Drag (Ruff) — Metal Drumming Technique | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Drag (Ruff)?

The drag, also called a ruff, is a rudiment built from two quiet grace notes played as a quick double-stroke bounce on one hand, immediately followed by a louder main stroke on the same or opposite hand. Unlike a flam, which pairs a single grace note with a main stroke for a fattened, unison-like accent, the drag's two grace notes create a distinct rhythmic texture - a soft "duh-duh" flutter that resolves into a sharp accent - giving fills a rolling, textured quality that a flam's cleaner attack cannot produce. The drag sits alongside flams and rolls as one of the foundational accent-and-ornament rudiments, and it is the direct building block behind more advanced figures like the drag paradiddle, single drag tap, and lesson 25 (the famous drum-corps standard built almost entirely from drags). In metal drumming, drags add rhythmic texture to fills and accented figures without the density of a full roll, letting a drummer imply extra motion around a strong accent while keeping the overall phrase clean and controlled.

How fast are drag (ruff)s played?

Drag (Ruff) is typically played around Any.

Who is the best drag (ruff) drummer?

Mike Mangini (Dream Theater) is among the most cited Drag (Ruff) drummers, alongside Gavin Harrison, Matt Garstka. See the full list on MetalForge.

What are the different types of drag (ruff)s?

Drag (Ruff) has 4 main variations: Single Drag Tap (A single drag (two grace notes plus an accent) followed by an additional tap, forming a four-note phrase); Double Drag Tap (Two consecutive drags followed by a final tap, extending the figure for longer accented passages); Drag Paradiddle (A paradiddle sticking with a drag added before the first note, blending ornament and sticking pattern); Lesson 25 (A classic drum-corps exercise built almost entirely from single drag taps, used to build drag speed and consistency).