The Drag Paradiddle No. 1 or Dragadiddle No. 1 appears to be a uniquely English rudiment and does not appear in the Swiss, French, Dutch, or German systems.
The Dragadiddle No. 1 is performed:
The Dragadiddle No. 1 in British Music:
The Dragadiddle No. 1 is first named in Potter (1815) and actually appears in two forms: “A Stroke and Drag Paradiddle” and “A Flam and Drag Paradiddle”.
Unlike every other rudiment listed in Potter, the Drag Paradiddles do not appear in any of the duty calls or beatings Potter records in his manual. Instead, he notes that the drummer must be able to “beat One of them in a Bar of Ordinary time as it is used in short Troops and Waltzs” (16). By Ordinary time, he means 75 beats per minute, or the normal marching cadence. Short Troops and Waltzes refers to 3/8 beatings, or 3/4 tunes performed like a 3/8. A Short Troop is a style of military marching cadence used during changing of the guard and indicated a formal, tight formation.
The Dragadiddle No. 1 in American Music:
The Dragadiddle No. 1 first makes an appear in American music in the early-18th century in Ashworth and Rumrille. Although neither author names the rudiment, it can be found in Duke of York’s Troop. While Potter tells us that Drag Paradiddles are used for Short Troops, Ashworth and Rumrille demonstrate how they are utilized in them. (Check out my discussion on “Short Troops” to learn more about this style of beating.)
The Americans do not name this rudiment until the mid-19th century when Hart (1862) refers to the Dragadiddle No. 1 as “The Paradiddle Drag Beat”. Bruce & Emmett (1862) are the first to coin the modern terminology, listing both the “Drag Paradiddle No. 1” and “Drag Paradiddle No. 2”, which Strube (1869) uses in his 25 lessons. The Dragadiddle No. 1 continues to appear in some fancier Short Troops during this time.
The Dragadiddle No. 1 in Swiss / Basel Music:
In the Swiss / Basel style, we see a drag paradiddle rudiment called the ‘Moulin au ras de 3’, which is the Swiss name meaning a Paradiddle with a 3 roll. Despite the name, the rudiment is played with straight sticking, rather than the traditional paradiddle sticking.
This Swiss Dragadiddle can trace its origins to at least 1728 Swiss ordonnance, see in the three “Tagwacht” (Reveille) beatings.
See: Verzeichnis derjenigen Ordonnanz-Streichen, nach welchen die Tambouren Teutsch- und Welschen Landes Bergebiets sich richten und selbigen Exercieren sollen (1728). Also see: Peter Stocker, Verzeichnis der Ordonnantz Steichen, darin die Tambouren überall solen underwiesen warden (1759) Tagwacht Nos. 1 &2.
Most likely this rudiment had a different name in the 18th century, which was replaced in the late 19th century when the Basel movement adopted the paradiddle (moulin) from the French. More research on this would be useful.
More Info:
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