The Ruffle

The term “Ruffle” is used in a few instances:

1. Salute high ranking officers and officials
2. Dismiss the men (Windham)
3. Return bayonets – 2 ruffles and flam (Windham)
4. Bring the officers to attention during the field day exercise (Sime’s Military Course; ’64 Manual)
5. Three Ruffles performed before The Troop, Retreat, Tattoo, and General (Grimke)

A Ruffle very likely indicates a 3-6 beat roll. Rees’ Cyclopedia notes that “The Ruffle is a short roll; perhaps of five or six second duration, beat very close and firm, decreasing a little in force just before it concludes, which it does in an abrupt and smart manner, and with a strong flam” (entry: ‘Drum’). This definition makes sense for the usage noted in Nos. 1, 2, and 5.

Windham says for the drummers to beat a ruffle to dismiss the men; for the same situation, Simes (Guide) states the drummers beat a long roll to disperse the men. Number 5 appears to indicate The Three Cheers, or Rolls, which traditionally consist of Rolls of 3 or 4 beats.

This definition would also make sense for No. 1, in which the drummers would beat 1, 2, or 3 rolls as a salute. Roll-heavy beatings as a salute appear to be common at this time: The Three Camps (or English Reveille), La Diane (or the French Reveille), Grenadier’s March on the Roll, the General Salute in Lovering and Robinson.

Performing a Ruffle

The Cyclopedia description also indicates that the Ruffle ends with a Flam. This could indicate that the roll ends on the beat and a flam is performed on the next beat. It’s common to see in military manuals (Simes, Windham, ’64 Manual) that signals are concluded with a Flam, in which the signal is the ‘preparatory command’ (such as Right Wheel) and the Flam acting as the ‘execution command’ (such as March). This first interpretation would match this common theme.

A second interpretation suggests the Cyclopedia means for the roll to conclude with a flam, like a 10-stroke roll. Considering the Ruffle’s use as a salute and, for Simes, a Long Roll, this even-style roll also makes a great deal of sense. Such a long, even-stroke roll would have the same general feel and sound as a portion of Line B in Three Camps, when played at 120 (the series of tuplet-based 5s and ending with a 10-stroke roll). That sound and feel would make a logical connection between the Ruffles meant as a salute for certain Generals and the more elaborate ‘Points of War’ used as a salute for high ranking officials.

Based on the Cyclopedia description, we should assume that the roll is performed in tuplet-form or as 64^th notes. While the roll is probably being beaten slowly (60-75bpm) and the 64^th note would therefore be completely achievable, the more likely performance is as tuplets, considering all other rolls in this style are tuplet-based (think 7s, 9s, 10s, 11s, and most 5s, such as Points of War).

Duration of a Ruffle

The next important question would be the duration of the roll.

A roll of 5-6 seconds in length would last 5-6 full beats at 60bpm. At 75bpm, a roll of 5-6 seconds would last between 4 and 4.8 beats. Played as a quickstep, at 108bpm, a roll of 5-6 seconds would last roughly 3 beats.

At the time the Cyclopedia was written in the early 1800s, with this section being published in 1819, we can probably assume that drummers were no longer playing at 60bpm. My impulse is to accept a 3-beat roll.

Firstly, as the Points of War and Grenadiers March as salutes are played as a quickstep, it seems very likely that a Ruffle is also played as a quickstep.

Secondly, 5-6 seconds at 75bpm creates ambivalence that 108bpm doesn’t. At 108bpm, 5-6 seconds averages to 3 beats; whereas, at 75bpm, 5 second and 6 seconds are almost a beat different.

Based on all of this, a historic “Ruffle” should be performed:

Ruffle v. Ruff or Single Stroke Rolls

Nos. 3 and 4 above might indicate some sort of roll, but they may also be better answered with a single stroke roll – or a “ruff”.

Fairly consistent terminology throughout American manuals is the “ruff”, referring to either a 3-single stroke or 4-single stroke roll.

• Quick like a Drag (Ashworth; Rumrille)
• Single Ruff (Lovering)
• 3 stroke rough and 4 stroke rough (Hazeltine)
• Ruff (Klinehanse; Nevins)
• 4-strokes (Howe)

A 3-beat roll would be a logical length for bringing the officers to attention; however, the only written beating that exists might question this.

Harrison (1887) is significantly after our area of interest; however, it writes out a number of small signals for the field day exercise never before written out. For the order to bring the officers to attention, he includes a “Flam &a2”. Quite different than roll, this interpretation still matches a possible interpretation for Ashworth and Rumrille’s ‘quick like a drag’ triplet, often understood to be considered a ‘Ruff’. Although there isn’t adequate period evidence for this variation of the beating, the shorter Ruffle offers variation from the ‘dismissal’, which is almost certainly a roll.

Additionally, the shorter variation would be convenient for the order to return bayonets. Noted in Windham and Simes, the order is ‘two ruffles and a flam’. The 3-beat roll would take up 7 full beats, much longer than the other simple orders for handling arms.

Instead, two 4-stroke ruffs and flam create a short, 3-beat call that seems more practical.

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To get a better sense of the history of the Double Stroke Roll, or Long Roll, take a look at my research:

• When Did Drummers Start Rolling?
• Performing the Double Stroke Roll
• Understanding Roll Rhythms

Want some practice guides on how to develop your rolls? Check out:

• Double Stroke Roll Practice Guide

Do you have any questions or observations about The Ruffle? Contact me or comment below.