Practicing Rudiments with

Rhythmic Modulation
By Joel Rothman

D
uring my first year of studying drums, my teacher introduced me
to the 26 traditional rudiments (subsequently increased to 40 by
PAS). I was told to play each one slowly at first, and then gradu-
ally increase the speed until I couldnt play it any fastermuch like
an old steam train pulling out of a station, moving slowly at first, and then
picking up steam until it reaches maximum speed. I was then told to gradu-
ally get slower, as though the train were arriving at a station and coming to
a full stop.
I suspect that many, if not most, drummers honed their rudimental skills
in a similar open, closed, open fashion. Over time, however, I decided that
trying to develop rudimental skills in this free time format without a more
exact framework was a bit too haphazard. After giving it a great deal of
thought I developed a tightly structured approach to practicing most hand
exercises that brought me (and later my students) much greater control over
the execution of rudiments. The fundamental key to my approach is what
I call, for want of a better name, rhythmic modulation. This fancy term
signifies nothing more than the direct movement from one gradation of
rhythm to another, while the basic tempo remains constant. By practicing
rudiments, or hand exercises, using my system of rhythmic modulation, you
will gain significant control over various sticking patterns as well as greater
control for playing different rhythms within the same beat or tempo.
Example 1: Rhythmic Modulation with the Single Paradiddle
Play these four repeated bars as one continual exercise. Brackets are used
to highlight the single paradiddle within triplet rhythms in the second and
fourth measures.
Example 2: Rhythmic Modulation with the Double Paradiddle
Brackets are used to highlight the double paradiddle within a sixteenth-
note rhythm in the third measure.
Now, instead of just playing the paradiddles on the snare, try playing the
right hand on the tom-toms while keeping the left hand on the snare, and
vice-versa, thereby producing some interesting sounding patterns between
the drums.
Important: Play each measure over and over, rather than just once. Then
move directly to the next measure without stopping, keeping the beat con-
stant. The only thing that should increase in speed is in the sticking pattern,
but not the basic tempo.
In each of the examples, the sticking pattern starts with eighth notes,
then moves to eighth-note triplets, sixteenth notes, and finally sixteenth-
note triplets. After playing the final measure of sixteenth-note triplets,
instead of repeating back to the first measure of eighth notes, try playing the
entire exercise backwards without stopping. In other words, play the four
measures in Examples 1 and 2 as follows: (forward) eighth notes, eighth
triplets, sixteenth notes, sixteenth triplets, (then backward) sixteenth notes,
eighth triplets, eighth notes.
One final point: the indicated rhythmic modulation only goes as far as
sixteenth triplets. This concept could be extended to playing thirty-second
notes directly after the sixteenth triplets. However, if you intend to extend
the exercise to include thirty-second notes, be certain to start playing the
eighth notes very slowly, or by the time you get to the thirty-second notes
you might not be able to play the sticking fast enough.
An in-depth presentation of the preceding article can be found in my
book Blood, Sweat and Rudiments.

Joel Rothman is a well-known teacher and writer of drum and percussion

The example above illustrates the format for the rhythmic modulation
of rudiments with sticking groups of four or eight notes. Rudiments with
groups of six notes require a simple change of time signatures, as in the next
example.
books which, for 50 years, have beenpublished through his own company,
JR Publications. He taught school, gave private instruction, and played as a
free-lance musician in theNew York City area until he met his British wife.
Joel now resides in London, England, where he has an extensive teaching
practice catering to professional players from all over Europe. You can con-
tact Joel by e-mailing joelrothman@btconnect.com. PN

percussive notes 38 JUNE 2009

percussive notes 39 JUNE 2009