The flam is one of the oldest rudiments of drumming and part of the original 13 created by N.A.R.D. One soft ghosted note is played just before the main note, creating a flam effect.

 

Two other rudiments that incorporate a flam are:

 

A flam tap, which is a flam followed by one tap or stroke, and a flam paradiddle, which is a paradiddle that starts each four-note grouping with a flam.