Deconstructing “The Little Drummer Boy”

A classic holiday piece that most drummers will play at least once in the course of their career is “The Little Drummer Boy”. There are three main rudiments you’ll most likely hear in the traditional arrangements. (There are many different arrangements, so this is a broad-spectrum look at the piece.)

The three main rudiments I recommend you learn:

The Flam
-A full stroke, combined with a down-stroke

The Drag
-A diddle, combined with a full-stroke

Triplets
-Series of 8th notes grouped in three (1,2,3 - 1,2,3)

I also recommend that you check out the Percussive Arts Society’s list of “international drum rudiments” that are a requirement for most percussionists to know. This site has all of them written out in standard notation, and each has clickable audio links to help you check your understanding. While the “triplet” isn’t technically listed, it’s a part of many of these rudiments in various fashions. Click here to visit the PAS website.

I hope this helps you gain some ground as you learn the piece, please reach out if you have any questions at info@musiconthemovestudios.com!