01R L R L
Single strokes
One hand at a time. Keep the motion small and make every note the same size.
Drums
Lesson three · the hands
Build the vocabulary.
Rudiments are not schoolwork separate from music. They are small movement patterns that make grooves, fills, and accents easier to control.
02R R L L
Double strokes
Two clean notes from each hand. Let the rebound do some of the work instead of squeezing the stick.
03R L R R · L R L L
Paradiddle
Alternating and repeated notes in one phrase. It teaches your hands to move between straight and grouped ideas.
04rL · lR
Flam
A quiet grace note just before a stronger stroke. Keep the two sticks close together so it sounds like one gesture.
A good practice loop
Quiet hands. Clear time.
- 01Start slower than you think you need. The goal is evenness, not survival.
- 02Play four clean bars, then stop. Notice whether the last note still lands where you meant it to.
- 03Raise the tempo only when the movement stays small and the pulse stays calm.