Best Flams Drummers — Who Plays It | MetalForge
Discover which pro metal drummers use flams. Gear setups, videos, and tutorials for flams players.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Flams?
A flam is one of the Percussive Arts Society's 40 essential rudiments, built from a quiet grace note struck almost simultaneously with a louder main note on the opposite hand, producing a single fat, textured accent instead of two separate sounds. The grace note lands just a fraction of a second before the main stroke, wide enough to be heard as a distinct "fla-m" rather than a clean unison hit, but tight enough that the two strokes read as one event. In metal drumming, flams are the go-to tool for adding weight and emphasis to accents in fills and grooves - a flammed snare hit lands noticeably heavier than a plain single stroke, which is why the rudiment shows up constantly in tom fills, crash accents, and groove-metal snare work.
How fast are flamss played?
Flams is typically played around Any.
Who is the best flams drummer?
Martin Lopez (Opeth / Soen) is among the most cited Flams drummers, alongside Mike Mangini (Dream Theater).
What gear do you need for Flams?
The gear requirements for Flams vary by drummer. Browse MetalForge for complete kit specs from pros who use this technique.