BEATS - "Beginner - How To Drum Like A Pro." Tablature

Learn To Drum
Copyright Stuart Thursby 2001
"Your free tutorial on how to master the art of drumming"

C Crash Cymbal
H Hi Hat
Rd Ride Cymbal
t Small tom
T Middle Tom
S Snare Drum
F Floor Tom
B Bass Drum
Hf Hi-Hat with foot

Part One "The Beginning"

"In this section, I will explain to you the basics of modern drumming, and
I will show you the tabs to learn as you play"

I. First of all, drumming is divided into 4 beats a bar, on most
occasions. The count goes 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and, then it starts a new bar.
Example:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x etc....
H |----------------|---------------|
S |----------------|---------------|
B |----------------|---------------|

II. Now, let's add in a basic rythm. Here, you will hit the snare drum
on the "2" and "4" beat, and the bass drum on the "1" and "3" beats, while
striking the Hi-hat on all of the notes.
Example:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x|
H |o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o|
S |----o-------o-------o-------o-------o-------o--|
B |o-------o-------o-------o-------o-------o------|

And there you have it, the basic drum rythm.

III. In this section, we will add in a seperate bass drum beat in different
places than usual. Follow me? Here, give this a try.
Example:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x|
H |o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o|
S |----o-------o-------o-------o--|
B |o-o-----o-o-----o-o-----o-o----|

That is a simple, yet rudimentary basic rythm that is used in a lot of punk rock
songs, albeit much faster. Here are a few more rythms:
Examples:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x|
H |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|
S |----o-------o-------o-------o-------o-------o-------o-------o--|
B |o-------o-o-----ooo-----o-o---o---o-----oo------o-oo----o--o---|

That was a bit more challenging, but it gets you introduced to playing the bass
drum on odd beats.

IV. Now, we'll add in the snare drum on different beats, to get you accustomed
to moving your hands at different point on the snare drum.
Example:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x|
H |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|
S |----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----|

Now, let's add in different bass drum patterns to go with this snare pattern.
Example:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x|
H |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|
S |----o--o----o-------o--o----o-------o--o----o-------o--o----o--|
B |o-------o-o-----o-o---o-o-o---o-oo-o----oo-o----o-o-----o-o----|

There is a basic, yet hard and complicated, rythm that sounds cool and plays well.

V. This is the hardest part of this section, and but sounds the best and
is the most useful. In this part, when you see a capitol O in any spot on the Hi-hat
line, that means lift the pedal of the hi-hat, yet still you hit the hi-hat.
Follw me? Here, take a look and maybe show your nearest drum teacher this part, and
he can show you how to do it if you don't understand.
Example:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x|
H |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|
S |----o-------o-------o-------o-------o-------o-------o-------o--|
B |o-------o-o-----o-------o-o-----o-------o-o-----o-------o-o----|

Do you get the basic idea? Good. Now, here's a bit of a more complicated bass and snare
drum rythm, to really get you working.
Examples:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x|
H |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|
S |----o--o----o-------o--o----oo------o--o----o-o-----o--o----o--|
B |o-o-----oo------o-o---o-o-o---o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o--o----o-o----|

Phew, that was exciting! Do you get the jist of this? Here's one more example, to
get you working even harder. Here, I'm going to add in the smallest tom, which is
the tom that is right above your snare drum in the kit.
Example:

Count |1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x|
H |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|
S |----o--o----oo---o-oo----o-oo-------oo-oo---o-------o--o----o--|
t |------------------------------------------------o-------------o|
B |o-o-----o-o-----oo-o----oo-o-oo-o-o--o-o-o-o----o-------o-o----|

Boy, that was difficult! Well, that concludes my section on beginner drumming. Once
you have master this section, I recommend taking a look at my Intermidiate lessons,
in the Beats and Grooves section of MXTAbs.net. Enjoy!

E-Mail any suggestions and tips to me at Denverbronco_fan101@Hotmail.com