slap rolls

[Tundra]

Hi people! Could anybody please explain to me what a “slap roll” refers to? Please see the following context:

“Drumming for the balance of the 19th century seemed well established. Drum teachers increased with the advent of the invention of the foot pedal and so-called double drumming, some with new ideas or short cuts and some good and some not so good. The dance drum instructor especially was trying to tell the student that rudiments were ancient and not really essential to modern playing. Even some of the old timers published books with short cuts, buzz or ***slap rolls***, while some of the easterners faithfully held on, among them — Carl Gardner, Dodge brothers, George B. Stone, Harry Bauer, J. Burns Moore, Gus Moeller, etc.”

I mean, is it the same as the buzz roll or are they two different rolls?
If they are different, what on earth is a slap roll anyway?

[Tundra]

Doesn't anybody know what the slap rolls are? 

[Tomm]

Not that I have done any research on the slap/buzz roll, but I'm pretty sure it is what I have always refered to as a drag roll.  It mimics the the double stroke roll but with about one third the effort   because it is done with the lead hand of the rudiment and accented with the other...i.e. drag the stick for around three strikes and accent.The only draw back to it is it can't be precisely controled to time as well as a well rehearsed double stroke roll.

[Tundra]

Thanks for your help. You’re probably right... Could it be an old-fashioned term or something?
It interested, the full text is here:  http://www.rudimentaldrumming.com/nardhis.html
It’s “The Development of Drum Rudiments” by W.F. Ludwig.

[KenSanders]

In the article, Mr. Ludwig refers to "buzz or slap" rolls.....not "buzz rolls and slap rolls".

That leads me to suspect he was referring to the same stroke technique by two different names.  Perhaps similar to the vernacular today where kick drum and bass drum are the same thing.

Want to add some more vernacular-ese to this?  Today, some folks call it a buzz roll.  Some call it a press roll. Some call it a multiple bounce roll. 

Anyway, it is not the single stroke roll nor is it the double stroke roll.  It is the stroke technique where you allow the stick to bounce while slightly PRESSING it into the drum head.  It does make a "buzzing" sound. 30's and 40's Jazz drummers used it a lot and it is still a very cool lick to use in certain musical spots today.

Here is a good demonstration to reference for those interested.
http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_2857_do-press-drum-roll.html

[Reno]

if I were to hazard a  guess I would say that maybe a slap roll is a buzz roll done with one hand only, while the other played a poly or something.. but Ken makes a good point too, and is probably correct.