In this free drum lesson we’ll be taking a look at the single flammed mill, another pattern from the flam family of drum rudiments that encompasses paradiddle drum rudiments. This single paradiddle on the single flammed mill is actually a reversed single paradiddle, which is also known as a single mill. In the video, Lionel Duperron teaches you how to play the single flammed mill, and how to apply it to the drum set through a couple of creative drum beats and drum fills.
For mastering the single flammed mill, you should start by practicing the single paradiddle. After you have the single paradiddle under your belt, practice a reversed single paradiddle – R R L R L L R L … etc. Once you can play that, add the flams in as notated on the sheet music below
Exercise #1 is a 16th note tom-tom drum beat. The single flammed mill is scattered between the floor tom and the snare drum throughout the whole pattern. Play the singles and the doubles as quieter notes and not as full strokes. The flams should stand out from the remaining strokes. Once you have the hands happening, add the bass drum on counts 1 and 3.
Exercise #2 is a 16th note broken hi-hat drum beat that has a very challenging hand pattern. The single flammed mill is played between the hi-hat and the snare drum. The left hand is kept on the snare playing quieter strokes for the most part, and louder strokes on counts 2 and 4, while the right hand handles the hi-hat. This drum beat brings about two challenges: playing the quieter strokes following the snare shots on counts 2 and 4, and hearing both strokes of a flam played between two different surfaces. Focus on sound quality; speed will come with control. Play the bass drum on all quarter notes once you have the hands happening.
Exercise #3 is a 16th note drum fill that encompasses four single flammed mills. The singles are played on the snare drum, and the flammed doubles are moved to the hi-tom on counts 1 and 3 and to the floor tom on counts 2 and 4. Lionel Duperron leads this drum fill with his left hand, since it enables an easier transition from the flammed double on the floor tom to the snare drum.
Exercise #4 is 16th note drum fill played on the toms. Lead this drum fill with your right hand. By doing so you’ll have an easier time transitioning between the toms.
Once you feel this free drum lesson has nothing more to teach you, you can move on to learn how to play new flam based drum rudiments. We encourage you to check the flam paradiddle-diddle and the Swiss army triplet next.