Percussion Lesson 5: Flams and Flam Taps

What is the primary characteristic of a drum rudiment called a "flam"?

• A single, quick tap with one stick.

• Two sticks hitting the drum simultaneously with equal force.

• A grace note played just before a main note, creating a single, bigger sound.

• A series of rapid, alternating strokes between two hands.

When playing a right-hand flam, what is the correct stick height and timing?

• Both sticks start at the same height and hit the drum simultaneously.

• The right stick starts higher and hits slightly after the left stick.

• The left stick starts higher and hits slightly before the right stick.

• The right stick starts higher and hits slightly before the left stick.

What is the desired sound when playing a flam?

• Two distinct, separate sounds.

• A single, unified, and bigger sound.

• A rapid succession of many small taps.

• A muffled, indistinct sound.

How is a flam tap defined?

• A series of alternating flams.

• A flam followed by a single tap from the same hand that played the main note of the flam.

• Two flams played simultaneously.

• A tap followed by a flam.

What is the recommended approach for practicing flam taps to master them?

• Practice at maximum speed from the beginning to build endurance.

• Practice for short bursts of 5 minutes daily.

• Start very slowly and gradually increase speed over time.

• Focus only on the dominant hand first before attempting the other.