Rudiment 32 of 40 · Drag rudiments
Single Drag Tap
Also called: single drag
The single drag tap is a drag and an accented tap: llR L, rrL R. The accent lands on the tap, not the drag, and the rudiment alternates hands each time.
- Sticking
- llR L rrL R
- Accents
- The tap after each drag.
- Family
- Drag rudiments
- Strokes before it repeats
- 4 plus grace notes, alternating lead hands
- Original 26 rudiments
- Yes (1933)
- Starting tempo
- About 60 BPM
Hear it, then play it
Note values as on the PAS chart. Sticking under each note: R right hand, L left; small letters are grace notes.
Press Play to watch the sticks
Put it in RockBlocks
The practice version on a snare line at 60 BPM, accents and all, to build on or play with your other beats. RockBlocks has no grace notes or sticking, so flams and drags arrive as their main notes.
Play it on the drum kit
Four beats built on the Single Drag Tap: a fill, a groove, a fill around the toms, and a pulse to practice over.
How to play the Single Drag Tap
- Read the sticking. The Single Drag Tap is llR L rrL R. Say the letters out loud before you play them.
- Find the accents. The tap after each drag. Start accents high and keep taps low, so the difference comes from stick height.
- Place the drags. The small lowercase letters are grace notes, played by the other hand just before the main note: soft, low and close to it.
- Play it slowly with a click. Start around 60 BPM, or slower, and play it until every stroke is on the right hand and every accent is in place.
- Open, close, open. Speed up a few BPM at a time to as fast as you can play it cleanly, then slow back down without stopping.
- Lead with the other hand. Play it starting with your left hand too: rrL R llR L.
Tips
- Play the two grace notes as a soft, quick bounce close to the head. They should sound like a short rasp leading into the main note.
- Keep the dragged note soft, and accent the tap that follows.
- The accented hand also plays the next drag's grace notes, so lift it quickly.
Single Drag Tap questions
What is the sticking for the Single Drag Tap?
llR L rrL R. R is the right hand and L the left; lowercase letters are grace notes played by the other hand. It switches lead hands every group.
Where are the accents in the Single Drag Tap?
The tap after each drag. With accents marked: llR >L | rrL >R.
How many notes are in the Single Drag Tap?
The pattern as written by the Percussive Arts Society has 4 main strokes, not counting grace notes, then repeats.
What tempo should I practice the Single Drag Tap at?
Start slowly enough to play every sticking and accent correctly, around 60 BPM or below. Then practice open–close–open: speed up a few BPM at a time, and slow back down.
Is the Single Drag Tap one of the original 26 rudiments?
Yes. The Single Drag Tap is one of the 26 American rudiments standardized in 1933, and is rudiment #32 of the 40 PAS International Drum Rudiments, in the drag rudiments.
Sticking, accents and note values follow the Percussive Arts Society International Drum Rudiments (© 1984 PAS). The chart is RockBlocks' own drawing.
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