Drum tabs are a form of musical notation that allow drummers to read and write drum parts without the use of traditional sheet music. In this article, we will explore the basics of drum tabs, their importance, and how they can be used by drummers of all skill levels.
Drum tabs, also known as drum scores or drum charts, are a system of notation that uses a combination of symbols and numbers to represent specific drum sounds and techniques. They are often used as an alternative to sheet music, which can be challenging for drummers to read.
Drum tabs provide a more visual representation of drum parts, making it easier for drummers to learn and play music. They are also more accessible, as they can be found online for almost any song. Using drum tabs can help drummers develop their skills, learn new techniques, and expand their repertoire.
Drum tabs can be beneficial for drummers of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced players. They are especially useful for drummers who are self-taught, as they provide a way to learn new music without formal instruction.
This guide will cover everything you need to know about drum tabs, from understanding their basic notation to using them for practice and performance. We will also explore advanced techniques and troubleshooting tips.
How Drum Tabs are Different from Traditional Sheet Music Unlike traditional sheet music, which uses a combination of notes, rests, and other symbols to represent music, drum tabs use a combination of symbols and numbers to represent specific drum sounds and techniques. This makes them easier to read and understand for drummers who may not have formal musical training.
Symbols and Notation Drum tabs use a variety of symbols and notation to represent different drum sounds and techniques. These symbols include standard notation for snare drums, bass drums, and cymbals, as well as unique symbols for techniques such as flams, rolls, and ghost notes.
Drum tabs use time signatures to indicate the rhythm and tempo of the music. Understanding how to interpret these time signatures is essential for accurately reading and playing drum tabs.
Understanding drum notation is crucial for better performance. By accurately reading and interpreting drum tabs, drummers can improve their timing, precision, and overall playing ability.
Popular Websites for Finding Drum Tabs There are many websites online where drummers can find drum tabs for almost any song.
When searching for drum tabs online, it’s important to use specific keywords to narrow down your results. Searching for the name of the song or artist, as well as the word “drum tabs,” can help you find the music you’re looking for.
To use drum tabs effectively, it’s important to practice regularly, break down songs into manageable parts, and use them as a supplement to traditional sheet music.
Incorporating Drum Tabs into Practice Routine Drum tabs can be a useful tool for practicing specific techniques and songs. By incorporating them into your practice routine, you can improve your skills and expand your repertoire.
Breaking down a song into smaller parts can help make it easier to learn and play. By using drum tabs to identify specific sections of a song, you can practice each part individually and then combine them for a complete performance.
C – Crash Cymbal Rd – Ride Cymbal (in this song, hit only the bell of Ride) S – Snare Bd – Bass Drum Hf – Hit-Hat with foot Note (for Ride Cymbal): x – Hit the bell of Ride Cymbal X – Accent the bell of Ride Cymbal The Measures (4/4): C |—————-| S …
Pt 1: C —————–|—–x———–|—————–|—————–| H —————X-|-x——-x—x—|-x—x—x—x—|-x—x—x—x—| S ————-oo–|—–o——-o—|—–o——-o—|—–o——-o—| B ———–oo—-|-o-o——-o—o-|———–o—o-|-o———o—o-| C —————–|—–x———–|—————–|—————–| H -x—x—x—–X-|-x——-x—x—|-x—x—x—x—|-x—x—x—x—| S —–o——-oo–|—–o——-o—|—–o——-o—|—–o——-o—| B ———–oo—-|-o-o———–o-|———–o—o-|-o————-o-| H -x—x—x—x-X-|-x—x—x—x—|-x—x—x—x—|-x—x—x—x—| S —–o——-o—|—–o——-o—|—–o——-o—|—–o——-o—| B ———–o—–|-o-o———–o-|———–o—o-|-o————-o-| C —————–|-x—x———–|—————–| H -x—x—x—X—|———x—x—|-x—x—x—x—| S —–o——-o—|—–o——-o—|—–o——-o—| B ———–o—o-|-o————-o-|———–o—o-| H -x—x—x—x—| S —–o——-o—| B -o————-o-| ______________________________________________________ |1. |2. |3. | H -x—x—x—X-X-|-x—x—x—x—|-x—x—x—X—| S —–o——-o—|—–o——-o—|—–o——-o—| B ———–o—–|———–o—o-|———–o—o-| Pt 2: |—-repeat-2x—-| C -x—————|—————–| Rd—–x—x—x—|-x—x—x—x—| …
This tab is from http://christiandrumtabs.synthasite.com/drum-tabs.php. I did not write it myself. Song: How Great is our God Artist: Chris Tomlin Timing: 4/4 Tempo: 76 Tabbed By: jerry Date: 3/10/2009 intro ===== | ====== 4x ====== | | 1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a | H | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | Verse One ========= The splender…. Wraps himself… | ====== 5x ====== | …
TITLE: Knife Party BAND: Deftones ALBUM: White Pony DRUMMER: Abe Cunningham TABBED BY:MarcusManson f = flam d = double note g = ghost note t = triplet timing INTRO nothing for 8 bars C x—————|—————-|—————-|—————-| R –x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-| S —g–o–g–o—|——o–g–o—|——o—–o—|——o–o–o—| B o—————|o–o————|o–o————|o–o————| C —————-|—————-|—————-|—————-| R x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|—————-| H —————-|—————-|—————-|—-X-X———| T1 —————-|—————-|—————-|———-oo—-| T2 —————-|—————-|—————-|————oo–| F —————-|—————-|—————-|————–oo| S ——o–g–o—|——o–g–o—|——o–o–o—|fooo—-oo——| …
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Artist: Rammstein Song: Sonne Tabber: Top Hat E-mail: [email protected] KEY: o= hit on drum/kick on bass x=hit on cymbal/closed hi-hats X=open/splashy hi-hats d=drum roll f=flam t=small mounted tom T=large mounted tom F=floor tom S=snare drum B=bass drum C1=low-pitch crash cymbal C2=high-pitch crash cymbal H=Hi-hat When I say repeat a measure, it means play that measure …
Song: Faint Band: Linkin Park Tabbed By AndrewN111 x= HH closed X= HH open c= close HH when hit 0:08 From start of sampled drum beat HH|—————-|—————-|—————-|—————-| S |—————-|—————-|—————-|—————-| B |—————-|—————-|—————-|—————-| 0:15 Intro C |x—————|—————-|x—————|—————-| HH|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-| S |—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–o—-o—| B |o———o—–|o———o—–|o———o—–|o———o—–| C |x—————|—————-|x—————|—————-| HH|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X——-| S |—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–o-oooooo-| B |o———o—–|o———o—–|o———o—–|o—————| 0:29 Verse 1 C |x—————|—————-|—————-|—————-| HH|–x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-| S |—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–g-g–o—|—-o–g-g–o—| …
Song : Dark Of The Matinee Band : Franz Ferdinand Album : Franz Ferdinand Drummer : Paul Thomson QUIET HH |–x—x—x—–|–x—x—x—–| S |—-o——ooooo|—-o——oo-o-| B |o——-o——-|o——-o——-| INTRO C |x—————|—————-|—————-|—————-| HH |–o—o—o—–|–o—o—o—–|–o—o—o—–|–o—o—o—–| S |—-o——goooo|—-o——goooo|—-o——goooo|—-o——go-o-| Play 2x B |o——-o——-|o——-o——-|o——-o——-|o——-o——-| Hf |x—x—x—x—|x—x—x—x—|x—x—x—x—|x—x—x—x—| VERSE 1 =====Play 6x===== C |x—————|—————-|—————-| S |—————-|—————-|————–oo| B |o—o—o—o—|o—o—o—o—|o—o—o—o—| BRIDGE 1 _________________ _______________ / 1st time …
(Intro/Verse) 0:00 S|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-| B|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–| Tb|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-| S|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-| B|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–| Tb|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-| S|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f—f—f-| B|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–| Tb|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-| S|–f—f—f—f-|–f—f-ooo-o-oo| B|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o—–o-o–| (Pre-Chorus) 0:29 C|X—————|—————-|X—————|—————-| H|X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X-X-X—| S|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—oo| B|o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-|o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-|o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-|o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-| C|X—————| B|o—————| (Chorus) 0:39 C|—————-|————X—|—————-|—————-| C|X—————|——–X——-|X—————|—————-| R|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X—X—X-|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X—X—| F|—————-|—————-|—————-|————–oo| S|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—oo—-| B|o–o-o–o–o-o–|o–o-o–o—o—|o–o-o–o–o-o–|o–o-o–o—o—| C|—————-|————X—|—————-|—————-| C|X—————|——–X——-|X—————|——–X——-| R|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X—X—X-|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X———| F|—————-|—————-|—————-|—————-| S|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—oooooo| B|o–o-o–o–o-o–|o–o-o–o—o—|o–o-o–o–o-o–|o–o-o–o——-| (Verse) 0:56 C|X—————|—————-|—————-|—————-| S|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-| B|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–| C|#————-X-|—————-|—————-|—————-| R|—————-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x———| S|————–o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o-ooo-o-oo| B|o—————|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o——oo–|o–o-o—–o-o–| (Pre-Chorus) 1:13 C|X—————|—————-|X—————|—————-| H|X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|–X-X-X-X-X-X-X-|X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-| S|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-|–o—o—o—o-| B|o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-|o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-|o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-|o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-| H|–0-p—–0-p—|–0-p—–0-p—|–0-p—–0-p—|–0-p———–| S|—-o——-o—|—-o——-o-oo|—-o——-o—|—-o—oo–oooo| B|oo——oo——|oo——oo——|oo——oo——|oo—–o—o—-| (Chorus) 1:30 …
Drums: SC=Splash Cymbal C=Cymbal H=Hi-hat S=Snare T=Tom (you’ll have to figure out which one on your own, sorry) B=Bass F=Floor tom Intro C|—————-|o———–o—|————o—|—————-| H|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-| S|oo-o-o-o-o-oooog|—-o——-o—|—-o——-o—|—-o——-oo–| T|—————-|—————-|—————-|————–oo| B|—————-|oo-o-o-o-o——|oo-o-o-o-o——|oo-o-o-o-o——| Play x4 / Play x1 / Play x2 / Play x1 / C|o———–o—|————o—|—————-| H|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-xoxox-x-x-x-| S|—-o——-o—|—-o——-o—|o–o—–o–oooo| T|—————-|—————-|-o—o-o——–| B|oo-o-o-o-o——|oo-o-o-o-o——|———–o—-| Play x 1 / Play x2 / Play x1 / Verse …