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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!