Learn How To Read Drum Music

LEARN HOW TO READ DRUM MUSIC
Learn how to read drum music with drumnuts free drum lessons. See how easy it to read drum music and how
reading can help you to become a better drummer. Once you can read drum music you can learn to play the drum
beats to your favourite drum songs right here on drumnuts. Learn the values of the different notes and rests and
how they can be combined to form rhythms on the drums. Learn how the different lines and spaces of the stave or
staff indicate which drums and cymbals to play. Then use your ability to read drum music to learn from drum
books and drum charts.
1.Counting the Beat

The beat is the foundation of music. It is a drummers job to 'keep the beat' when playing music. When a drummer
calls out "1 2 3 4!" at the start of a song he is counting the beat for the other musicians to follow. The beat is the
underlying 'pulse' of the music- it should not be confused with the rhythms that we play on the drums. To feel the
beat of a piece of music try tapping your foot while you listen to a song you like- most people will naturally tap or
clap to the beat of the music
2.The Staff
Drum music is written on horizontal lines and spaces known as a Stave or Staff
3.Notes and Rests
The sounds of the drums and cymbals are represented in written music by musical notes. The
spaces between the sounds we make on the drums are represented by rests.
4.Bar Lines
The vertical lines in drum music are called bar lines they divide the written music into shorter
sections or measures. This helps us to keep track of where we are in the music and makes it
easier to read.
5.Time Signatures
The Time Signature is a pair of numbers written as a fraction at the beginning of the bar. It tells
us how many beats in the following bar and what note value (see below) is worth one beat.
Now we can count the beat as we play drums. The most common time signature is 4/4.
The top number '4' tells us there are 4 beats or counts in the bar
The bottom number '4' tells us that a quarter note receives one count
6.Different Time Signatures
There are many different types of time signatures. Below is an example of the time signature:
3/4. This tells us there are 3 quarter note beats in one bar of the music
7.Note Values
The table below shows us what some of the different notes and rests look like- some are hollow, some are solid,
some have stalks, some have tails. Learn to recognize the different notes, remember their names and how many
beats or counts they last for.
NOTE REST NAMES VALUE IN 4/4 MUSIC
Whole 4 BEATS OR COUNTS

(Semi Breve)
Half 2 BEATS OR COUNTS

(Minim)
Quarter 1 BEAT OR COUNT

(Crotchet)
Eighth 1/2 A BEAT OR COUNT

(Quaver)
Sixteenth 1/4 OF A BEAT OR COUNT

(Semi Quaver)

8.Notes of a 4/4 bar
We can use different types of notes to divide the beat up and create different rhythms. Look at
the 3 bars of 4/4 music below- all three have the same beat but by using different types of
notes we can begin to create different rhythms.
9.Creating Rhythms
On each of the beats of the bar below there are different note values. The different types of
notes will sound faster or slower when played next to each other over the even beat of the bar.
This is how we can represent rhythms in written music.
On the 1st beat is a Quarter note- this note lasts for one beat.
On the 2nd beat are 2 Eighth notes, they last for half a beat so they will sound twice as fast as
the Quarter note.
On the 3rd beat are 4 Sixteenth notes- they will sound twice as fast as the Eighth notes.
On the final beat we return to a single Quarter note.
Although the notes change speed because of the different values, the beat remains steady and
even: 1, 2, 3, 4.
10.Different Drums
In written drum music the different lines and spaces of the stave tell us which drum or cymbal
to play. If a note is on the top line it tells us to play a different drum than if it is on the bottom
line. Below is an example of the positions of the different drums and cymbals on a stave. Some
composers will use slight variations. Generally speaking the lower or higher on the stave the
note is then the lower or higher on the drum kit it is too- bass drum on the bottom line, crash
cymbal at the top etc.
11.Parts of the Drum Set
Below is a diagram of a standard 5 piece drum set with the generally accepted names of the
different drums and cymbals. The 'High Tom' 'Middle Tom' and 'Floor Tom' are sometimes also
refered to as 'Tom 1', 'Tom 2' and 'Tom 3' respectively. The bass drum is also sometimes
called the 'Kick Drum'.

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LEARN HOW TO READ DRUM MUSIC

1.Counting the Beat

3.Notes and Rests

6.Different Time Signatures

NOTE REST NAMES VALUE IN 4/4 MUSIC

Whole 4 BEATS OR COUNTS

Half 2 BEATS OR COUNTS

Quarter 1 BEAT OR COUNT

Eighth 1/2 A BEAT OR COUNT

Sixteenth 1/4 OF A BEAT OR COUNT

On the final beat we return to a single Quarter note.

11.Parts of the Drum Set

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