In my 2023 book Rudimental Grand Tour, 22 different rudimental traditions are represented with rudiment lists and example repertoire. Although this seems like a large number, it does not represent every rudimental tradition on earth. This article will list others that did not make it into the book. Some of these extra traditions below were known to me at the time of the book’s publication but I did not have sufficient information to include them. Others only came to my attention after publication. They will be broken down here into two basic groups, rudimental and “para-rudimental.” Rudimental traditions, as usual, are those with a defined set of rudiments from which the larger rhythms are constructed. Para-rudimental traditions are those without a defined set of rudiments but where the drummers play in a style that mimics rudimental snare drumming to some extent. This latter category is probably more aptly called folk music but in these specific cases there is some known connection to rudimental drumming or a military system that has been lost or watered down.

Definite rudimental traditions:

Bajo Aragón: This region of Spain has its own rudimental drumming style that is entirely separate from the Spanish military system that made it to my book. The drumming exists primarily to accompany religious processions during Semana Santa, or the Holy Week. Various towns in the region have different musical repertoire, or variations on the main themes, but they generally adhere to a standard set of named rudiments. One cool feature is that they use drums with two sets of snares, in a fashion similar to modern pipe band. The drums are not high tension and are more ornate, but the idea of having guts on both heads makes it conceptually similar. Some of the drummers even use snares on their bass drums, which is a novel idea that I have not seen elsewhere. The youtube channel ESTambour has featured these drums and some of the music for this style of drumming. https://www.youtube.com/@es.tambor

Asturias: Tambor Asturiano is a rudimental drumming tradition from Spain that is also separate from the military system. I know almost nothing about it except that it exists in a general sense. There is a book about it, but I cannot order it from the USA. The only place with it in stock (as of summer 2024) will not ship here. I hope to figure out something about this style in the future. https://www.musicalprincipado.es/Etnomusicologia/497-9788494986307-duran-m-el-tambor-asturiano-usos-rudimentos-y-patrones-9788494986307.html

Galicia: The rudimental tradition of Galicia, Spain, or Tambor de Galego, is a pipe band style, where the drumming is paired with bagpipes, known as gaita. I know almost nothing else about this tradition, except that it is also different from the military system.

Valencia: The tabalet is a type of snare drum from Valencia that has a rudimental basis for its performance with at least 7 rudiments appearing in its repertoire. It is often played along side the dulzaina, or dulçaina, which is a small double reed instrument similar to an oboe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e-n30lXvqw

Flanders: This region of Belgium has its own rudimental drumming tradition that is separate from the drumming of L’entre-Sambre-et-Meuse, which was featured in my book. Unlike its neighbor, it uses normal musical notation instead of a purely syllabic system. It is also seemingly more closely connected with historical military drumming, instead of the religious marches of L’entre-Sambe-et-Meuse (which is conceptually very similar to the usage of the drumming in Bajo Aragón above). A group called Trommfluit is known for performing in this style. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvP4ZHZ24FE&t=52s

Venezuela: The military drumming of Venezuela is one of several known systems from South America. Unfortunately, I was only able to locate one source for the notation and this source did not name any rudiments or provide any sort of explanation. I have played one of the signals on my youtube channel, but the execution of the notated music is purely a guess. The further clarification is needed to present the system with any authority, though it appears to be built from standard rudimental figures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAAcBuHQ8WA

Hesse: There are some references to a Hessian rudimental tradition if you look around the German-language publications on drumming, but nothing that clearly defines what they played. Nothing that I have seen, anyway. It would make sense that they used some type of rudimental drumming in the past if they had a military of any kind. Whether it was actually unique or was just borrowed from Prussia or another neighboring military is unclear. It was sure to be purely rudimental in either case, but it is impossible for me to say at this time what the rudiments and signals actually were.

Portugal: Some evidence exists that Portugal had rudimental drumming. It is said to have been heavily influenced by British drumming. All that I have ever been able to locate were bugle signals — nothing for drums. It is unclear whether it was exactly British drumming or if it had its own features.

Para-rudimental traditions:

Siena: This city in Italy has its own style of drumming. Whether it is actually a rudimental tradition is in question. Sources explicitly mention drummers practicing the Radoppio, or double stroke roll, with a method called Tatamama where they practice this roll open-closed-open. This is an exact cognate with Papa-maman in France or Daddy-Mommy in English… a rudimental open double stroke roll with the same practice method rudimental drummers would use anywhere. This seems to be the ONLY rudiment, however. A single rudiment does not a system make. There is apparently a good deal of improvisation, but also they have a standard piece called Diana, which makes its connection to military drumming fairly clear. This connection is seemingly old and pretty tenuous at this point, however. I am calling it a para-rudimental style. It looks like it had some rudimental underpinning at one time, but this has been lost as a pedagogical or organizational tool, aside from the one roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nlelR1q-1c

New Orleans: Second line drumming in New Orleans lives somewhere between jazz, marching band, ragtime, and dixieland. It can be a marching style, used for parades, and this is where the name comes from. An informal band would follow a parade around playing behind it, the parade being the ‘first line,’ and the impromptu band being the ‘second line.’ More or less. It can also be a drumset style played by jazz combos or brass bands in a stationary position. In either case it is typified by a beat that hints at clave, or another similar carribean rhythm of African influence, and lots of buzzed strokes and syncopated shuffling snare patterns. This does not sound rudimental on the surface. It recently came to my attention that during the formative period of jazz-like music New Orleans a unit of the Mexican infantry was stationed in New Orleans. Mexican drumming for the tradition of Banda de Guerra can be found in my book — there it is clear that a defining feature of the style is buzzed rolls and ruffs as opposed to open doubles. The predominantly African-American drummers of the late 19th century would have naturally taken the Mexican military influence and mixed it with their own sense of rhythm to create the jazz/ragtime/dixieland/second line sounds. So, even though the style does not sound much like American rudimental drumming, it could still be considered at least a para-rudimental style if it took its rudimental basis from the Mexican tradition. Keep in mind that modern pipe band and the drumming of Ivrea both also use buzzed rolls and ruffs, rather than open doubles, as their primary playing technique. Its a different idea that we are used to here in the USA, but not necessarily less rudimental. https://youtu.be/FQW4yyrz6fc?si=GqpKHeKOrQYJIatd

Basque Country / Euskadi: The Atabal of the Basque country is a snare-drum-like instrument played with an ensemble of flutes, called txistu and silbote, and sometimes other drums or brass instruments. It is unclear to me at this time if they have definite rudiments or any kind of organized pedagogical methods. It is often played pipe and tabor style, where the drum and flute are the same player. Some of the music can be found here: https://partiturak.eus/indice.html

Lucena: The snare drumming of Lucena, Spain may or may not be rudimental in nature. I know almost nothing except that it exists. I am actively looking for more information. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpEntdqTMI0

Jazz: Standard American jazz drumming is an improvisational drum set art form, but could also be seen as a rudimental tradition. For over a century, drum kit playing has been taught by way of rudimental drumming. Drummers learn the standard American snare drum rudiments of the day before learning to swing and improvise. Conveniently, many normal drum rudiments have a good 6/8 interpretation that fits perfectly into the triplet based swing rhythms of jazz music. I contend that the PAS rudiment Single Paradiddle-diddle was invented by jazz drummers and then retroactively accepted by rudimental drummers. There is seemingly no written record of the Paradiddle-diddle (WITHOUT A FLAM) before the 1960s, where it shows up first (as far as I can tell) in a book by noted jazz drummer Joe Morello. He notes that it is not a traditional rudiment. It is, however, the rhythm and sticking that naturally happens when you fill in all the gaps in the ‘spang-spang-a-lang’ standard ride cymbal swing pattern with the opposite hand. The Flam Paradiddle-diddle is ancient, but removing the Flam seems like an idea from a jazz drummer. If you know for a fact this is somehow not the case, please do cite me a source that disproves the theory. It would have to be explicitly from a non-jazz percussionist or appear before the conception of double drumming in the late 19th century. Please do let me know.

Ireland: The tradition of Lambeg drums in Ireland is an interesting one. It uses what appear to be large rope tensioned bass drums, much like those used in ancient rudimental drumming ensembles. Unlike all of the other traditions here, it does not use snare drums at all. Instead the “bass drums” are tuned very high and beaten with canes instead of sticks or mallets. This produces a high pitch and an extremely loud sound, said to be one of the loudest acoustic musical sounds in the world. Nothing like a bass drum, really. In the past these were paired with fifes, just like most rudimental drums, but the sound of Lambeg drums eventually drowned out the fifes and some groups stopped using fifes at all. They can still be heard together today, at times. Whether this type of drumming actually has any named rudiments or uses the basis of most other rudimental drumming is hard to determine. It isn’t mentioned overtly in the online explanations of the style. Some sources say the rhythms are similar to that of the Bodhran, which is not a rudimental instrument. It is interesting to think about, in any case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwBoZcEgtpg

If you know of other rudimental or para-rudimental traditions that are not listed here and are not one of the 22 found in my book, please send me an email or a facebook message and enlighten me. I always enjoy finding more.