Downloads * Drummers Trivia * Drummers Chat Rooms * Rudiments *
Digital Music * Knowledge Assessments * TD Archives * Drum Set Buyers Guide *
Bass-Player Jokes * Assembling a Drum Set * Parts of a Drum Set * About HSID * Video Troubleshooter

Bill Powelson's School of Drums

 Back to the Tempo Dispatch Archives  

ISSUE #51 \__\__\___THE____/__/__/ Mar 5, 2001
_______________TEMPO DISPATCH ___________
Newsletter For Drummers and Drumming Enthusiasts
Copyright Bill Powelson 2001 all rights reserved.
____________'IT'S ALL ABOUT DRUMS'_______
Tips * Tricks * Hints * Ads * Freebies * Lessons *
_________NOW OVER 6,OOO SUBSCRIBERS!__________

TABLE OF CONTENTS: What is in this issue?

Feature Article:

1. DRUMS: USING 'FLAMS' AS FILLS
  
2. Humor? *** WEDDING VOWS ***


______________________________________
|__________FEATURE ARTICLE___________|

FLAMS AS FILLS:

    A 'FILL' is a short roll-burst we might
play in mid-song to 'fill-up' an otherwise
dead spot in the music, between verses, etc.

    The 'FLAM' is rudiment number four on
the N.A.R.D list of thirteen essential
rudiments.

    (See the following web page for a quick
exchange about the N.A.R.D, then follow the
hyperlinks at the bottom of THAT page,
leading to the rudiment charts . . .)

 Rudiments Explained 

HOW TO PLAY THE FLAM . . .
    It takes both hands to play a flam,
though it's only two notes, and both those
notes are nearly simultaneous.

DO THIS NOW . . .
    Slam both sticks into the drumhead (or practice
pad) at exactly the same time.  You have almost played
a flam.  It's that simple!
    But to do it properly . . . the first stroke of
your flam should be just slightly ahead of the second. 

    *  Try 'sweeping' your flams from right to left,
then left to right, repetitiously.

   As you sweep to the left, the left stick will
make contact a millisecond before the right. On
the return sweep, the right hand will hit first.
BUT . . . the notes will be so close together
they will sound almost like ONE note.


   Think of the 'sound' you want to make.

   The name of the 'FLAM' is derived from the
'SOUND' you'll want to produce.

   Say, "FLAM" as you play the flam . . .
   Don't settle for 'FALLAM' . . . or "Fa . . .LAM"

   "BLAM", might have been a better name for this
rudiment!

 
   Push the notes as close together as possible,
so that they're 'almost' simultaneous . . .

USING FLAMS IN A SONG:

   I like to use flams as a fill when playing Blues tunes.
It's really simple . . .
   Just play 3 flams on the 4, 5, 6, of any rep of the
Blues beat.  Return to the hat on the one count of the
next repetition of the beat. (Play the flams on ANY tom
or the snare.)  Experiment with it as you jam with a
few great old Blues tunes. 
   Doing it with music MAY be the BEST medicine of all. 

FLAMS VS RUFFS . . .
    I feel that, as we perfect our 3-stroke
Ruffs . . . the Flam becomes a sort of by-product
of THAT practice.  They're very similar rudiments.
    Be sure to study the 'Ruff' too, if you haven't
already.
    Here's a neat way to apply 'RUFFS' to rock styles,
for all the paid members . . .

 Adding Ruffs 
    
_________________________________
|___________HUMOR? _____________|

WEDDING VOWS

    During his wedding rehearsal, the groom
approached his pastor with an unusual offer.
"I'll give you $100 if you'll change the wedding
vows, and leave out the 'love, honor, obey, and
forsake all others' part".   He pressed a $100 bill
in the pastor's hand and walked away with
a satisfied smile.

    On the day of the wedding, the groom was
feeling pretty pleased when the pastor got to
the part where the vows are exchanged . . .

   The pastor looked him in the eye and asked,
"Will you promise to bow before her, obey whatever
command she gives, fulfill her every wish, serve
her breakfast each morning, and swear before God
that you'll not look at another woman as long as
you both shall live?"

     The groom gulped and looked astonished, but
he finally said "Yes" in a tiny voice. He then
leaned in toward the pastor and whispered, "I thought
we had a deal"!

     The pastor pressed the $100 bill back into
his hand and whispered in return, "She made me a
much better offer."

           ..................................

     Thanks, to Jim Casey at 'Vermont Drums Online'
for the above belly-laugh.  If you are looking for a drumset
bargain, check out Jims' web site.

 




QUESTION:  How much work do you think has gone into this presentation
of more than 125 drum set lessons?  It'a a complete course!


ANSWER: 50 years (night and day) X 40 hours per week!  That's approximately
104,000 man hours!

 Treat yourself to my BEST stuff!  You have no idea
how much time I can save you!
 
END OF TEMPO DISPATCH #51 Mar 5, 2001




Copyright Bill Powelson 1994 all rights reserved.