Playing grace notes on drums: the Flams

Introduction to the video drum lesson: Flams drum rudiments

This lesson dedicated to snare drum rudiments introduces the Flams: Flam Accent, Flam Paradiddle, Flamacue and Flam Tap.

The Flam, in musical theory and writing, doesn't have a definite value; it can be described as a double stroke made by a first hand weak stroke closely followed by an accented, stronger second hand stroke. It's a grace note, represented in drum charts by a smaller note with a tie put just before the principal note. For a correct execution of a Flam, the stick that plays the weaker stroke starts from about one inch from the drumhead, and the stick that plays the principal stroke starts from a superior height.

In the exercises of the drum sheet you should play regular figures alternating the right and the left hand, and once you have mastered them, try to insert flams in your free improvisations.

Drum sheet music Flams File ZIP

Learn to read the drum sheet music

Drum set elements     The graphic symbols of drum set elements in drum sheet music.
Notes and Rests     Notes and rests value in drum sheet music.
Tie and Dot     Tie and dot in drum sheet music.