Single Paradiddle
RLRR LRLL. Two singles and a double, which flips the leading hand every group.
RLRRLRLL
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Paradiddle
RLRR LRLL — two single strokes followed by a double, which hands the lead to the other side every four notes.
R L R R L R L L Diddle rudiments Audio at any tempo
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Generate drum loops with Drumloop AIHow to practise the single paradiddle
- Set the tempo slow — 60 BPM or below to start. Every stroke should be clearly audible on its own.
- Play it for a full minute without stopping, listening for whether both hands sound identical.
- Raise the tempo five BPM at a time. If the evenness goes, drop back to the last clean tempo.
- Once it is solid, move the accents around the kit to turn it into a fill.
How to play the paradiddle
The paradiddle is a four-note pattern: two alternating single strokes followed by a double stroke on the hand that just played. Right, left, right, right — then the mirror image, left, right, left, left. The name is onomatopoeic: "para" for the two singles, "diddle" for the double.
What makes it the most-taught rudiment after the basic rolls is the hand-swapping. Because each group ends with a double, the next group begins with the opposite hand automatically. Practise it for a few minutes and both hands become equally comfortable leading a phrase, which is the underlying reason it appears in every drum curriculum.
The accent matters as much as the sticking. Standard practice accents the first note of each group — the R of RLRR and the L of LRLL — which produces a clear pulse and forces the doubles to stay quiet. Play it without accents and it becomes a texture; play it with them and it becomes a groove. Around the kit, moving the accented note to a tom or the accented hand to the hi-hat turns the paradiddle directly into fills and grooves you will actually use.
Start slowly enough that all four notes are even, then use the speed trainer on the metronome. The double is where it will break first — if the fourth note is quieter than the rest, slow down until it is not.
The sticking, note by note
| # | Hand | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Right | Accent — loudest stroke |
| 2 | Left | Tap — normal volume |
| 3 | Right | Tap — normal volume |
| 4 | Right | Tap — normal volume |
| 5 | Left | Accent — loudest stroke |
| 6 | Right | Tap — normal volume |
| 7 | Left | Tap — normal volume |
| 8 | Left | Tap — normal volume |
Frequently asked questions
What is a paradiddle?
A four-note rudiment played RLRR (or LRLL): two alternating single strokes followed by a double stroke on the same hand. Because it ends with a double, the pattern naturally alternates which hand leads each time it repeats.
What is the paradiddle used for?
Three things mainly. As a practice tool it balances the hands, since both get to lead. Around the kit it generates fills — move the accents to toms and a paradiddle becomes a melodic pattern. And in grooves, splitting the sticking between hi-hat and snare produces the busy linear patterns common in funk and fusion.
How do I count a paradiddle?
Usually as sixteenth notes, so one paradiddle fits one beat: "one-e-and-a" maps onto R-L-R-R. Two paradiddles fill two beats and four fill a bar of 4/4. Accent the first note of each group so the beat stays clear.
What are the other paradiddles?
The double paradiddle adds a pair of singles at the front (RLRLRR), fitting a six-note grouping and working well in 6/8. The triple paradiddle adds two more pairs. The paradiddle-diddle (RLRRLL) ends with two doubles and is the one that appears most often in fast fills.
What tempo should I practise the single paradiddle at?
Start at whatever tempo lets you play every stroke evenly — for most people that is 60–80 BPM. Speed comes from repetition at a clean tempo, not from pushing past your control. Use the speed trainer on the metronome to climb in small, automatic increments.
Can I practise this over a real groove?
Yes, and it helps a great deal — playing into silence hides timing problems that a groove exposes immediately. Drumloop AI generates original, royalty-free drum loops at any tempo, and the free loop library is browsable by tempo.
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