Sticking For The Flat Flam

A Flat Flam is a version the Flam that doesn't have grace notes but instead has the two notes played together. In this lesson you will be applying this principal to the standard flam, The Flam Tap and The Flam Accent. I have left out feet patterns and orchestrations as these will be the same as the rudiments mentioned previously, so go back to those lessons and apply the flat flam to the exercises shown there.

I have used an alternate form of notation for these exercises to show more clearly what each hand is doing. In all given examples, a two line stave is used where the top line shows the right hand and the bottom the left hand.


Standard Flat Flam

First of all you will learn a standard flat flam, that means there are no notes between each stroke of the rudiment. Below this is shown as crotchets, quavers and semi quavers. In the sticking, where two letters are written one above the other, both are to be played at the same time.

Flat Flam As Crotchets

A Flat Flam as crotchets

Flat Flam As Quavers

A Flat Flam as quavers

Flat Flam As Semi Quavers

A Flat Flam as semi quavers

TASK

  • Learn the given exercises to a tempo of around 120bpm.
  • Add feet to the exercises.
  • Orchestrate the exercises.
  • Combine the three exercises into one three bar exercise.

Flat Flam Tap

Next you will add an extra note between the flams to create a flat flam tap. Again, this is shown below as crotchets, quavers and semi quavers.

Flat Flam Tap As Crotchets

A Flat Flam Tap as crotchets

Flat Flam Tap As Quavers

A Flat Flam Tap as quavers

Flat Flam Tap As Semi Quavers

A Flat Flam Tap as semi quavers

TASK

  • Learn the given exercises to a tempo of around 120bpm.
  • Add feet to the exercises.
  • Orchestrate the exercises.
  • Combine the three exercises into one three bar exercise.
  • Experiment with reversing the sticking.

Flat Flam Accent

Finally you will create a flat flam accent by playing eight note triplets and placing the flat flam on the first of each triplet.

Flat Flam Accent

A Flat Flam Accent

TASK

  • Learn the given exercise to a tempo of around 120bpm.
  • Add feet to the exercise.
  • Orchestrate the exercise.
  • Experiment with reversing the sticking.

That is all there is to a flat flam, it's a pretty straight forward concept but it's worth spending time working on the more complicated versions of this rudiment. Don't forget to go back through our previous flam lessons and apply both the feet and orchestration ideas. Once you are comfortable with the parts start thinking about how you could apply this rudiment to fill and groove construction.


Lessons

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