The Code of Movement: Developing Accent Freedom with Paradiddles is about understanding the movement of the sticks and the position they should be in for the most fluid performance to allow your drumming to be more efficient, using the least amount of energy for maximum results. At the same time, the book gives you the ability to execute accents anywhere in the flow of the most common paradiddle stickings, giving you freedom of expression in any style of music.

All the great drum legends understood this movement—Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Louis Bellson, Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams—and by observing these masters, the next generation of greats drummers are now using this movement. The Code of Movement uses paradiddles in all four variations: forward, outward, reverse and inverted. Why paradiddles? With very few exceptions, sticking is simply singles or doubles, R, L or RR, LL, and the four paradiddle versions have it all. The sticking of paradiddles also naturally reverses, creating a great balance to work both hands evenly. Also, paradiddles are very musical sounding, and it is easy to combine the four variations into complex patterns that work great in every musical style. You will find paradiddles everywhere from rudiment snare-drum pieces to jazz, fusion, rock, funk, and country music. Most importantly, the book’s focus is on movement, and by using only paradiddles the sticking is kept simple so you will progress quickly through the fundamentals of stick movement and on to the stick control you only dreamed of before.

Using the Free Stroke as a foundation, the book provides a graphical key to movement: Above every accent throughout the paradiddle patterns in the book are one of two types of arrows that give you the “code” to the accents (“movement”). There are videos included for each of the strokes/movements necessary to execute the patterns.

“The mechanics of drumming movement will give you the freedom to express what your soul is screaming for people to hear. The Code of Movement will unlock the door to a new level of artistic experiences!”

• Dom Famularo

Guy Gelso is a founding member and current drummer of the band ZEBRA. Releasing one of the fastest-selling debut albums in Atlantic Records history, the band continues to tour the U.S.A. today, 47 years later. The band has released six albums and was in heavy rotation during the heyday of MTV. Guy is also an active educator, teaching private sessions and recording tutorial content from his home base in New Orleans.

Dom Famularo, known as Drumming’s Global Ambassador, is a world-renowned drummer, author, clinician, and motivational speaker. He has performed in over 60 countries and has a private teaching studio reaching over 1000 students in 20 countries from his home base on Long Island, New York. Dom is also Education Consultant for Sabian cymbals, author of several books, and co-owner of the publishing company Wizdom Media LLC.