Bapawappa is a sequence of variations to a simple doublestroke pattern. Apart from the crushes, the lead hand stays basically constant throughout the exercise, although there may be subtle differences in timing and volume/height/velocity from variation to variation, depending on how you choose to interpret different rudiments. For additional practice, try feeling the doubles as ninelets (see the 4/4 Feel variation on page 2, with instructions on how to convert the tempo for your metronome).
Odd Singles
Odd Singles consists of variations to the classic 7/8 Singles exercise. The variations change the beat-long into into something subtly slower or faster than the sixteenth-note triplets that set it up.
We Got 2 Kinds of Threes
We Got 2 Kinds of Threes compares the hugadig rudiment (one-handed breakdown of a flam-tap) with the triplebeat rudiment (where all three strokes are attacked in the same way). The goal is to challenge your application of fulcrum/finger assistance and efficient use of wrist turn and rebound. Confronting the dramatic contrasts that manifest in the pairing of these two approaches will help you to build better habits for the application of good fundamentals.
Full 'o Crumb
Full ‘o Crumb challenges your control of fulcrum pressure and finger assistance by juxtaposing singlestrokes, doublestrokes, and flam-taps. It will require a lot of dexterity to switch between the demands of the different rudiments.
Herta Henry
Herta Henry is a fun singlestroke and herta étude that is a lot more challenging than it looks. You will have to mind what I call the “herta paradox”: hertas consist simply of legatos on one hand and doubles on the other hand, but putting them together in the herta rhythm mysteriously creates a tendency to unnecessarily tense up on both figures in order to achieve correct timing. The skeleton variation will give you a benchmark of how the as-written exercise should feel if you are truly relaxed.
Durrty Dubbles
Durrty Dubbles works on double beats using variations that allow for one hand to check the timing and sound quality of the other hand. You must variously create doublestop doublestrokes, doublestrokes where the first note of one hand coincides with the second note of the other, and singlestroke fours. The unison doublestrokes facilitate building a completely uniform doublestroke motion between the two hands. The half-unison doublestrokes force you to match sound quality and timing when the doublestop note is achieved through differing amounts of forearm assistance, wrist turn, and fulcrum pressure between the two hands. The single-stroke fours give you an opportunity to hear each note of both hands’ doublestrokes by itself, without being hidden within a doublestop.
Smoooves
Smoooves is a simple pattern for fitting five-note rudiments into a juxtaposition between sixteenth notes and fivelets. Included are some example rudiments that are well-suited t this pattern, as well as some accent variations to play around with. Despite all the effort changes involved, keep it smooth!
Upstroke March
Upstroke March is an étude for working on comfort and consistency with the quick upstrokes you will encounter in various flam and singlestroke patterns. Often, with quick upstrokes, you either lighten up the taps before the upstroke, and they sound weak, or you smack the crap out of the accent after it, and it sounds more harsh than other accents in the phrase. By putting even more taps and accents around the upstroke, you have something for your ears to compare it to, which should help you to develop better habits with quick upstrokes.
Painkillers
Ready to reef some fast beats? Painkillers presents three variations for pushing your speed and relaxation at the same time, with fours, paradiddles, and singlestroke rolls. The demand eases up as the exercise goes on, but you should not take that as an excuse to lose quality or precision. The pattern is inspired by the drumming of Scott Travis on the ripping opener of Judas Priest's 1990 Painkiller album.
Not Hugadigs
Not Hugadigs works on three-beat series that are not hugadigs (the one-handed breakdown of a flam-tap): i.e., the strict accent-to-tap (Rrr) and tap-to-accent (rrR) figures that are the breakdowns of pataflaflas, inverted flam taps, and accented single-stroke figures.
