These exercises should be played as written, on a snare drum or practice pad, without accenting the flams. After playing these at a medium dynamic, practice them at various dynamic levels, from very soft to very loud. You should also practice different ways of playing the flams, — from very closed, almost flat— to somewhat open. As with any exercise, adapt it to your own particular needs, and to the type of music you will be playing. A rudimental drummer will probably use a lot of arm motion in playing the flams; a concert drummer might want to work on these using finger and wrist control; a drum set player might want to play the flams between different drums. Use your imagination. These examples are only to give you ideas. These patterns are not necessarily patterns you will use when playing, but you will be able to use the technique […]

March 2024 Issue