Sight Reading Drum Music

I had the benefit of a good high school band program and also a private teacher. My teacher, Ted Fulte, and the various ensembles in school exposed me to music that was outside of my comfort level. I was required to start to understand what swing music required from a drummer’s perspective, e.g. I was put into situations where I had to make the band swing, and (at the same time) “set up” the ensemble figures that were notated in the drum part. I was also in a band outside of school that did covers of bands such as Chicago and Earth Wind & Fire. Sometimes, we had sheet music. Once again, I found it helpful to see this music on paper as I listened to the recordings. It started to make sense.

This education continued when I attended The Berklee College of Music. One of the best things I ever did for my sight reading was to go to the ensemble office and ask to be put in as many “Project Bands” as possible. The Project Bands played student arrangements and were usually four-horn bands plus the rhythm section. I was constantly reading drum charts – some were well written and others were not. The more I did this, the more I became comfortable and familiar with sight reading. Some rhythms appear quite frequently, and others not as much. This was very beneficial for me. Any time that I’ve been put in a situation where I’ve had to read, these experiences have helped me.

One suggestion I have for anyone wishing to be a better sight reader, is to seek out opportunities in which to read music. This may take the form of you and some friends getting together and reading through tunes from any number of books out there. One idea is to start with a book that has songs you already know. Play along with the recordings and go through the music at the same time. Learn how what you’re hearing corresponds to what is written. If it’s too confusing at first, you may need to back up a bit and make sure that you have some fundamentals. Get a good beginning snare drum book and start there. The rhythms that you’ll be seeing later in drum charts will be the same things that you see in a good snare book.

Have some patience and put in some time on this – it will pay off.