Category: Exercises

2-Mallet Keyboard Exercise: Shifting Paradiddles

James Christian

2-mallet-0001-shifting-pima-paradiddles-12-mallet-0001-shifting-pima-paradiddles-2Click on the images to enlarge or click here to download in PDF format.

Every week we endeavor to bring you fun and interesting exercises on different percussion instruments.  Some weeks we will have instrument-specific exercises that are intended more for individual practice.

This week, however, all of the exercises will be playable by all instruments at the same time.  These can serve as fun exercises to play with your drum line or a percussion friend on two (or three or four) different instruments.  Yesterday’s snare drum exercise focused on the single paradiddle and the three variations of shifting accents—which I call the inverted paradiddle, single mill, and alternating quad.

This exercise for two-mallet keyboard percussion uses the same sticking with ascending and descending scale patterns.  As an added challenge, it quickly cycles through all twelve major keys.  (Be careful on the final measure!)  Enjoy!

Check back tomorrow!  The remaining instruments to be featured this week will be: marching tenors, two-person bass drum splits, and timpani.

Snare Exercise: Shifting Paradiddles

James Christian

snare-0001-shifting-pima-paradiddles Click on the image to enlarge or click here to download in PDF Format.

Throughout the week, we will feature exercises for different percussion instruments.  Here is our first exercise for snare drum.  It utilizes paradiddles and three paradiddle variations—inverted paradiddles, single mills, and alternating quads.  These last three rudiments have been around for a while, but they have never quite gained the same popularity as their grandfather, the single paradiddle.  Nonetheless, they are all quite versatile, and they make for a fun exercise.

As you play this exercise, pay careful attention to distinguish between your accent and tap volumes.  As the tempo increases, the more difficult it is to bring out the accents, especially on the alternating quad.

A fun variation on this exercise is to play it with zero accents.  Make it sound as smooth as possible.  As you get it faster and faster, it should sound like a smooth roll.

Check back here regularly.  We will look at different applications of this exercise on various percussion instruments throughout the week!