In Berger notation the notes above the line are played by the right hand and the notes below the line are played by the left hand. In modern interpretation it is ambiguous. The top note can be left and the bottom note can be right. Playing each hand on a different drum helps in hearing the “rhytm melody”.
Editor’s Note: Richard Best sent me this thing he’s been working on for his students. He’s calling it variations on the classic 3+3+3+3+2+2 rhythm. There are two rudiments within these patterns. One is the single stroke four (RLRL or LRLR) according to the Percussive Arts Society. The other is a rudiment that does not have a “name” in the Percussive Arts Society Rudiment List: RLL or LRR and its permutations. I have call this a three stroke roll. It is also the sticking of a Drag in its rrL and llR permutations. You could also call it a “PaDiddle” which would be a Paradidle without the second single note. But names are silly. Just look at the hybrid rudiment names -”Book Report”- really? Rudiment names are a vestigial tail of the old rote rudiment system dating back hundreds of years when most of the young military snare drummers could not read their native language, much less music notation. They were taught to mimic sing-song, onomatopoeia phrases which is how the different names of rudiments evolved over the years.
My perception of RLL is that is it the first three stickings of the 6 stroke roll in sextuplet form RLLRRL. So, the 3 stroke roll is a logical name choice. We can debate this forever (and rudiment names have been debated ad nauseum). There was an infamous email debate between rudimental authorities about whether a drag and a ruff are the same thing or different things - to the point that the sticking, llR, rrL , was listed as both a drag and a ruff in the PAS rudiment list for years. Some muckety muck decided it was not a ruff so that name was taken off the rudiment. But now there is no Ruff listed (spoiler alert: a single stroke four RLRL and a single stroke seven RLRLRLR are actually Ruffs. All short single stroke rolls are ruffs - citation: Buddy Rich). It is generally now accepted, especially outside PAS which tends to evolve at a painfully slow tempo, that llR is a drag, and any short single stroke roll is a ruff whether played in rhythm or as an ornament. So let the debate begin again, I’ll just sit back and watch. The winner will get a cigar. -George Lawrence