Learning To Read Drum Music 1 : The Time Signature on Drum Sheet Music

Time signatures can be confusing, get expert tips and advice on drum music and beats in this free video.

Expert: Jason Kay
Bio: Jason Kay has been playing drums for over 30 years. He's traveled throughout America, Asia and Europe, playing with Blues, Rock, and Country bands.
Filmmaker: Dustin Daniels

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• read
• drum
• music
• lessons
• drums
• sixteenths
• rests
• beats
• rudiments

[SlyMaelstrom]

You don't get it because he teaches like an idiot and he was way off tempo in his example. He's also playing it as a 4/4 when the song clearly isn't.

ExpertVillage is the biggest joke on the internet. They epitomize the proverb of "those that can't do, teach."

[Smackenzieth]

wait so what does the bottom 4 mean?

[KinserIsOnU2b]

@SlyMaelstrom Im sorry if you think thats not in a 4/4 then what is it?

[tattoo39369]

I honestly don't remember my question - I hope I kept it professional.

[DamoSyzygy]

@tattoo39369

Only in time signatures over 4. - Quarter-notes get the 'main count' of 1,2,3,4..., 8th notes are counted 1 & 2 & etc and 16ths are counted 1e&a 2e&a etc.

If the bottom number of the time sig is over 8 however, EIGHTH notes now get the main count of '1,2,3,4'. Therefore, 16ths are then counted 1&2&... and quarters would actually be on the counts of 1,3 and 5, etc.

Does that help?

[444004541]

Hey you're teaching skills are really good.. Hmm is there any book that you can recomend so that I can learn how to play the marching snare drum? If there is can you please tell me.

[maestosomajestico]

@Arceusblast1 Hence 2/2 indicates 2 minim (half notes) beats to a bar. 6/8 means 6 beats to a bar (or measure) and the beats are quaver (eighth notes) beats.

Hope this helps.

[maestosomajestico]

@Arceusblast1 Notes are classed as whole notes, half, quarter, eighth, and so on.

For example, Crotchets are quarter notes, because there are four of them to a whole (semibreve) note.

You need to know how many beats there are to a bar (the top figure), true. But you also need to know what type of beats they are (the bottom figure). Therefore, 4/4, indicates four beats to a bar, and the beats are crotchet beats.

[tattoo39369]

@DamoSyzygy Wouldn't a 5/8 actually be 1&-2&-3&-4&-5&? Please help the drumming amatuers

[DamoSyzygy]

@Smackenzieth

In a nutshell The bottom number refers to the type of note that you count. If it is a '4', its telling you that quarter notes are receiving the count, so for example in a bar of 7/4, your count would be 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, where the quarter notes are the notes receiving the main count. In a bar of 5/8, your count of 1-2-3-4-5 refers to the EIGHTH notes in the bar.

Hope that helps

[SlyMaelstrom]

@jazzytrumpet Could be, when I counted it as I watched it the first time it didn't sound like 4/4. He does only play it for a few measures, and he counts pretty loud over it, but listening to it now it does sound like 4/4. Something more apparent in the last measure when the drummer starts hitting the bell of his ride.

[jazzytrumpet]

@SlyMaelstrom not to start something but the song is in 4/4. he's sound off because the drummer in the song is playing eighth notes against his quater notes that's why he sounds off but he's on point. but with that said he did teach it very poorly and didn't finish explaing it.