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The Paradiddle is a very common rudiment but is one that is difficult to execute smoothly.With the exception of accented strokes sounding louder, it should sound like eight strokes of even pace and strength.

The version shown below commences with a downstroke, however you must also try reversing it, starting with an upstroke or consider starting at any point in the pattern.

Recommended tempii

90bpm - Starting

120bpm - progressing

240bpm+ - Professional or freak

The double paradiddle is a version where the sticking is reversed every 6 beats. It's fun

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Paradiddle-diddles (courtesy of Steve Brown)

Adapted from the flam paradiddle-diddle, here is the bodhráni version. It's a little more difficult because it mixes quarter and eighth notes.

The paradiddle diddle is an extension of the paradiddle family. Here if I use the pattern for striking practise it becomes a 6 beat jig pattern

I hadn't gotten around to including this one yet until prompted by fellow bodhránii list member and bones champion Steven Brown. Thanks Steve.

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The following two triplet exercises are a bit of a 'head twist' but are very useful in top end playing.

you may choose to combine the two 4 beat patterns into an 8 beat pattern. To avoid three contiguous strokes of the same type you may omit the final stroke

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Ruffs are included in the advanced section because of the rested beats. This means that the execution of the rudiment is 'discrete' i.e. doesn't flow immediately into the next one. The difference between version 1 and version 2 is simply that the up and down strokes are reversed. You should be equally accurate and fluid with each version. You should work though accenting each beat.