Since all double stroke rolls are two strokes on each hand, it’s possible to open those rolls up and play them as a sequence of sixteenth notes. In the French and Swiss style, these types of opened rolls are referred to as Ra Détaillé, or detailed rolls. They generally occur as opened 5-stroke rolls and open 7-stroke rolls.
They can begin with a stroke or a flam. Both versions are depicted here:
Ra Détaillé in French Music:
The phrases “1e&a2” and “&a2e&a3” appear frequently throughout Philidor, both opening with a flam and without. Most likely these phrase represents Ras de 5 Détaillé and Ras de 7 Détaillé. In a few instances, we see the phrase “1e&a 2e&a 3” in Philidor; we could possibly translate these as Single Paradiddles, but more likely they are Ras de 9 Détaillé.
Ra de 5 Détaillé
The Ra de 5 Détaillé indicates an open 5-stroke roll and can be performed in both 6/8 and 2/4.
In Instruction des Tambours, Le Drapeau demonstrates how this rudiment functions in 6/8. In Principe pour les Tambours, La Prière and La Marche demonstrate that, in 2/4, it commences on the right hand on the beat.
Later, the Ra de 5 Détaillé appears in several 1880s marches. See: Pita; Broutin, “March 4” p. 43 and “March 6” p. 45.
Despite its use in the 18th and 19th century, Gourdin (c. 1910) is the first to name the Ra de 5 Détaillé and explains that it’s always four 16th notes in 2/4 time and four 8th notes in triplet time (18), just like we see in the 18th century duty calls.
Ra de 7 Détaillé
The Ra de 7 Détaillé indicates an open 7-stroke roll and appears to always commence off the beat on the left hand. The rudiment isn’t named until Gourdin, but appears in marches throughout 19th century manuals.
See Niocel “March 3”. Carnaud, “March 1” p. 29. Pita “March 7” and “March 9”. Broutin “March 4” p. 43, “March 5” p. 44, “March 10” p. 49.
Gourdin explains that the rudiment
“is never used alone, it is always preceded by a stroke, a Flam, a Roll, etc., which marks the beginning of time [the beat].” – “Ce coup ne s’emploie jamais seul, il est toujours precede par un coup de baguette, un FLA, un RA, etc… etc … marque le debut du temps ou se preud la ra.”
Gourdin (19)
Thus, we know that it never commences on the beat, but always follows the rhythm “&a 2e&a 1”.
We see this is true in the marches that utilize the Ra de 7 Détaillé and always, like the 7-stroke roll, begins on the left hand. Based on its use in 19th century marches, we can make some assumptions about the age of this rudiment and interpret phrases in Philidor as Ra de 7 Détaillé.
Ra de 9 Détaillé
Finally, the Ra de 9 Détaillé indicates an open 9-stroke roll and most likely was the common performance of two beats of sixteenth notes. This rudiment is not named until Gourdin (c. 1910), who described them as always eight 16th notes in 2/4 time (20).
Gourdin implies that the Ra de 9 Détaillé always begins on the right-hand, which is consistent with the performance of the 9-stroke roll; however, Broutin shows the Ra de 9 Détaillé in one march which appears to be begun on the left hand (p. 45. “March 6”).
Another possible interpretation of this rhythm would be Single Paradiddles. Paradiddles, however, don’t appear in a survey of French drum manuals from the mid-18th century to the turn of the 20th century.
The first use of Single Paradiddles in French music appears in Charles Gourdin’s Methode raisonnée pour l’enseignement du tambour et du clairon dans l’armée (c. 1910). He explains that the Single Paradiddle is used by some drummers to embellish or replace the Ra de 9 Détaillé.
“Certains tambours exercés remplacent le ra de neuf détaillé par le coup dit du moulin. Il se détaille de la manière suivante: un coup de baguette de la man gauche deux de la droite, un de la gauche, un de la droite, deux de la gauche, et le dernier de la droite.”
Gourdin, Methode raisonnée, 20.
His comment indicates that Single Paradiddles were always used as a pair and only as a means of embellishing a simpler rudiment. Without greater evidence of paradiddle use in French music, we should conclude that the Ra de 9 Détaillé was the older and more prevalent French rudiment used for two beats of sixteenth notes.
Ra Détaillé in Swiss Music:
Markus Estermann’s interpretation of the Swiss regulation “Der Ban” from the 1728 Ordonnanz indicates the use of 16th note Ras de 5 Détaillé, just like Le Drapeau. The original is difficult to read, but appears to say “pla ba ta ta tan”. Based on Instruction des Tambours and Ménestrier, we can understand that to indicate a Rt-Flam, Right, Left, Left, Right.
Additionally, the Ras de 5 Détaillé appears as 16th notes in various Swiss marches throughout the 19th century, used in a similar manner as in the French 1880s marches.
See: Marches Nos. 2 & 3. Tambour-Ordonnanz für die eidgenössischen Truppen (1819) 18-23; March No. 9. Tambour-Ordonnanz für die eidgenössischen Truppen (Zurich: 1845) 24; Quickstep No. 4 of the 1884 regulation marches. Goute, Le Tambour D’Ordonnance, 20; Marches Nos. 4 & 5. Tambour-Ordonnanz für die Schweizerische Infanterie (Swiss Military, 1889) 13-14.
Ra Détaillé in American Music:
On the whole, the British and American styles don’t include a Ra Détaillé as an independent rudiment, but less formally such detailed or open rolls appear throughout 18th and 19th century music.
For example, Benjamin Clark’s version of Morilla’s (Morelli’s) Lesson includes Open 7-Stroke Rolls (Ra de 7 Détaillé) and Open 15-Stroke Rolls. Rumrille’s Walpole Quick Step includes Open 5-Stroke Rolls (Ra de 5 Détaillé).
There are two examples of early-19th century American manuals, however, that do consider the Ra de 5 Détaillé an actual rudiment. Both Robinson and Hazeltine include a rudiment called the “Flamadiddle”. Unlike today’s modern Flamadiddle or Flam Paradiddle, their Flamadiddle is performed as a Flammed Ra de 5 Détaillé, or at least very nearly. Robinson explains that a Flamadiddle is:
“performed by giving a right hand flam, (for flam) one hard with the right hand, (for a) and two quick light strokes with the left, (for diddle)”
Robinson (7)
Used in practice, Robinson’s Flamadiddles typically are followed by another flam. Hazeltine’s instructions are the same.
The Ra de 5 Détaillé appears in French music similar to how an American drummer might play one single paradiddle or a flamacue. Robinson’s and Hazeltine’s use of their Flamadiddle is to replace the left-handed paradiddle. Most often it’s used in the phrase: Seven-Paradiddle Flamadiddle Flam. Rather than the Left-Handed Flamadiddle we might expect, it’s actually a Right-Handed open 5-stroke roll, as shown below:
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