Drum music is read from left to right, with the drummer following the notations on this sheet. The sheet music will look like other sheet music, but the notes resemble what the musician needs to play.
In drum notation, the symbols represent parts of the drum (snare, bass drum, hi-hat, etc.) you will be playing.
These symbols are relatively easy to understand. Whilst it's fun to just start bashing away on the drums, it's recommended for beginners to learn how to read drum music.
You’ll need to identify what each notation symbolizes, whether it's a snare or a rack tom, and how long each note lasts.
Drum music features a staff just like other music.
There are typically five lines with spaces between them. The clef at the beginning of the staff (these lines) will tell you the notes or pitches you are playing in.
Typically for drums, the different lines and spaces will represent the drums, cymbals, and other percussion instruments.
Establishing the time is another crucial part of reading drum music. It will be on the staff with two numbers.
The top tells us how many beats are in the bar (measure), and the bottom which type of note is a beat, for example, a 4/4 that tells us there are four beats per bar with one-quarter note counted as a beat.
4/4 notes are also divided into eights sometimes, impacting the pace and speed you will be playing at.
It can often help to count the beats out before you start drumming to understand the piece better.
Commonly we get beginners to do this before we let them whack the drums!
Once you have learned what each symbol means (pick up drum notations for beginners that list these), move on to the piece’s dynamics.
This will tell you how loud or soft you should play the piece on the drums. It’s an integral part of the music.
Your drum sticks will play a vital role here, and we have a whole article dedicated to how you should hold and use your drum sticks. Check it out here.
These features come together with the ensemble or section figures to create the music we will read.
Start at the top and work your way from left to right to read the music. Feel free to make notes on the music to help you play and clap out any sections you are unsure of!
Rhythm notes go into outstanding detail for beginners or those that just need a refresh! Check out their article here for any extra detail you want before you start hitting the drums!
Do drums have chords?
No, drums do not have chords. Chords feature multiple notes that share a similar pitch or frequency, creating a harmonic sound.
Consider your favorite guitar solos or songs; they feature chords that sound different from one another. On drums, we don’t have chords.
To get the different sounds, drums are made from different skins, which all sound slightly different.
You have hollow drums, your floor tom, and middle tom. You will have the kick drum for your deep bass sound and then snare drums.
Snare drums feature springs that you can turn on and off. These metal springs create a hissing sound we sometimes hear on drum tracks.
Adjusting these and incorporating the different drums will offer different sounds and pitches, similar to how chords work on other instruments.
Sometimes, drummers or musicians use the word chord when referring to drums, but it's misused. Instead, they are usually talking about drum tabs or notations.
These are what you read when you read drum sheet music, as we saw earlier.
How do beginners read drum notes?
Beginners read drum notes the same way more experienced players will; it can just take newbies a little longer to get to grips with the different notes, dynamics, and what each symbol means.
There’s plenty of fantastic sites or drum music books beginners can use to help them navigate this, too, if needs be.
Free Drum Lessons is a site full of helpful courses and information that we recommend heading over there if you are unsure!
Otherwise, you can follow our step-by-step guide below for reading drum notes! It does take some time to become familiar with the notations, so don’t feel daunted!
How do you read a drum chart?
As with reading English, we read a drum chart from left to right, as we mentioned earlier. We have a little system we like to use when we first read a chart that’s super helpful!
To start, remind yourself of what drum music looks like (see above for a breakdown of this). Scan the chart from left to right, noting anything you aren’t sure of.
The first thing to do is identify the style of the chart so you know how the piece should be played. If needs be, ask about the style or any other questions you might have.
Once you establish the style, check when you need to play and when you don’t, there's nothing worse than a drummer hitting the drums at the wrong time!
Scan the chart for road map symbols or edits to the arrangement made or notated. You can ask questions here too, and add any notes you need to keep you on track as you play.
As you play or practice, you might have to make changes, so keep a pen or pencil handy to note these changes!
Identify the dynamics, too, and make a note of any clarifications throughout the session. Often when we practice, we refine or change a piece to suit our needs, and you don’t want to forget these.
You will also want to find any ensemble or section figures and start to consider how you will approach them. You can discuss this with others too if you wish.
And that is how you read a drum chart! Take your time, and remember there is no shame in asking any questions along the way.