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Why The Paradiddle Is So Important – Dorothea Taylor

Drumeo | September 12, 2025



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►Check out Dorothea’s YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dtdrummerlady/

You might know Dorothea Taylor – the ‘godmother of drumming‘ and purveyor of excellent rudimental technique – from her popular Instagram page. She came to the Drumeo studio to demonstrate why paradiddles are so important, and how to practice them in a way that doesn’t make you want to jump out a window.

There are many different ways to practice paradiddles and push past the basic sticking. You can add accents and even string together a few variations over a playalong track, splitting the strokes between different drums and cymbals.

If you want to broaden your knowledge and improve your hand control, check out this lesson! And be sure to watch the end where Dorothea plays along to a song randomly chosen for her.

Click the link below to download the PDF:
https://www.drumeo.com/beat/why-paradiddles-are-so-important/

0:00 – SONG: “Tush” by ZZ Top
2:18 – Introduction
6:38 – Paradiddle permutations
12:25 – Adding accents
24:11 – How to develop doubles
28:10 – Paradiddle playalong
33:54 – SONG: “Purple Rain”

Follow Dorothea:
►YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/dtdrummerlady1/videos
►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylor.dorothea/

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#dorotheataylor #drumeo #paradiddle

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Written by Drumeo

Comments

This post currently has 41 comments.

  1. @user-gf7cl6iq2e

    September 12, 2025 at 3:52 pm

    Hi, great video & collab. 😊 Nobody ever told me about Dorothea, she’s amazing & a true trailblazer… (I’m in the U.K) I found her by accident on Pinterest & then Instagram.
    I’m a 51 year old woman, I’ve played drums since I was about 15. I’ve had a break of about 18 years. I’m left handed and need help not starting on my left… My brain has always struggled against my dominant hand.
    Do you have any advice to balance it up? I’m the opposite of righties and so my right hand is my weaker one. 😅 Is it just patience, strengthening exercises like single strokes, rudiments etc to train my brain? Also, is being lefty why l find it hard to do paradiddles? They seem to sound ok at first, then that left hand tries to take over! Any advice would be amazing. Thanks!

  2. @somecallmeflip

    September 12, 2025 at 3:52 pm

    I wanted to be in the band as a child. I didn't pick up an instrument until I was in my 40s. I play the didgeridoo and have natural circular breathing someone told me not long ago. I am thinking about a trumpet maybe next however I am constantly drumming on something tapping my hands

  3. @dw12290

    September 12, 2025 at 3:52 pm

    When I was 13 and started playing the drums, My instructor told me the importance of paradiddles, but I wanted to play, not practice. Then life got in the way and now, here I am at 62, practicing paradiddles. I can play the drums, but it’s the paradiddles that I lack.

    I love her explanations!

  9. @edo-gauge5616

    September 12, 2025 at 3:52 pm

    Almost every time I see a really good drummer, he (or she) played in a Drum Corps. I played in a ragtag drum corps as a young man. And none of us were as good as Dorothea Taylor. I've watched some of her Youtube lessons. She makes it look so easy.

  12. @rokker101

    September 12, 2025 at 3:52 pm

    Dorothea is living proof that you are NEVER too old to rock n roll or play an instrument … she is also a great technician and 'knows her onions' … her tuitional videos on rudiments are second to none … any kid would want her as a mum/grandma … she is also such an articulate and humble lady … and a rocker at heart! … GO DOROTHEA!

  15. @johngraham5948

    September 12, 2025 at 3:52 pm

    Back in the 70s I had a women take me for drum lessons and she started with paradiddles wether it was because of paradiddles or she was a woman (I suspect both) I never had another lesson with her again sad to say

  25. @TimFrye-c4w

    September 12, 2025 at 3:52 pm

    Having drummed without private lessons (back in the day) I've learned to drum, for the most part) on my own. In any event Dorthia you just provided the missing link to my drumming (various ways to mix up the paradiddle and how to accent on various beats). My drumming has elevated because of what I just learned in your video. I just want to thank you for being thorough, clear, and to the point.

  37. @sea-ferring

    September 12, 2025 at 3:52 pm

    Classical Indian Tabla takes the idea of using rudiment names to the next step by having named syllables for each different stoke. It is so cool listening to tabla players using these syllables to communicate rhythmic ideas.

Comments are closed.

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