Drumset Chart Reading

[Plaid]

It's hard to know exactly how to ask the right question on such a broad topic, but to all the chart readers on this forum....I have a few questions. I'm familiar with reading rhythm in general, but when it comes to a chart, and what kind of a beat to play and what feel to give a certain section of a song, I don't know how that's indicated. During a tune, if one part is on the hats...the next on the ride....the next a rimshot section, etc.., is that specifically indicated? Though I know much of it is just being creative, there MUST be structure, and I'm trying to find out how that's usually done on a drum chart. Any feedback is much appreciated! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ptrack]

Watch for dynamic markings....(cresc,mp,fff,tutti,solo, and so on and so forth.)
Those will generally be your guide when you decide what to play

If there are no dynamic markings on the chart then you must listen for what the tune needs...

You've got make sure that your fills setup sections of the music......Usually this stuff is written out on your chart...
If you are reading a lead-sheet or a set of changes then you must do one of two things: Ask the director what he/she wants, or use your own interpretation......
Steve Houghton's book helped me out alot in the sight-reading department.

hope this helps

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 10, 2003 05:22 PM: Message edited by: ptrack ]</font>

[XNavyDrummer]

Plaid,

Great questions! Charts come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from the highly detailed to the highly useless (can you say quarter notes for 237 bars?!!!).

Most of the time the chart is a guide open to interpretation. Exactly what you play depends on how you hear the song in your head and what you are actually hearing around you. You might play the chart one way with one band and quite differently with another band. A lot of chart interpretation involves trial and error. If you try something and it "doesn't work", try something else. Don't be afraid to experiment. And don't be afraid to "drive the bus" where you actually take a major role in determining the type of emotion that you want to infuse into the song.

With that said here are a few basics:

1) You should want the band to feel and sound secure. There should be no question about where the beat is. (Major time grooving with a metronome or drum machine is a must!).

2) Play what's appropriate for the instrumentation and arrangement. For example, when playing with a big band, you’re not going to play the figures the same way for a passage with saxes only vs. a trumpet and trombone section.

3) The drummer has a huge stake in controlling the dynamics. You can really force the band to play super soft or get them totally slamming. It’s up to you.

4) When nailing the chart figures, think in terms of short notes and long notes. Listen to the way the band is articulating the notes. Play short notes short (rim shot, muted splash etc.) and play the long notes long (cymbal crashes).

5) Set up the band for the next section. For example, a fill going into a softer section should generally get softer and a fill going into a loud section should provide no doubt what the next intensity level is.

As far as overall all structure, a large part of your job is to supply or at least contribute to the structure. Remember, nothing is really set in stone. The groove you laid down with one bass player may not work with the next one.

Good luck!

Andy

[Dazzler]

In answer to the question, when reading drum rhythms, each drum has it's own line or space. When in the BASS clef, generally, the Bass drum will be on the bottom space (the A) the snare on the third space up (the E) the hi-hats on the top space (the G) and the ride on the B below middle C. The toms will be on the lines in between, with the highest tom on the F line and the floor tom on the B. Generally, a rim click would be indicated by drawing a cirlce round the snare drum note. This is not set in stone, but in my experience, the various drums tend to be on those lines/spaces.
So when writing say a basic rock rhythm, you will have 8 quavers (8th notes) on the Hi-hats (grouped in 4's), the 2&4 underneath on the snare and below that the bass drum rhythm, whatever that may be.
When viewed, the rhythm itself will be read from top to bottom - the hi-hats on the top, then the snare and the bass drum figure at the bottom. One important thing to note is to never be afraid of writing in words any information you want the drummer to interpret. If you want him/her to start on brushes, write 'brushes'. At a certain point, write 'to sticks' or 'fill' etc. In fact it is common to receive a bar chart with no rhythms written in, but the words 'rock', 'funky', 'samba', or 'swing' at the top. It is therefor up to the drummer (together with the bass player) to figure out or to interpret what is meant.
In big band playing, it is very common to get parts with 4 slashes (denoting time) within a bar and any phrasing played by the horns on top of the bars. It's common practice to write any rhythms that the drummer must definitely catch within the stave and phrasing which is optional for the drummer to play/leave out/ interpret as is their want on top of the stave. Sometimes, as in classic Basie recordings, the drummer will ignore the majority of what the horns are playing and to simply lay down a solid swing feel. You will then hear the drummer explode as he sets up a phrase and catch a specific rhythm with the horns.
There are lots of different ways to interpret and read drum charts and you will be presented with charts that range from being extrememly well written, neat, clear and with all the relvant phrasing, dynamics and forms written out, to charts that simply say 'play rock' and have the bar numbers scribbled out. That is the precariousness of being a drummer I guess! Many experienced and sucessful musicians don't know a thing about the drums and have never bothered to find out about how to write for our instrument. They take it for granted that once we know what the groove is, all will be ok... great!
The best thing to do is to be prepared for having literally anything put in front of you. By that I mean, get with a good teacher or grab a good book, filled with rhythms that you can practice as if it were sight-reading. The Louis Bellson book is a good one, or a book that will take you through the various ways to interpret drum charts.
One important thing to consider is that at the end of the day, reading music is an aid to memory and is the quickest way to get musicians to play exactly what you want straight away. Some of favourite drummers (Dennis Chambers springs to mind and Buddy Rich, I think) don't read music, but will learn the tunes and forms and prepare before going into a playing situation. Not being able to read shouldn't hamper your progress, but it will definitely help it! [img]graemlins/music.gif[/img]

[BennyAndTheSkins]

Didn't one of Weckl's books (Next Step?) have some
good chart reading info it it, maybe some transcripts of his tunes, and how he reads a chart down?

[Plaid]

Ptrack, Andy, and Dazzler..........thank you very much for your input.

[FuseU1]

Dazz - is that true?! Chambers DOESN'T READ music notation [not even just rhythmic?!] [img]eek.gif[/img]
Man, that makes JScof's Blue Matter, Pick Hits Live Japan; & JMcL's The Promise, & Heart of Things [studio; haven't seen/heard the live] all the more beachin'....

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 16, 2003 09:36 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

[Randy walker]

Very tru indeed, Dennis does not read music. When he got the Steely gig he had to listen to board tapes of Erskine in order to learn the show.

[FuseU1]

Holey Crepes.... [img]confused.gif[/img] [thx RW]