Is the paradiddle the simplest paradiddaloid?

A square is a rectangle.

A blog is a website.

So, is a paradiddle a paradiddaloid? And if so, is it the simplest?

To answer these questions, we will need to define criteria for what it means to be a paradiddaloid. The most obvious requirement is that patterns A and B cannot be identical. This is a defining characteristic of the paradiddaloid.

Imagine playing two successive paradiddles, the first starting with the right hand and the second starting with the left hand. RLRR LRLL. The space between the four-note groupings emphasizes that the lead hand changes. Conversely, the paradiddaloid is written as a continuous eight-part sequence. ABAABABB. When we apply the paradiddaloid principle to the paradiddle, the paradiddle also becomes a continuous eight-part sequence. RLRRLRLL. In this context, we can say that each right-handed tap is Pattern A and each left-handed tap is Pattern B.

Ideally, each of the taps sound identical. Our ears say no, this is not a paradiddaloid because all of the taps sound the same. But when we look at what we are doing, we can see that the right hand is the mirror image of the left hand. This difference can be used to distinguish Pattern A from Pattern B, and to describe the paradiddle as a paradiddaloid – a visual paradiddaloid. It is not very exciting from a drumming perspective, but dancers use it to great effect. Next time someone says "Look – those dancers are doing a paradiddle!" you can politely suggest that it is in fact a visual paradiddaloid.

Now, what if we accent either the right (Pattern A) or the left (Pattern B)? What if we hit different percussion or use different types of sticks with each hand? Any of these alterations will transform the paradiddle into a different type of paradiddaloid – a sonic paradiddaloid. This could certainly be a useful application of the paradiddle.

As it turns out, the paradiddaloid manifests itself in three distinct ways – visually, sonically, and rhythmically. Within this hierarchical classification of paradiddaloids, the paradiddle meets the criteria for both a visual paradiddaloid and a sonic paradiddaloid, but not for a rhythmic paradiddaloid.

Let us presume that the simplest paradiddaloid need satisfy only one of the three possible manifestations. Still, in order to determine whether or not the paradiddle can be distinguished with the prestigious Simplest Paradiddaloid Award, further analysis is required.

(coming soon: Can a paradiddaloid have a rest as one of its patterns?)