Finger Drumming Rudiments Exercises Part 1

This new series focuses on finger drumming rudiments—the essential building blocks for tight, clean, and fast pad playing. Each video lesson breaks down a core rudiment into practical pad-ready exercises. In this first part, we’ll cover:

Exercise 1: Single Stroke Roll (R-L-R-L, L-R-L-R)
Exercise 2: Single Stroke Four (R-L-R-L, L-R-L-R)

Free Rudiments Practice Download

Get your free lesson pack to practice these two rudiments:

Notation PDF & Guitar Pro 5 files
MIDI files for Launchpad/DAW
High-quality drum kit samples
Play through recordings
Ableton Live Set

How to Practice Rudiments on Finger Drums

Whether you’re aiming to improve speed, control, or groove flow — rudiments are the way to go. Follow this method to build long-term muscle memory and tight timing:

1. Start Extremely Slow (40–50 BPM)

Play the patterns at slow tempo to engage proper technique.
Start with one bar repeated several times.

Reminder: Speed comes from control, not force.

2. Practice with a Click & Count Out Loud

Internalize subdivisions using vocal counting:

1/16 notes: One-e-and-a, Two-e-and-a...
Combine with accent practice to improve dynamics

3. Use Mirror Technique

Always alternate lead hands:

R-L-R-L (dominant lead)
L-R-L-R (non-dominant lead)

This builds balance and prevents dependency on your strong hand.

4. Repeat Until Clean, Then Raise BPM

Only increase tempo once:

You feel relaxed
You’re consistent and on-time
You can play 4 bars without tension

Raise in small steps — 5 to 10 BPM max.

Exercise 1: Single Stroke Roll

Pattern: R – L – R – L – R – L – R – L
Subdivision: 1/4, 1/8, 1/8 triplets, 1/16 notes
Focus: Even strokes, relaxed wrists, symmetrical movement

Watch on YouTube
Download Practice Files

Exercise 2: Single Stroke Four

Pattern: R – L – R – L → R – L – R – L (repeat)
Subdivision: 1/16 triplets, 1/8 notes
Focus: Hand switching, burst control, transitioning between groups