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Learn How To Play The Flam Accent

The flam accent is a powerful drum rudiment that incorporates the basic flam within a triplet feel. The pattern is great for creative drum fills and solo patterns within a wide variety of musical styles. The triplet feel is most popular in jazz and other world styles, but it also works well within some rock situations. Here is the basic rudiment written out in drum notation:

As you can see, the flam accent pattern starts with a right handed flam followed by left and right handed single strokes. Then, you simply reverse the pattern, and play a left handed flam followed by right and left handed single strokes. This entire pattern loops twice in the measure above.

If you look closely, you might notice that aside from the extra flam strokes, these are just alternating eighth note triplets. If that is easier for you to follow, you can approach the flam accent with that mind-set. Sometimes it can help to trick your mind into thinking of a pattern in a simpler way.

Flam Accent - Drum Set Exercises

Here is a simple drum beat that incorporates the flam accent on the hi-hats and snare:

Here is a simple eighth note triplet fill that was modified to incorporate flam accents.:

Once you have mastered the flam accent, you can move on to the flam tap or the flamacue.