.  I like this particular rudiment because it can be applied like a five-stroke roll, which is very common in the jazz language, but the flam in front makes it particularly tricky and a chop buster as well.

Start slow and build up, making sure to keep the flam clear.

Have fun!

Rudiment of the Week: Triple Ratamaflams

"Rudiment of the Week" will be a weekly special on www.jazzleadsheets.com.  It will be a specific rudiment to work on for each week for all drummers who follow the blog.  These rudiments are selected because they are particularly useful, challenging, or common.

To start it all off...the Triple Ratamaflam:

This is a rudiment that appears all throughout solo's by Philly Joe Jones, Kenny Clarke, Billy Higgins, as well as Alan Dawson's Rudimental Ritual.  Remember to move it around the drumset to work on flexibility and dexterity.

Keep shedding it and look for another one next week!