Bill Powelson's,
MUSICAL TIME & RHYTHMS:

"FINITE TO INFINITY"

Reading Drum Notation

Back. . . to the 'Drum Lesson Menu'. . .

Tap out 4 notes with your right-hand, pat your foot along with the first, and tap your left-hand along with the 3rd:

COUNT           ( 1   2   3   4)

R=RIGHT HAND      R   R   R   R 'C'ymbal
L=LEFT HAND               L     'S'nare
F=RIGHT FOOT      F             'B'ass Drum 

REPEAT THE ABOVE BEAT-PATTERN UNTIL IT FLOWS NATURALLY, WITHOUT EFFORT.

NOW, TO READ IT . . .
The correctly written version of that beat pattern would look a little more like this:

Hear the Basic Rock Beat

Can you see how they resemble? The beat is read and played the same way. The right hand (cymbal) is written on the top line and the snare and bass lines are written on the center and bottom lines respectively. When one note falls below another on the staff then both notes are played at the same time.

You've just learned to read and play the most important beat in popular music. It's BASIC DANCE BEAT #3, The 8th rock beat.

8th Rock is most often written in 4/4 time like this:

Hear the Basic Rock Beat

You are hearing two full measures of the pattern. Notice the double dots at the beginning and end of the measure. These are musical symbols indicating an indefinite number of repeats. In other words, play it over and over until it has been memorized and it flows naturally, without thinking.

Encouragement!

You will get better at reading rhythm notation with a little more practice. Dont try to go too fast, too soon.

Slowly count the number of cymbal notes as you tap with your right-hand, then gradually add the right-foot and left-hand as you relax and feel the flow of the rhythm. It will get a little easier with each repetition. Practice makes perfect! Return to the previous 'BASIC DANCE BEATS' lesson, when you feel you are ready.

RETURN TO: The Basic Dance Beats:

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Lesson #5 / Lesson #6 / Final Thoughts / Permutation Calculator *

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