The Key to Reading Drum Music

In order to unlock the super dark secrets of reading drum music (it’s really pretty easy), you’re going to need a key.  And that key is knowing which drum or cymbal corresponds to which note on the musical staff.

With a tonal instrument like a piano or violin, the notes on the musical staff are linked to notes or tones on the instrument.  But drums are different.  Each note on the musical staff is associated with a drum or a cymbal.

The key that we use at LearnDrumsNow is similar to the key used by other drum set books and publications.  If you memorize the position of the notes on the following key, you will be able read any drum music you’ll see:

Now let’s apply the key to play a drum beat.  But before we start, we need to learn a new sign on the musical staff: the repeat sign.  When you see a repeat sign, go back to the previous repeat sign in the music or, if there is not another repeat sign, start at the beginning of the music.

Have a seat behind your practice drum set.  You’re going to play a series of drum beats that you’ve played before, only this time you’re going to be reading the music to play them.  Let’s start by playing quarter notes on the bass drum.  Notice that the bass drum is always in the same space of the musical staff (the same space it’s in on the drum key, the lowest space).

Follow the steps below which are similar to the steps you followed in “Your First Drum Beat (No Drums Required)” to read and play the music above:

1. If you have a metronome, set it to 60 beats per minute.  If you don’t have a metronome, find a clock that ticks seconds and get a feel for the length of each second.
2. Quietly count out loud to four, one count for each second.  Repeat counting to 4 over and over (1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4…) until you are counting exactly in time with the seconds.  You are counting quarter notes.
3. Add the word “and” between each count, keeping the count on each second like “1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and-1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and…”  You are counting eighth notes.
4. Next add the words “e” and “a” (pronounced “uh”) and repeat the count of “1-e-and-a-2-e-and-a-3-e-and-a-4-e-and-a” until it feels comfortable.  You are counting sixteenth notes.
5. Now play your bass drum (right foot) on each quarter note (number count – one tap per second).  Continue tapping your right foot until you can tap exactly on your count.
6. As you play, read the two measures of music above.  Notice how the bass drum is playing quarter notes, one beat per second.
7. Congratulations! You can read music!

Okay, let’s add the left foot playing the hi-hat:

1. Continue counting out loud and playing the bass drum on all 4 beats.
2. Rock your left foot so that your heel comes down on “one” and “three” and your toes come down on “two” and “four.”  Each time your toes come down, the hi-hat makes a “chick” sound.
3. Watch the music as you count and play.  Notice the hi-hat notes on 2 and 4.

Next, add the left hand playing the snare drum.  It’s going to play with the hi-hat on 2 and 4:

1. Continue counting out loud, playing quarter notes on the bass drum and playing the hi-hat on 2 and 4.
2. With your left hand, play the snare drum on 2 and 4, along with the hi-hat.
3. Notice how the snare drum, bass drum and hi-hat are all played together on 2 and 4.

Now add the right hand playing eighth notes on the ride cymbal.

1. Continue counting out loud, playing quarter notes on the bass drum, and playing the hi-hat and snare drum on 2 and 4.
2. Play eighth notes on the ride cymbal with your right hand.  That means you’re playing the ride cymbal every time you say a number and every time you say the word “and.”
3. Again, watch the music above as you play and count.

Now it’s time to apply what you’ve learned.  Try playing the beat above to “My Best Theory” by Jimmy Eat World from the album “Invented” with Zach Lind on drums.  For now, ignore the combination of sixteenth notes that Zach plays on the hi-hat at the beginning of the song and play straight eighth notes on the ride cymbal (just as written above).

The song tempo for “My Best Theory” is about 120 beats per minute (bpm) so it’s double the speed that you’re used to playing.  Start at 60 bpm and gradually increase your speed until you can play with the song.  Listen and play your bass drum exactly with Zach’s and the song will feel really good to play!

Great job! You now have the key to unlock the secret of reading drum music.  When you see a piece of drum music, remember to break it down, and start reading and playing one part at a time.  Start with the bass drum, then add the left foot, left hand and right hand.  In the next section, you’ll learn how to play a cool pattern with the bass drum and read a sixteenth note fill.