Lesson Menu #1
Beginner & Intermediate.

Lesson Menu #2 Intermediate & Advanced.

Lesson Menu #3
Advanced & Ultra-Advanced.

Lesson Menu #4
Text lessons: All levels.

PRODUCTS:

GET ALL THE PRODUCTS AT ONE LOW PRICE.

SURPRISES ABOUND . . . For those with a bit of generosity in their soul.

CLICK HERE , to see what I mean.

Intermediate & Advanced
Drummers

Your future is waiting.

ALL MUSICIANS

MASTER
ALL RHYTHM,

This FASCINATING WAY!

Discover the 'LOST KEY' for Unraveling ALL the mysteries of rhythm, and musical time.

This work is the crowning-achievement of my 50 year career, and it's my proudest accomplishment.

It contains the potential to help YOU change the face of modern music!

You'll love it! CLICK HERE to check it out completely!

You're in for a MAJOR surprise!

"PRE-SCHOOL DRUMMER?

YES!"

Can we teach rhythm
to pre-schoolers?

YES!

This is a very short course, designed to help adults plant the seeds of rhythm into children of nearly any age.

CLICK HERE

FREE ELECTRONIC BOOK BONUS (also included)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY:

MAKE BIG MONEY SELLING USED DRUMSETS!

* INSIDER HARDBALL-BUYING-TIPS AND SECRETS.

* UNIQUE RECOVERING SECRETS

Support this site and and gain an advetising bargain with the deal. Place a permanent ad here.

GET ALL THE PRODUCTS AT ONE LOW PRICE.

SURPRISES ABOUND . . . For those with a bit of generosity in their soul.

CLICK HERE , to see what I mean.

Downloads * Drummers Trivia * Drummers Chat Rooms * Rudiments *
Digital Music * Knowledge Assessments * TD Archives * Drum Set Buyers Guide *
Bass-Player Jokes * Assembling a Drum Set * Parts of a Drum Set * About HSID * Video Troubleshooter

Bill Powelson's School of Drums

Reading Drum Notation

Back. . . to the 'Drum Lesson Menu'. . .

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:

COUNT  1 2 3 4
      
R=RIGHT HAND  R R R R
L=LEFT HAND    L  
F=RIGHT FOOT  F    

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


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.

Rock is most often written in 4/4 time like this:


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

VIDEO: Click here to 'Play', see and hear the 8th rock video again.

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

You are hearing two full measures of the pattern. 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 until it has been memorized.

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

Copyright Bill Powelson @ 1994 all rights reserved.