Rudiments. Yes we hear all the great drummers talking about them. But what are they?

       

       Rudiments are snare drum patterns that are commonly used when playing. Most of them are some kind of combination of a single stroke, a double stroke, or a flam. When playing on a kit, everything you play is a rudiment. If you are doing basic rock beats, you are doing single strokes. If you are doing a basic jazz beat, you are doing doubles on your right hand.

       There are currently 40 or 26 rudiments. There is no need to learn them all, but if you have the time, it is highly recommended that you practice these.

When do rudiments come in handy?

       Well, if you have a job in drumming later in the years, you might be asked to play a chart. When playing a chart, if you are familiar with rudiments, you will have less trouble reading it, because as I said, everything you play is a rudiment.