Rudiments
I will list rudiments here in the order of which ones I deem to be most important. While I understand and appreciate the list compiled by the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and others, we always prefer at Arts Dojo (AD) to present information in the most practically beneficial way. Whereas the PAS list groups the rudiments by type, this list is presented in the order of most often used in real life.
PARADIDDLES
PARADIDDLES, a simple sticking pattern of RLRRLRLL, are the bread and butter of any great percussionist. They can help you get from one area of your set up to another without getting your arms twisted. They are also visually appealing and can help in creating more aurally interesting patterns. They work great on everything from xylophones to timpani to drumset. If you don't know any other rudiment, KNOW PARADIDDLES!
Tips: 1. Try moving one hand to a different playing surface (e.g. left hand snare, right hand ride cymbal). 2. Try doing them with your feet or splitting them between hands and feet. 3. Try doing paradiddles at one speed then double-time and back (e.g. eighth notes to sixteenth notes and back).
Common mistakes: 1. Make sure that ALL notes are evenly spaced within each paradiddle. Beginners often play the doubled notes faster than the singled notes. While that sounds cool, it is a completely different rudiment; when played in succession, it becomes a drag tap.
SINGLE-STROKE ROLL
SINGLE STROKE ROLL, a basic alternated sticking pattern RLRLRL..., is probably the single (pun intended) most often used rudiment. It doubles as one of the most common two sticking patterns. The reason I listed this rudiment second after paradiddles is that paradiddles are almost as easy to execute and they are simply cooler.
Tips: 1. As with all of the other rudiments on the first page of the PAS list, make sure all of the notes are evenly spaced. 2. Try splitting them between hands and feet (e.g. HHHHFFFF). 3. Try changing dynamics (e.g. start them softly and crescendo (i.e. get louder)). 4. Try accenting different notes
(e.g. ||: R l r l r L r l r L r l R l R l :|| ).
Common mistakes: 1. Not counting the rhythms and/or losing your place within a roll. Beginners often forget to start and end rolls at the correct place. 2. Accenting notes UNINTENTIONALLY.
DOUBLE-STROKE ROLL
DOUBLE STROKE ROLL, the next most common sticking pattern RRLLRRLL..., is also recognizable as the "diddle" of the Paradiddle listed above. In fact, a nickname for a double stroke is a "diddle". Understanding the double stroke roll will open the door to all sorts of tricks, including more advanced rudiments like Drag series.
Tips: 1. As with the others, keep all of the notes evenly spaced. 2. Use the single stroke roll to help coach you (e.g. ||: R L R L R R L L :||). 3. Try to play with the same velocity at different stick heights. 4. Try playing triple stroke rolls as a chop builder and then see how fast you can play a double stroke roll.
Common Mistakes: 1. Uneven spacing, often between hands. 2. Pulsing, or uneven dynamics between hands. 3. Failure to focus on the underlying rhythm (remember that this is just a sticking pattern used on a defined rhythm.)
FLAMS
FLAMS, the first "embellishment" rudiment. These types of rudiments are really cool because that add that "flourish" you expect of an expert, but they are really easy to execute. There is an interesting history of grace notes and how their performance has changed over the years, but I will save that for another day. All you need to know is that nowadays if you have a Flam written on count one, the tiny grace note will be played slightly before the normal sized note with one hand and the normal sized noted will be played with the other hand exactly on count one. EASY!
Tips: 1. The best approach to flams is to define for yourself how far apart the grace note will be from the regular note and keep it that way every time UNLESS a band director/conductor/section leader/instructor tells you to OPEN them (play further apart) or to CLOSE them (play closer together). 2. A great exercise for finding where you want to place your grace notes is to play "a 1 a 2 a 3 a 4" over and over while keeping the "numbers" hand steady and slowly bringing the "a" hand closer and closer until both hands are playing at the same time (aka, a flat flam). 3. In Latin music, flams are more open. In marching settings, flams are more closed. Rock and classical are somewhere in between.
Common Mistakes: 1. Failing to play the normal note EXACTLY where it is written. 2. Playing the grace note too loud or inconsistently. 3. Swinging arms from side to side instead of up and down.
DRAGS
DRAGS, the second "embellishment" rudiment. This one is every bit as easy as its cousin the Flam and some say it sounds even cooler. (I also say that :) ) If you understand the description of the Flam above, then all you do is take that concept and bounce the grace note (i.e. "ll R" or "rr L"). EASY! You could also choose to single stroke this rudiment (i.e. "rl R" or "lr L"), which is often the choice used in latin-style music or on certain percussion instruments like the xylophone or timpani. GENIUS!
Tips: 1. Experiment with how closed or open you want to space the notes; generally slower music will be more open and faster tunes will call for more closed drags. 2. Whatever you decide with number one, be consistent! 3. On a drumset, try splitting the rudiment (e.g. grace notes on the snare, main note on the bass drum).
Common Mistakes: (SEE FLAMS ABOVE. Also, playing more grace notes than written/intended.)
FIVE-STROKE ROLL
FIVE-STROKE ROLL, often used as a third "embellishment" rudiment, is SO common you have probably heard it on the radio today. The concept is to take a DOUBLE-STROKE ROLL and limit the length of it; specifically stop it on the third arm movement ("rrll R", "llrr L"). This rudiment is used all over snare drum solos. It is usually written as an 8th note with two slashes tied to another note and the last note is often accented. This rudiment is easy and fun to play while sounding to others like you have REALLY fast hands!
TIPS: 1. Make sure that you know when to play the diddles (double-strokes) as open or closed and stay consistent! 2. Note whether the composer has placed accents on the release note and have the control to NOT accent it if it is not supposed to be accented. 3. As with drags and flams, try putting the release note on a different surface than the diddles (e.g. snare and crash cymbal). 4. You can also single-stroke this rudiment; that is unofficially known as a "single-stroke five" or "single five". 5. If you choose to single stroke it, you can split it between multiple surfaces on the drumset (e.g. bass, snare, tom, bass, SNARE).
Common Mistakes: (SEE DRAGS ABOVE. Also, playing inconsistently from hand-to-hand (e.g. open with one hand and closed with another, leaving uneven space between hands.)