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Bill Powelson's School of Drums

Drums: Read Drum Notation

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spacerx img Learn to Read Drum-Charts This Easy Way

NOTE: These lessons are just a taste of my complete, 125-lesson 'online' course in DRUMSET techniques. Within the first 10-lessons, it's possible to go pro. The remainder of the 125-lessons are designed to help you become the BEST PRO DRUMMER, in the business!

You practically learned to read drum notation on the previous page when you were learning to play the rock beat.

Remember? It looked like this:

The correctly written version of that beat pattern would look a little more like this:

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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.

The Rock Beat (Basic Dance Beat #3) is most often written in 4/4 time like this:


Hear the Basic Rock Beat. Midi (audio) file only.

The 4/4 version is simply two repetitions of the 2/4 version. Allow your 6th grade math to turn on a light or two: 2/4 + 2/4 = What? (Ans = 4/4.)

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 (steadily) until it has been memorized.

This first video is a .wmv file. This lesson was originally desogned for the .wmv video file format. It may loop better than the other videos below. It will work best with Windows Media Player. In most cases, the Internet Explorer browser will choose that application automatically if it is installed on your system. I think Microsoft makes a version of 'IE' and 'Windows Media Player' for nearly all devices. So, for best results with all the videos within this course, use Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player (if possible), when playing the .wmv videos (signified by the projector icon):

VIDEO: Click here to 'Play', see, and hear the (.wmv) 8th-note Rock Beat, video.

These (4 types) of videos (below) may hang for a second at the end of each repetition. That (may) be the fault of the video player taking too long to loop. Some players may be steady and others may not. There's no way I can fix that issue. Play the beat pattern steady, just as it will sound within any song that may use it.

VIEWING THE VIDEO:
NOTE: If the video link (above) in this lesson will not play, please go to the following, "Video Troubleshooter" web page.

LAND-MINE WARNING!
[WARNING: I must apologize for the link-ads you may stumble over while on this page. I was paid a healthy amount for a one-year contract. Since then I've thought better of the idea, but I must honor the contracts. The income helped pay the bills! Those advertisers are very reputable people. Visit their pages and buy their products if you are interested. Otherwise watch carefully where you click. Hit your browser 'Back Button' to Return. Sorry for the hassle. ]

Encouragement!
Reading drum notation can be a tedious affair. You will get better at it with a little practice. Don't 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! Move on to the next lessons when you feel you are ready.

YOU ARE NOW ONLY 20-MINUTES AWAY
FROM JAMMING WITH ANY SONG ON YOUR CDs . . .

THE NEXT LESSON:
ALL THE BASIC DANCE BEATS:

The above lesson will have you playing along with almost EVERY SONG ON THE RADIO,within minutes.

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spacerx img Copyright Bill Powelson @ 1965-1994-2008-2014, all rights reserved.