Diddles in Odd Times

This lesson is designed to get us comfortable in playing mixed sticking patterns in odd time signatures. For our purposes we are going to deal with 16th note based time signatures.

First off, we need to create the chains that we will be using. The same protocol goes for both 13/16 and 15/16.

1. Select the “Create New” icon that is found in the main menu of SYNKD.

2. Now we are going to add a bar. Select the “+” icon that can be found on the right of the screen next to the tempo control. This is the time signature control panel.

3. Scroll down to find either 13/16 or 15/16.

4. Select the default bar of 4/4 and click the “‘x” in the top right corner, this will delete that bar and leave you with the desired time signature.

Since you will be building the chains to practice these exercises from scratch, here are the two ways I suggest practicing this lesson:

1. The chain as written in the exercise.

2. The pulse.

Exercises 1-6

Exercises 1-3 use paradiddles on beats 1 and 2 followed by a 5 note grouping. I am dividing 13/16 as follows: 4+4+5.

Exercise 1 has the accent on the first note of the paradiddle.

Exercise 2 has the accent on the second note, or the “e” of the paradiddle.

Exercise 3 has accents on both the first and second note.

Exercises 4-6 use a paradiddle-diddle as the main sticking for beats 1 and 2. Two accented singles are tagged on to lead into the 5 note grouping. For these exercises I am dividing 13/16 as: 6+2+5.

Exercise 4 has the accent on the first note of the paradiddle-diddle.

Exercise 5 has the accent on the second note, or the “e” of the paradiddle-diddle.

Exercise 6 once again has both the first two notes accented.

Exercises 7-12

Now we are going to be working in 15/16. Once again exercises 7-9 revolve around the paradiddle. We are going to play them on beats 1, 2, and 3 followed by a 3 note grouping.

Exercises 10-12 use paradiddle-diddles just like in exercises 4-6.

The same accent protocol applies to these exercises the did to exercises 1-6.

If you liked this lesson and want to challenge yourself with some pre-programmed odd time chains check out the “Essential Odd Times” rhythm pack available in the SYNKD store.