Drum Functionalities - Drag Rudiments

The drag rudiments are the last in a series of drum functionalities. Follow this guide to learn the most common drag rudiments and improve your development in drumming.

What is a Drag Rudiment?

The drag is slightly similar to the flam, which you can read more about here. Instead of playing one soft note you play two soft notes before the primary note. And the same goes with the position of the drumsticks, the stick hitting the two soft notes is placed at a lower height and the stick that is placed higher will play the primary note.

The drag is one of the historically older drum rudiments heard in many marching songs such as the British song “Rule Britannia”. Chad Smith, the drummer for the popular band the Red Hot Chili Peppers, uses drag rudiments throughout the band’s career.

How to play the Drag Rudiments

Drag - Three hits combined of the first two as soft notes followed by the primary note.

Single Drag Tap (Triple) - Single triplet stroke with the middle played as a drag.

Single Dragadiddle - Similar to the single paradiddle but the first stroke is a drag.

Single Ratamacue - Starts with a drag followed by a triplet and ends with a single.

Want to learn more about drum rudiments?

Check out our other blog posts about the roll rudiments, paradiddles, and flam rudiments.