How To Learn Drum Rudiments
Drum rudiments are one of the most discussed topics in the percussion education community. Almost everyone who plays the drumset has heard from a private teacher or an educator online that they should study the rudiments, but taking the plunge and exploring the vast ocean of rudimental drumming can be intimidating.
This blog post offers some perspective, a few educational resources, and some musical examples that I hope might inspire someone on the fence about rudiment study to check out the language from a place of genuine curiosity.
A Very Brief History of Rudimental Drumming
The origins of rudimental drumming date back to the 14th century, when the Swiss military began using snare drums to signal commands to their troops on the battlefield. The success of this strategy led to the adoption of this method of communication by other European powers, and each culture developed its own distinctive style of rudimental drumming.
Modern American rudimental drumming finds its more recent origins in the traditions established during the American Civil War. Legendary American pedagogues and contributors to our current understanding of drum technique, like Sanford Augustus Moeller (1878-1960), and George Lawrence Stone (1886-1967), who came up during the late 19th and early 20th centuries were alive and learning to play during a time when the influence of those traditions was still strongly encoded into percussion education culture in the U.S.
Why Study The Rudiments?
I urge anyone curious about the rudiments to view their study not as an obligation that must be fulfilled in the interest of becoming a "good" or a "serious" drummer, but rather to think of the rudiments as idioms and turns of phrase that allow one to begin speaking the language of this particular style of music called rudimental drumming.
C.S. Wilcoxon (1894-1978), who was born a generation or so after Stone and Moeller, was a brilliant composer in this American Rudimental style. Wilcoxon was also a prolific educator - he taught many famous jazz drummers including Joseph Rudolph “Philly Joe” Jones, Joe Morello, and John Riley. In this next section I’d like to offer you a few examples of the fantastic music that can be made with these rudimental gestures, some from Wilcoxon, some from his students, and some from contemporary players and composers likely inspired by their output.
Compelling Examples of Rudimental Drumming
These are some of my favorite examples of this American rudimental style from throughout the ages. I hope that in these cases the music speaks for itself, and you find something here that inspires you to dig deeper!
Philly Joe Jones’ solo on “Potluck” from “Kelly At Midnight”
Philly Joe Jones’ solo on “Royal Flush” from “Cool Struttin’”
“[Philly Joe’s] stuff was stuff that drummers just wouldn’t play... Philly Joe played things that were just caricatures of music, he could do things that were just magical with the drums.
”
Rick Dior’s recording of “Heating The Rudiments” by C.S. Wilcoxon
A beautiful passage of Steve Gadd’s playing on Chick Corea’s “Quartet No. 1” from “Three Quartets”
A rudimental improvisation called “Crazy Army” by Steve Gadd
Vinnie Colaiuta’s mind-bending introduction to Chick Corea’s rendition of “Chasin’ The Trane” from “Live From The Blue Note Tokyo”
A video of Santa Clara Vanguard warming up in the lot from 2025
Rudimental Resources
If you find yourself curious about the rudiments and want to undertake their study, there are some resources that may help you.
Firstly, Vic Firth’s Website has a fantastic section dedicated to the 40 Essential Rudiments. There is a breakdown of each rudiment, and a set of play-alongs at different speeds to help you play clean and challenge yourself to develop your technique. All of this material is completely free!
Secondly, C.S. Wilcoxon’s book “Modern Rudimental Swing Solos For The Advanced Drummer” has in-depth studies on the 26 Standard American Drum Rudiments which include variations on each of them, as well as a collection of brilliant and challenging etudes.
Thirdly, the Percussive Arts Society has a great free PDF of the 40 essential rudiments that you can access here.
Lastly, you may consider challenging yourself to learn Alan Dawson’s Rudimental Ritual, though this is no easy task, and is just as much a challenge for one’s four-way coordination as it is a beast of a rudiment study.
For Complete Beginners To The Rudiments
The rudiments are motion studies, kind of like little exercises in micro-choreography. There are certain fundamental motions you need to have a grip on before an in-depth rudiment study makes sense. Find a teacher in your area, book an online lesson, or look for some videos on YouTube or elsewhere to help you learn about the full stroke, down stroke, tap, up stroke, multiple bounce roll, and double stroke roll.
I have a packet of exercises to help you learn to apply these foundational motions before you dive into the rudiments that you can find for free right here. I also have a free packet of simple exercises on some of the most common rudiments that you can find here. Practice these things with a metronome in order to develop good habits of technique and time.
“Think of the rudiments as idioms and turns of phrase that allow one to begin speaking the language of this particular style of music called rudimental drumming.”
Happy practicing,
~JVA
