01/31/09

A rudiment is one of a set of basic patterns used in rudimental drumming. These patterns form the basic building blocks or "vocabulary" of drumming, and can be combined in a great variety of ways to create drumming music.  Rudiments are used in the same fashion as piano scales.  A Drummer should practice the rudiment once a day until mastered.  After A drummer masters the rudiments they should be played before every practice and every time the player plays the drums. 

There have been many attempts to formalize a standard list of snare drum rudiments. The National Association of Rudimental Drummers (NARD), an organization established to promote rudimental drumming, put forward a list of 13 "essential" rudiments, and later a second set of thirteen to form the original 26. Finally, the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) reorganized the first 26 and added another 14 to form the current 40 International Drum Rudiments.

One of the first things that will be taught to my students are the rudiments.  I usually teach them in a particular order given below:

The Rudiments Are:

1.       The Single Stroke Roll

2.       Ma Da Roll

3.       Flam

4.       Drag

5.       Full Drag

6.       5 Stroke Roll

7.       6 Stroke Roll

8.       7 Stroke Roll

9.       Double Drag

10.   9 Stroke Roll

11.   Single Para

12.   10 Stoke Roll

13.   Ratatop

14.   11 Stroke Roll

15.   13 Stroke Roll

16.   14 Stroke Roll

17.   15 Stroke Roll

18.   Flamacue

19.   Buzz Roll

20.   Single Rat

21.   Four Stroke Ruff

22.   Double Rat

23.   Triple Rat

24.   Drag Para

25.   Flam Para

26.   Double Para

27.   Triple Para

28.   Drag Double Para

29.   Drag Triple Para

30.   Flam Double Para

31.   Flam Triple Para