Excerpt from my new Instructional Book

The Logistics of Drumming
Stick Control/Technique

As important as the previously mentioned material the most important aspect of all has to be stick technique and execution of all fundamental aspects of drumming. This includes a very good understanding of the proper execution of all the rudiments, their history and their usable functions.
I can’t stress enough how important it is for the student to not only know intrinsically what a 15-stroke roll is but, how and when it can be used. The time keeping skills will come with time, patience and practice with a metronome, unfortunately the rudimentary side of hand technique is often overlooked or it looked upon as “I don’t really need to know any of this” and I can assure you without a doubt that you will.

Most university and college music program auditions are set up on a base or steps foundation. They will often times have a drum instructor in the room for your audition and that instructor will ask you very forthrightly to play a series of rudiments on the snare drum. There is no “fudging” it with these cats they know what a rudiment is supposed to sound like and they will know if you haven’t given the proper amount of time to learning them. It doesn’t matter how well you play when you reach this level, there is a certain understand that by the time you reach university you are saying to the faculty “I’m here and I am ready for this” if they don’t feel you are ready , you will be denied. It’s that simple!
So go out and get, if you haven’t already, Ted Reed’s book called “Syncopation” and George Lawrence Stone’s “Stick Control” and start digging into all the exercises and if you get confused about what the examples are supposed to sound like, then get yourself to a qualified instructor. You should always go for a drum instructor with a degree if you can, and if you can’t then ask other professional drummer that you see playing live what their recommendations are.
There are no shortcuts regarding hand technique.