Formal Sheet Music/Drum Score (whatever you call it)

[Strider]

To address the topic, AndyC is spot on about "Sight Recognition". Basic is learning the time values for the different note symbols (whole note, half, note, quarter note, etc.), then the drum/cymbal it indicates to be played depending on which line or space it is written on, on the staff. There is a standard for drum music for each drum/cymbal that is oriented to the pitch of the drum. Notes to play the higher tom appear in the upper line or space of the staff. The snare is in the middle of the staff, The kick is usually on the bottom line or first space of the staff. Floor tom above the kick but below the snare. And so on.

Look for patterns in groups of notes rather than read them one at a time. For instance, once you learn to recognize the jazz ride cymbal pattern, it practically jumps off the page at you. Same with kick-snare patterns, clave rythym, and many, many more that you will recognize as you do the words on this page---yeah, it takes some practice but it's not hard---just count the 1 e + a's, 2 e + a's, etc. through until you pick it up.

Increasing your ability to play a pattern, fill, rudiment, whatever, without hearing it first is a massive advantage to learning---no demo necessary. But to me, the most beautiful aspect of reading is the sound of the instruments I hear in my head while reading a passage---perfect in every way, every time. Exactly how I want a snare, tom, kick, crash, etc. to sound. Then the rush of realizing how cool the pattern/fill etc. I just read sounds and I want to play it RIGHT NOW! That's the fun part of reading for me.

Cheers!

Strider

[AndyC]

AndyC, yeah I like your cheat sheet system. Silly question to ask, what's the "rhy" mean in your abbreviations, "rhythm" of what, the main rhythm of the song? For example, in the first Killers song, I understand looking at that that "16V" is obviously 16 bars of rhythm for the verse, but "4tom+4rhy inst" in front of "16V:8C"? Can you clarify that for us? As for the rest, that looks like a decent cheat sheet system that you've organised. Good stuff, and I like how you put the tempos too.

This is the Track:-
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZTpLvsYYHw"]YouTube - The Killers - All These Things That I've Done[/ame]

At the start is 12 bars of vocal where I'm not playing hence it being in Purple. Then 4 bars toms, then the guitar riff comes in over the toms for 4 bars, then , unusually, it changes from toms to a standard rock type rhythm still under the guitar riff. Remember, this system isn't designed to be played by someone who doesn't know the song, (that's what drum scores are for,) it's just a reminder for me.

Cheers

Andy

[9digits]

Then, with respect, you ain't doing it right. For a start, it should be called, "Sight Recognition," not, "Sight Reading," You should have practised to the point that you recognise rhythms, fills and phrasing, at least at the level and type of music that you want to read, without having to work out what is on the paper. In the same way that hopefully, you would just recognise the word, "Word," on this page, not break it down, "W_O_R_D".

This is my ultimate goal that I plan on achieving, because for me anyway,
It takes a long time to learn a song by ear and then it usually is just a rough mimic of what it is supposed to sound like.

Once you have the recognition down, it's then a question of interpretation. For a start, arrangements are seldom exactly as was played on the original, and nor should they be. The original was almost certainly a different sized band, with different players to yours, playing different things, and usually with loads of overdubs etc. A classic case would be the original drummer playing 8th notes on the hi-hat through the chorus, but with a tambourine and shaker overdubbed playing 16th notes. If you played what the original drummer played, it would sound empty.

And this is exactly why, in my situation at least, mimicing a song does not sound right without many tries to get it right, so I finally decided to teach myself to learn some basics and start to read drum notation and sheet music.
I admit I feel like it's a daunting task and I feel overwhelmed, like learning a new language.
I heard one instructor liken not being able to read music to being illiterate

So, whatever was written, you might play 16ths on the hihat, 8ths on the ride, 16ths between the ride and Hi-hat, 8ths with the left foot and a bounced 8th/16th pattern on the bell of the cymbal....... basically whatever you think fits. The big advantage with being able to read it though, is you KNOW 100% that it is the chorus coming up, that the fill into it is only 1 bar long, and that that for instance, the band DO play that signature phrasing on EVERY chorus. No guesswork, you can play it confidently, first time, and use all of your creativity to make it sound good, not to catch up or cover up when different people in the band are playing different arrangements.

Another good reason I'm jumping into this task full steam ahead!

I am in a situation where I am playing in 3 bands at the moment, and for instance this week have had to learn 12 songs. actually, 10 sogs, two of them slightly diferent versions for different bands.

And because of your expertise, you get more gigs! You have solidified my reason to learn this new language, thanks!

[Drumbledore]

That's exactly it. It's a language. It has a script that should be learned to help you to remember ideas, phrases, etc. And writing and/or transcribing it helps you to understand this great rhythmic language of ours further, hopefully communicating something important, perhaps at times personal, with it.

[Dad3353]

Good morning, all...
My 'career' is basically over now, but I'm with Andy on this; been there, done that. I had to learn reading in order to go through the rudiments (Max Roach, Joe Morello, D'Agostino etc...), and didn't find it difficult at all, as it's very progressive. Once it becomes complicated, it's my playing that lagged behind, trying to do what I could read..!
I fell into the deep end of the pool when I joined a variety band, and needed to cover, almost overnight, five hours of non-stop variety numbers, from French 'musette' to modern rock, standards, slows, whatever. I had to write out my own scores (à la 'Andy'...) as nothing (pre-web...) was available. The benefit was not the reading, but the writing. Once I'd scored 'Hotel California' (yes, I'm that old..!) I could play it without needing to read.
It's not that hard (except perhaps for those playing 'Black Page' and such...), and opened all the doors for me. Recommended, at least at a summary level, for all. Indispensable for those looking for a career, imho.
Just my tuppence worth...

[CycleDude]

It's not that hard (except perhaps for those playing 'Black Page' and such...), and opened all the doors for me.

It may be urban legand, but as I recall, Frank Zappa was auditioning drummers. There were tons of amazing players with sick chops, but Terry Bozzio got the gig purely because he could read music.

So Zappa gave him "The Black Page" to see if Bozzio was telling the truth.

[CycleDude]

BTW, I learned to read drum charts in school, and it was an invaluable lesson. I too, have charted songs for referrence in bands when learning new material.

I drum in church and I'll use the hymnals when I play so I know whats going on. It's vocal notation for the parishiners to sing along too, so it's not drum music as per say, but I know where the breaks are, I know if it's 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, etc...