I can't seem to sit long enough to work through a page of Stick Control.

I used to love this type of stuff ... when I first started working on rudiements, I was totally psyched. I get bored with Stick Control quickly, mainly because I don't know how to use the exercises.

When I play the exercises, should I accent the downbeat or not? For example, the paradiddle in stick control, as written, isn't accented. However, the paradiddle rudiment is accented. Which one do I play, accented or not?

Every time I sit down, I'm not sure where to start. Stone writes that the exercises should be cumulative. But should I just start where I leave off the last time I played, or work through previous exercises to build up to the last one I played?

Suggestions?

First of all, it does take patience and descipline to work on anything. Set a small amount of time and focus on a few exercises, then move on to something else.

When you play these exercises right out of the book, you should play them AS WRITTEN, which is no accents. Yes, it may sound boring, but the object is to gain control of the sticks and the hands ... hence the name of the book, Stick Control.

In regards to the Paradiddle ... what Stone uses is a single paradiddle sticking ... not the Single Paradiddle rudiment. The rudiment has accents ... the sticking is just that ... a sticking. Two different things; two different purposes.

For more ideas of how to apply and use Stick Control, check out my 5-Minute Lesson called Expanding Stick Control for the Drumset. There's enough material and information there to keep you busy for the rest of your life.

I also recommend that you create your own applications for using Stick Control. You might want to consider getting with a professional teacher ... or taking some video correspondence lessons with me.

The process should be FUN ... so do whatever it takes to have a good time while developing your chops.

First PAGE??!!  You want to get off the first PAGE???

I've had the book for 28 years an haven't gotten off the first 15 exercises!!!

It's not a book to be mastered (IMHO) but a great warm up and control book.

And, paradidles (and everything else) should be practiced with AND without accents.

Another question.

I have a lot of problem with dynamic independence between hands. Will G.L. Stone's Accents and Rebounds help me out with this? If so, do I need to work through Stick Control before going on to it, or can I jump straight to it?