The flam paradiddle (also known as the flamadiddle) is another pattern from the flam family of drum rudiments, and the one you’ll learn how to play in this free drum lesson. In the video, Lionel Duperron gives you some tips on how to practice the flam paradiddle, and on how to incorporate it into drum beats and drum fills.
The flam paradiddle is what happens when you combine a single paradiddle with a flam. Thus, make sure you know how to play those two drum rudiments before wrapping your hands around the flam paradiddle. The flam paradiddle alternates within itself. You can count it out loud as 16th notes, or like so: lR(flam or par) L(a) R(di) R(ddle) rL(flam or par) R(a) L(di) L(ddle).
The exercise below is a great drill for building your rudimental chops. Start practicing it at a slow speed, and make sure the stroke sequence is played accurately. Doing things properly will help you build a solid foundation that will serve you for years to come; just be patient.
Getting to play the 40 drum rudiments around the drum set is a totally different animal from playing them on a single surface like a practice pad. The drum beats and drum fills you’ll find in each of the free drum lessons on the 40 drum rudiments will challenge you like never before.
Exercise #1 is a 16th note drum beat where the flam paradiddle is played between the hi-hat and the snare drum. The flam paradiddles on counts 1 and 3 are played exclusively on the hi-hat, while the ones on counts 2 and 4 are broken up between the snare drum and the hi-hat. Once you have the hands happening, play the bass drum on all quarter notes.
Exercise #2 is a 16th note drum beat that encompasses a flam paradiddle on count 1. The flam paradiddle is played between the hi-hat and the hi-tom. Lionel Duperron leads the flam paradiddle with his right hand, so he can make an easier transition between the hi-hat and the hi-tom.
Exercise #3 is a 16th note drum fill featuring four flam paradiddles. Playing consistent sounding doubles on the toms is the biggest challenge you’ll find within this exercise. Bouncing the doubles off of those soggy surfaces will make them sound muddy. The best way to go about this is to develop your forearm muscles to a point where your wrists can play doubles with ease, regardless of the level of bounce of the surface. You can also use a quick snap of the fingers on the drumstick, after playing the first stroke with the wrist, to produce a similar sound between the two strokes.
Exercise #4 is a 16th note drum fill where four flam paradiddles are scattered between the floor tom and the snare drum. It’s better if you lead this drum fill with your right hand if you want to perform it with a greater level of ease. Watch out for the doubles on the floor tom. Use the tips we gave you on the previous exercise for getting them to sound even.
Besides the flam paradiddle, the flam family of drum rudiments encompasses two more drum rudiments that incorporate paradiddle drum rudiments. They are the flam paradiddle-diddle and the single flammed mill. Once you’re done with this lesson, take a look at the free drum lessons on those two drum rudiments.