The essential
drum rudiments guide.

The foundation of all drumming. Alternating hands at any speed.

Four alternating strokes used as a quick fill or transition.

Seven alternating strokes, often used for odd-length phrases.

Two strokes per hand. The bounce stroke that defines your technique.

Two sets of doubles capped with a single. The first roll rudiment every drummer learns.

The most versatile rudiment. Single-double pattern that moves accents around the bar.

Extended paradiddle with two extra singles. Great for 6/8 and triplet feels.

Three singles before the double. Fits naturally into 16th-note phrases.

Single then two doubles. The six-note engine behind gospel chops and jazz fills.

Grace note before the main stroke. Adds thickness and texture.

Flam followed by two taps in a triplet pattern. The bread and butter of rudimental playing.

Flam followed by a tap with the same hand. Develops control of the grace note.

A 5-note pattern with flams on the first and last notes — the accent lands on the second note.

Two grace notes before the main stroke. Like a flam with an extra note.

Drag followed by a tap. Common in marching and corps-style playing.

A drag followed by two taps, with the accent on the last note. A corps-style classic.