Quantizing Flams question

[jlstudio1]

When quantizing flams do you generally use the first or second hit to align to the grid?
I do both by ear, but sometimes it’s hard to tell.

If you’re a right handed rock drummer that leads flams with your right leading, I generally go with the louder note as the main.
If it’s the first hit is loudest I align that to the grid and the second hit functions as an echo.
If the first hit is quieter I align the second hit, and the first hit functions as a pre-hit ramp.
I try to use a light touch and just tighten up my playing, nothing is exact.

Am I thinking about this correctly?

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[Andrew Payne]

My answer is a drummers answer and a flam is normally played with the grace note (quieter) before the beat so the louder note is on the beat. And same approach whether a right or left flam. Quantizing is up to you (as most drummers won’t quantize – in order to keep human feel and groove) but normally you would quantize the main hit of the flam to be on the beat.

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Thanked by: jlstudio1

[jlstudio1]

Andrew Payne wrote:

My answer is a drummers answer and a flam is normally played with the grace note (quieter) before the beat so the louder note is on the beat. And same approach whether a right or left flam. Quantizing is up to you (as most drummers won’t quantize – in order to keep human feel and groove) but normally you would quantize the main hit of the flam to be on the beat.

Thanks for this info. It also led me to realize, on my cheap kit, my first hit’s velocity was registering too high (equal) in many cases. I can pull that down a bit while tightening up the flam – way more natural.

• This post was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by jlstudio1.

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