Utilizing Drum Tabs to their Fullest
What is up, drum fans? Today, we’ll be talking about an interesting topic that’s absolutely crucial in developing your skills as a drummer. That’s right! This article is all about — drum tabs.
So, what are drum tabs? What do they look like? How are they written? And how do you read them? Ah, fasten your seatbelts because we’ll pop all those question marks on top of your head as you read on!
Essentially, drum tablature more popularly known as drum tabs, provides drummers with an easy way to read music and learn to play any song quickly. These drum tabs tend to be easier to find and create than sheet music, making them a popular choice for drummers all around the globe!
Well then, if you are interested in learning to read drum tabs — then you’ve come to the right place! Read ‘til the end to learn everything you need to know about reading drum tabs. Trust me, you’ll surely be well on your way to playing all sorts of beats in no time with this useful skill. Are you ready? Join us here at the Drum Center of Portsmouth as we teach you how to read drum tabs quickly!
What are Drum Tabs?
Drum tabs are a simplified form of musical sheet music that is explicitly written for drums. Instead of notes that represent different sounds, the symbols in tabs represent when and how you are to strike the instrument.
In addition to that, many people prefer using drum tabs to traditional sheet music because these are so much easier to write. With that being said, a lot of people also even consider it easier to read drum tabs. This notation is easy to type out and share over the internet while sheet music generally requires music notation software.
With drum tabs, instead of going through the trouble of crafting a beautifully shaped quarter note — you only must place an x or an o. You can easily find all drum notation in tabs on a typical keyboard. As a result, it’s no wonder that drum tabs became immensely popular in the 90s during the advent of the internet!
So if you’re looking for an easy way to share drum music, then drum tabs are the way to go. However, if you are serious about drumming and want to pursue it professionally, you will likely need to learn how to read traditional sheet music because it allows for much more nuance in drum notation.
How are Drum Tabs Written?
Drum tabs are written so that time is represented horizontally, and the different components of the drum set are written vertically. Generally, the first column of the tab features an abbreviation for the type of drum represented by that line of music. Moving toward the right, symbols indicate the beat to be played by each drum individually.
In the brief example of drum tabs above, the CC, SN, HH, and B represent four different pieces of the drum set — the Crash Cymbal, Snare Drum, High Hat Cymbal, and the Bass Drum respectively. While the x's and dashes represent whether to hit that instrument or not on that beat.
The Complete Beginner's Guide | How to Read Drum Tabs Quickly
1. Familiarize Yourself with the Kit
First things first — you have to know your kit. Why? Well, you’ll definitely have a hard time reading the different parts of the drum tablature if you don’t familiarize yourself with the different parts of the drum kit. In drum tabs, each drum is represented by a different abbreviation.
However, it’s essential to note that these drum tabs can vary based on the writer. Some people may choose to use different abbreviations, so it is essential to always look for a key or legend at the top of the page to determine that you understand the writer's notation. The most popular abbreviations for the nine pieces of the drum kit are shown in the picture below.
Generally, in drum tabs, the drums will be listed in this order, which loosely corresponds with the height of the instruments.
2. Understand the Symbols
Alright! Now that you know the abbreviations for the components of the drum kit, let's take a closer look at the different symbols in the music portion of drum notation. There are five main symbols for hitting drums as shown in the picture:
Now that you know the symbols associated with the drums, it is time to take a look at the characters used for cymbals in drum tabs:
The last symbol to take note of is the dash (-), which can be used for drums or cymbals to let you know not to hit the instrument on that beat.
Oh, and it’s also important to note that some people will write the drum abbreviation to denote a hit instead of the above symbols. Remember — drum tabs are not an exact science, and there is some variation from writer to writer. Some people also like to use x's to denote bass drum hits instead of o's.
Other people may use x's for every instrument. However, the reason most people tend to use x's and o's instead of all the same is that it can make the composition more natural to read. All these discrepancies are a matter of personal preference as there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to drum tab notation.
The bottom line? It would be best for you to spend some time studying these symbols so that you won’t have to think twice about what to do if you come across one while reading drum tabs. The quicker you learn to recognize these symbols, the quicker you will be able to play your favorite songs without losing a beat with drum tabs! (Pun intended)
3. Pay Attention to the Rhythm
When playing drum tabs, the symbols that are written in the same vertical column are meant to be played at the same time. Most often, music is written in 4/4 time where the beat is divided into 8th or 16th counts. Each set of 8 or 16 beats is known as a bar. Bars are usually separated by vertical dividing lines so that it is easy to tell when one bar ends and the next one begins.
When it is divided into 8ths, you can count it as 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. If it is divided into 16ths, it's a little different. You can count it as 1 e and a 2 e and a 3 e and a 4 e and a. Keeping a clear and consistent count will help you ensure that you are playing each beat precisely when you are supposed to. Sometimes the count will be written below the drum tabs, but this is not always the case, so it is crucial to keep a solid count in your head or out loud if you can!
Keep an eye out for a repeat symbol that may appear above a bar. It will be hard to miss as it usually includes the repeat and then the number of times that bar is to be repeated before moving on to the next bar.
4. Start Simple
Ah, I know that it can be a little complicated to read drum tabs at first. So when you are just starting, consider getting comfortable only using a few different instruments! It could be such as just the snare drum, bass drum, or crash cymbal, as opposed to throwing yourself in the fire by trying to use all nine instruments at once. Try to become comfortable with two or three lines of music before building up to more while you read drum tabs.
Remember — you will likely become stressed and frustrated if you try to take on too much at one time. Small progress is still progress. No one becomes an expert overnight!
Baby steps | Take note of these tips and practice often, soon enough you’ll surely be able to read drum tabs easily!
And there you have it! Those were the most effective tips and practices to help you read drum tabs quickly. That’s right, practice makes perfect! I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again — small progress is still progress. Don’t rush! Just enjoy learning and you’ll surely be on your way to stardom. Let’s go!
Becoming an amazing drummer takes a whole lot of time, dedication, and patience. Of course — valuable knowledge and high-quality instruments as well! And speaking of high quality, there’s only one place you should visit to have your fix of incredible percussion instruments. You got it! No other than the Drum Center of Portsmouth . The LARGEST INDEPENDENTLY OWNED DRUM STORE IN THE WORLD.
Are you still looking for more remarkable drums and percussion instruments to add to your collection? Feel free to visit our website www.drumcenternh.com and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel @drumcenternh for more amazing content.
Oh, and if you have any questions or inquiries about anything, don’t hesitate because all of our drum experts are more than happy to help you out! You can reach us via (603) 319-8109 or support@drumcenternh.com.