How to start a beating (aka the roll off) for historic British and American impressions is still a bit of a mystery. Probably the most appropriate way to commence all beatings is for the lead or senior drummer to beat a Flam.
The Flam
Based on Klinehanse (1853; American), we know:
“Troop, Retreat, and Tattoo, commence with three rolls, with the Fife and Drum; the leading drummer making a Flam, as a signal that he intends to commence. If there is a Bugle, it sounds. When over, the leading drummer makes slow, say 1, 2, 3; then all the drummers make three Rolls, the last Roll ending with the left hand; then a Poing stroke by the leading drummer with the right, as a signal to commence the Beat. […] All first calls commence with the Taps and a Flam. All second calls commence with a Flam. Rolling off commences with slow, say 1, 2, 3. All Marches, quick or slow, and all calls in the field, camp, or garrison, begin with a Flam.”
Klinehanse (4)
Thus, all duty calls, marches, and beatings commence with a flam. [Note: Reveille appears to be the only exception to this rule.]
Note: the rest is assumed as it allows flexibility for different types of pick-ups.
There is only one earlier references to this Flam in American manuals.
Robinson notes that “a double flam” signals to commence the General Salute or a march during the review (16). His usage suggests a familiarity with the practice and so he doesn’t elaborate.
Generally, we might assume that the lack of comment on the Flam means it was not commonly in use. However, it could also mean that it was so common no one bothered to mention it.
The same assumption seems true for the British. Potter notes that the drummers play an open flam after The Three Rolls in Tattoo (20). This would be consistent with part of Klinehanse’s explanation, but Potter doesn’t comment on the Flam’s use anywhere else, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not in use elsewhere.
(We see a similar omission in which he includes the Chords only to The Troop, which is in the key of D, rather than G like the other duty calls, but we know the Chords are accompanying the Rolls for Retreat, Tattoo, and the General.)
Young Drummer’s Assistant may also indicate a Flam before the Tattoo, like in Potter, but his notation of a Flam behind a Parenthesis is unclear and may more likely indicate a second ending.
The ’64 Manual also suggests that a Flam signaled to commence the Troop during exercise.
The first manual to show a clear use of the Flam is the British Drum and Flute Duty for the Infantry Branch of the Army (1887), which indicates that all camp duties, except Salutes, Reveille, and those with the Three Cheers, commence with a Flam.
Conclusion: The Flam To Commence Beatings
Unfortunately, without any confirmation in late 18th century or even early 19th century manuals, we cannot say with certainty that the Flam was in use in the British (or American) armies during the Revolutionary War, but I would suggest that it is reasonable to assume that the flam was in use.
The practice appears in both the American and British manuals in the mid- to late-19th century, about the time that many nuisances of the duty were being written down and explained more explicitly.
Drum manuals often assume such small details are common knowledge. This may be because early drum manuals were more often targeted at Drum Majors rather than new musicians, as the later manuals are.
The fact that both the British and American army have an identical tradition in the mid-19th century also suggests a shared origin in the pre-Revolutionary War era.
Potter’s brief inclusion of the one flam provides some indication that it was in use earlier in the British army. The ‘double flam’ mentioned in Robinson also indicates an earlier use by the Americans. The suggestion of the Flam to commence The Troop in the ’64 Manual appears to be the most convincing evidence for the usage of the Flam during the 18th century.
Finally, some sort of signal would be necessary to commence tunes. Considering that drummers frequently performed with other musicians when performing guard duty, it’s reasonable to assume that a standard signal would be in general use. The simplicity of the flam makes it perfect for the job.
For these reasons, I would suggest playing a Flam to commence beatings is the most authentic solution.
Do you have any resources or observations on how to commence beatings in the 18th or 19th centuries? Contact me or comment below.
To learn more, go to the next section “The Signal Strokes”.
Or, skip to the conclusion “Summary: Commencing a Beating”.