It’s fill of the week time, let’s get diddlin’.
This fill of the week uses one of my favourite rudiments: the Paradiddle-diddle. Applying rudiments around the kit can help you to create things that you can’t play with just single strokes or to play your ideas in an easier, more relaxed manner. Let’s check out the paradiddle-diddle in this fill.
Learn The Fill
We’ll start with the sticking pattern for this fill.
This fill begins with a left paradiddle-diddle on beat one, follow it up with another left paradiddle-diddle on the “&” of two and then finish it off with a left paradiddle starting on beat 4.
The best way to practice this pattern is as part of a 2-bar pattern, like this :
This pattern automatically switches from the left side to the right side and gets you practicing your paradiddle-diddles on both sides.
Once you have the pattern down, all that remains is to orchestrate it around the kit.
I decided to split the single strokes (LR) between the hi-hat and stack cymbal. If you don’t have a stack you can hit both hands on the hi-hat or put the right hand on another effects cymbal or on the ride cymbal. Then it’s simply putting the left double stroke on the snare and the right double stroke on the floor tom. Here’s the full fill:
As an experiment, I suggest you try playing this fill with just single strokes. It’s possible, but you’ll realize how much extra movement you need to play the fill. Using the paradiddle-diddle and paradiddle is much more efficient.
Taking It Further
To take this fill further simply re-orchestrate the fill around the kit. Here’s three examples:
Of course, you can also try this with the Right paradiddle-diddle (RLRRLL) & paradiddle (RLRR). I’ll let you experiment with that version.
Here’s one more idea, we can turn this into an over the bar line fill by turning the paradiddle on beat 4 into a paradiddle-diddle. This extends the fill over the bar line by playing the first two 16th notes of the next bar. Add a bass drum on the “&” of 1 and then crash with the snare on beat 2 and you have an over the bar line fill. Check it out:
I hope you’ve enjoyed fill of the week #27. If you’re in Singapore and you’d like a free trial lesson, send us a message on the contact us page.