How to Read Drum Sheet Music - Easy to Understand Explanation of How to Read Drum Music
Do you struggle reading drum sheet music, whether you find tabs on the internet or 'real' drum music from a book or magazine? You might see them as a bunch of random lines and strange symbols? If this is the case you are right, they are. Let me burst the music bubble right now, those strange meaningless lines, dots and symbols are the language of music that is the key that unlocks the door to your favorite songs and bands.
There are really two types of drum sheet music.
1. Traditional Drum Music Notation
2. Drum Tabs found on the internet
Drumming Tabs
These tabs have become very popular over the last 10 years and you will find them exclusively online at drum, guitar and bass sites mainly. They have become so popular because the author can produce the tabs for free and are notated without the need to buy expensive software. Anyone viewing the tabs needs no software at the other end and thus creates a great partnership. Tabs represent the division of the beat with small dashes, these dashes also serve as the five line stave. The drum elements are written with circles or the letter o, hi-hats and cymbals are read with a x. Each drum or cymbal is written almost in the same way as traditional notation, I say almost!
The main problem with drum tabs is that it is very hard to write or indeed read the music with any degree of accuracy. The biggest problem is representing rhythmic values. I have had many students bring tabs that they want to learn, as a drum teacher your hands are tied unless you know the song and can work out the rhythms of the drum part elements. There is however a far easier way to read drum sheet music....
Learning To Read Traditional Drum Notation
Tradition tabs are written on sheet music manuscript paper or with notation software. The draw back to software is that they are usually expensive to buy and a steep learning curve is required to master the software. Some software requires the end user to also have the program to see the music. Other programs allow the drum music to be published with PDF programs which makes life easier for the end user. The obvious plus is that the drum tabs are much clearer and far easier to read than Word Document tabs.
If you visit the site below you will find lots of examples of drum music written out using dedicated software. You will also find lessons that teach you how to read drum music. It's actually very easy! Basically each element of the drum set has its own line or space. The notes towards the bottom of the five line stave are for low drums such as the bass drum. Generally notes at the top of the stave are for the cymbals. The notes themselves look like piano music and each symbol represents a different note length, this allows you to understand the exact drum rhythm of the music.
This is what is best about these tabs the rhythms can be precisely notated. If you are a drummer learning to play you need to develop your skills when you read drum rhythms. It is an essential tool for any musician, with a little effort anyone can learn to read notation very easily and it will open up your world to the music you love and want to play.
If you want to learn more about the drums and are interested in learning from a reliable website full of helpful advice why not check out Drum Lessons Beginners, you'll find a host of helpful articles, drum lessons and course reviews.
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