Rudiments for Hand Drumming Technique based on Mridangam exercises

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*Key to hand and finger positions:

R – right hand (all four fingers)
L  – left hand (all four fingers)
Ri  – right index finger
R3 – middle, ring & small fingers together

Lesson 1:

Ta Di Thom Nam/Nam Thom Di Ta

*Ta:       L centre (of drumhead)
 Di:        R3 centre
 Thom:  L top (of drumhead)
 Nam:   Ri top

Lesson 2:

Ta Ta Di Di Thom Thom Nam Nam/Nam Nam Thom Thom Di Di Ta Ta

Lesson 3:

Ta          kita
Di           kita
Thom     kita
Nam      kita

Nam      kita
Thom     kita
Di           kita
Ta          kita

*ki:        R3 centre
 ta:        Ri centre

Lesson 4:

Ta          kita kita taka
Di           kita kita taka
Thom     kita kita taka
Nam      kita kita taka

Nam      kita kita taka
Thom     kita kita taka
Di           kita kita taka
Ta          kita kita taka

*Taka   ta= L centre and ka= R3 centre

Lesson 5:

diku tari kita taka
(referred to as D in future lessons is an important and commonly used connecting phrase).

*       di=Ri centre
        ku=L centre
        ta=R3 top
        ri=L top
        ki=R3 centre
        ta= Ri centre
        ta=L centre
        ka=R3 centre

Lesson 6:

Ta          kita kita taka D
Di           kita kita taka D
Thom     kita kita taka D
Nam      kita kita taka D

Nam      kita kita taka D
Thom     kita kita taka D
Di           kita kita taka D
Ta          kita kita taka D

Lesson 7:

naka tari kita taka (another connecting phrase)

*             na=Ri top
              ka=L top
              ta=R3 centre
              ri=Ri centre
              ki=R3 centre
              ta=Ri centre
              ta=L centre
              ka=R3 centre

Lesson 8:

Ta          kita kita taka D naka tari kita taka D
Di           kita kita taka D naka tari kita taka D
Thom     kita kita taka D naka tari kita taka D
Nam      kita kita taka D naka tari kita taka D

Nam      kita kita taka D naka tari kita taka D
Thom     kita kita taka D naka tari kita taka D
Di           kita kita taka D naka tari kita taka D
Ta          kita kita taka D naka tari kita taka D

Lesson 9:

Ta          kita taka
Ta          kita taka
tarikita
Ta          kita
tarikita D

*tarikita=
              ta=L top
              ri=R3 centre
              ki=Ri centre
              ta=R3 centre

Lesson 10: (Combine 8 & 9)

Ta          kita kita taka D
naka      tari kita taka D
Ta          kita taka
Ta          kita taka
tarikita
Ta          kita
tarikita D

(Also use Di, Thom and Nam…..)