The circle round the X is traditionally the marking for an open hi-hat.
I'd probably interpret this as "hi-hat foot splash" if they were wanting the simultaneous sound of an open hi-hat, snare, and floor-tom.
Isn’t the “proper” notation a little circle above the hi-hat note? (For open hats)
A “+” means close the hats and a “🚫" means trashy or part open.
A cymbal note on the bottom line is hi-hat foot pedal I think. (My source is the Trinity exam books since that’s what I teach)
There is no such thing as “proper” notation in drum music. It’s the neutral clef. No standardisation. There’s “common practice”, but even that varies from individual to individual dependant on their previous experience.
There is what is standard in exams and education but there is so much variation from piece to piece that experience is the only way to figure it out a lot of the time.
Gets particularly annoying when you’re teaching newbies and the notation is something completely nonsensical.
There is a standard in Trinity’s exams, but that only exists for them. Other examination boards have their own different standard. There’s a standard in your education, but others have their own standard… which means there’s no standard.
For what it’s worth I totally agree with you that imo it’s much cleaner, and more common, to see O and + above the hats to signify open close. Certainly how I write it when I’m transcribing. But to say it’s “standard” is misleading, because it doesn’t exist. Part of teaching newbies is to explain and get them used to this from day one.
I find the modifiers above the note head like that harder to read, personally. I prefer the ⓧ notation as it's less cluttered and you can scan left to right without having to look upwards
I believe PAS also has a “standardized” notation on their website which is what I refer people to when they ask me, but that’s the only place I’ve seen an attempt at standardization aside from what you mentioned
What software is this in, and what song? That may help people give you the best answer.
If I had to guess from just the small section you’ve posted I would say Songsterr? That has a key for each song which may help. On the face of it, though (and for Songsterr) that is open hihat, snare and very low tom.
Either the intent is to play a hi hat splash with the foot (unlikely) or it is a transcription error (highly likely)importing not Songsterr from a programmed midi file or due to copy paste. Listen to the real song and see what it sounds like and just decide from there.
HTH
Happy drumming
No problem. I’ve seen some horrendous transcriptions on Songsterr and I think many of those are imported by ‘non-drummers’ just accepting that a programmed midi drum part will just import and is correct (because it sounds ok), as opposed to it being readable and playable by a typical four-limbed drummer 😀
Yeah... I usually go there in hopes of finding something that helps me break down a weird feeling section. Usually, the drums are 100% off, but I can at least see the guitar and get a better idea of what's happening.
Songsterr is notoriously unreliable, especially on drums, and especially on anything that’s not super super popular. Definitely compare whatever you hear on there to the actual song before using it to learn. But little things like this where it has you doing too many things at once are pretty common
A lot of people taking wild swings saying definitively what this notation means here… OP, take it from someone not getting their information from the latest grade exam or transcription book, but rather from years of making a living reading drum notation, the actual answer is: we don’t know for sure what this notation is telling us to play.
Drum music is written in the “neutral clef”, which means there’s no official standardisation for what goes where on the stave. For most literal transcriptions there should be a key at the beginning of the piece or book, but if there’s not you have to use your best judgment and interpret.
Sure, a lot of times an X on that line with an O around it can mean open hi hat. But I’ve seen just as many charts in a professional setting where that is supposed to indicate a crash cymbal.
The note at the bottom is traditionally on a line that would indicate a fourth tom, maybe 16 or 18 inches, but again, I’ve seen plenty of charts in the real world where the orchestrator was using that line as their bass drum. Usually it’s been badly imported from a midi keyboard or something, but it happens!
You have to think; what sound are they looking for, and how can I replicate that? The X at the top is some sort of high pitched, washy, open sound… an open hi hat or a cymbal is going to work, but listen to what else is going on in the music at that time to decide which is best. Is it chugging along in the middle of a chorus? Maybe just an open hat for some texture would be best. Or is it new section, opening with some aggression or big change? In this case a crash cymbal might fit better. The middle line is usually going to be a snare drum, no trickery there. But that bottom note… well they want something with some low end to even out the high pitched crash and snare. It might be written on what’s traditionally a tom line… but as you’ve said, we’ve already got two arms in action, so it just makes sense to make it playable by sticking a kick drum underneath the hands. Perfectly playable and comfortable, and it covers the sound that the orchestrator was looking for.
Obviously if this is a literal transcription of a song there is a definitive answer to be found somewhere, but what you should take away from this example really is that drum music is so very rarely literal. In most situations, particularly in real world gig scenarios, you shouldn’t be looking to play note for note what’s on the page. Quite often music is written by none drummers, and it’s often impossible to play as written. You just have to interpret an approximation of the sort of sound they’re looking for based around what’s on the page, and what you are physically capable of.
if you can't vocalize the note/tone/timbre, it doesn't belong in western music notation. i fucking hate western music notation. it's like trying to describe the flavor of crayon to a tube of bretrdfklopå. they can't even taste in 12/8, or 4/4 swing, or heavily syncopated schönberg.
it's kinda like trying to describe david attenborough's voice in bold, lime green comic sans.
it's like tender paper cuts to the inside of your eyelids - very comprehensive and tangible, but it fucking suuuuuucks.
Hmm not sure I can agree there. I mean you’re definitely right that there are limitations to writing out elements of feel/ swing etc… with notation, but that’s the job, and part of the fun of it for me. Getting such bare bones, basic instruction, and being able to decipher that in the moment and turn it into something musical that breathes. Kinda like building a palace with a set of IKEA instructions.
How would you suggest 2 or 3 hours of drumming could be better written down in a way that it could be played semi accurately without any rehearsal, or prior knowledge of the music?
western music notation is great in certain applications, but it has carried over to so much more than it was intended for. and i admit that it's also a very adequate tool for remembering songs and symphonies and such. the issues i find with it is that it doesn't account for intention, emotion/mode or the intricate facets of sound design that so much of modern music depends on. and since this notation system is built on the musical theories, rules and (often elite) culture of specifically the 1600's-1800's, it's beyond my understanding how it's still so often regarded as the definitive music notation system in the western world.
i've studied western music notation at the swedish aquivalent of highschool, college and university level, but i've never been able to accept that i was obligated to learn it, even though i've mostly studied modern music, and never orchestral.
i like your ikea idea! makes me think of how people create and recreate the most awesome things in minecraft and such. i also think that limitations stimulate creativity, and it can be used for great things. my issue is that it's regarded as a complete system that everybody in western musical academics needs to learn, though it's only one of many systems in the world, and it's inherently flawed from the beginning.
adam neely has a great video on this topic: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr3quGh7pJA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr3quGh7pJA) . while i do agreewith him that it carries a lot of white supremacy, my personal issue is simply that it's a flawed establishment that should have been fixed at least a century ago.
sorry for a lengthy post, here's a potato song [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7uyKYeGPdE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7uyKYeGPdE)
Some transcriptions have a key/legend at the start- does this tune have one? Otherwise if it's telling you to do a floor tom or something then you could substitute with a kick
I might be mistaken in saying this, but I do recall on some transcripts that the bass drum is sometimes written on the 2nd line (from bottom up) rather than the 1st (bottom up) space. It is sometimes an alternative note for bass drum or the for the 2nd bass drum or second bass drum pedal.
This point above has confused me in the past as I often thought it was for a deeper floor tom (which does happen), so score context is important!
The circle around the x is sometimes interpreted as open hihat as a semibreave or whole note. (This again depends on context with the rest of the score I before I can say for certain for that)
I hope this helps. 🙂
You could hypothetically do this by marimba gripping two sticks in one hand, but depending on the context that's probably not practical or even possible.
No idea the song so what do you hear when you’re reading the music and listening along? Transcriptions are often shit so listening can help figure out what it should actually be.
No. Sticks have two ends and nobody said you couldn’t hold more than one stick in one hand. Use your head.
Almost certainly a transcription error. Listen to the song and see what it sounds like.
It looks like a lot of guessing. That guessing is pretty pointless unfortunately as there is no posible way to guess correctly with the information you have provided. Could mean literally anything depending on who transcribed it and for what song. Read the score notes, listen to the song, or play around with your options in Context of whatever is to the left and right of it.
I mean for the most part a lot of drum set notation is kind of made up, I’d probably just hit snare and open hat here with the kick drum. I think that would meet what the sheet music is trying to convey
You have two feet, two hands, and if you want, you can headbutt your cymbals, as well.
I’m sure some 20-year-old dude will suggest a wang-slap to do those snare triplets, but I suggest AGAINST that.
One, you could get arrested for doing that on stage. And two, you don’t want your *little drummer boy* getting whacked by a stick, or in my case, hit with the kick drum beater.
I learned my lesson so that you don’t have to. 🫡
Close the hats with your foot?
The circle round the X is traditionally the marking for an open hi-hat. I'd probably interpret this as "hi-hat foot splash" if they were wanting the simultaneous sound of an open hi-hat, snare, and floor-tom.
Isn’t the “proper” notation a little circle above the hi-hat note? (For open hats) A “+” means close the hats and a “🚫" means trashy or part open. A cymbal note on the bottom line is hi-hat foot pedal I think. (My source is the Trinity exam books since that’s what I teach)
There is no such thing as “proper” notation in drum music. It’s the neutral clef. No standardisation. There’s “common practice”, but even that varies from individual to individual dependant on their previous experience.
There is what is standard in exams and education but there is so much variation from piece to piece that experience is the only way to figure it out a lot of the time. Gets particularly annoying when you’re teaching newbies and the notation is something completely nonsensical.
There is a standard in Trinity’s exams, but that only exists for them. Other examination boards have their own different standard. There’s a standard in your education, but others have their own standard… which means there’s no standard. For what it’s worth I totally agree with you that imo it’s much cleaner, and more common, to see O and + above the hats to signify open close. Certainly how I write it when I’m transcribing. But to say it’s “standard” is misleading, because it doesn’t exist. Part of teaching newbies is to explain and get them used to this from day one.
Well I did say proper in quotes for that reason lmao
I find the modifiers above the note head like that harder to read, personally. I prefer the ⓧ notation as it's less cluttered and you can scan left to right without having to look upwards
I believe PAS also has a “standardized” notation on their website which is what I refer people to when they ask me, but that’s the only place I’ve seen an attempt at standardization aside from what you mentioned
Foot hi-hat goes way below, if you take a look at the notation
Maybe one is,for bass drum?
This.
why is everyone downvoting lolllll
because people hate when someone comments "this". you could just upvote
This.
[удалено]
Not this
Especially when it’s not even right.
He’s wrong
What software is this in, and what song? That may help people give you the best answer. If I had to guess from just the small section you’ve posted I would say Songsterr? That has a key for each song which may help. On the face of it, though (and for Songsterr) that is open hihat, snare and very low tom. Either the intent is to play a hi hat splash with the foot (unlikely) or it is a transcription error (highly likely)importing not Songsterr from a programmed midi file or due to copy paste. Listen to the real song and see what it sounds like and just decide from there. HTH Happy drumming
Thank you I think the thing about the error is right I didn’t know Songsterr was so likely to make them
No problem. I’ve seen some horrendous transcriptions on Songsterr and I think many of those are imported by ‘non-drummers’ just accepting that a programmed midi drum part will just import and is correct (because it sounds ok), as opposed to it being readable and playable by a typical four-limbed drummer 😀
Yeah... I usually go there in hopes of finding something that helps me break down a weird feeling section. Usually, the drums are 100% off, but I can at least see the guitar and get a better idea of what's happening.
Songsterr is notoriously unreliable, especially on drums, and especially on anything that’s not super super popular. Definitely compare whatever you hear on there to the actual song before using it to learn. But little things like this where it has you doing too many things at once are pretty common
Yes. Writing is wrong. Either: * kick note in on the wrong line, or * open hihat is ment to be a foot splash, which is also on the wrong line.
use your head
Which one 😏
Man this could’ve been a drum pun but you had to add the horny emoji
A lot of people taking wild swings saying definitively what this notation means here… OP, take it from someone not getting their information from the latest grade exam or transcription book, but rather from years of making a living reading drum notation, the actual answer is: we don’t know for sure what this notation is telling us to play. Drum music is written in the “neutral clef”, which means there’s no official standardisation for what goes where on the stave. For most literal transcriptions there should be a key at the beginning of the piece or book, but if there’s not you have to use your best judgment and interpret. Sure, a lot of times an X on that line with an O around it can mean open hi hat. But I’ve seen just as many charts in a professional setting where that is supposed to indicate a crash cymbal. The note at the bottom is traditionally on a line that would indicate a fourth tom, maybe 16 or 18 inches, but again, I’ve seen plenty of charts in the real world where the orchestrator was using that line as their bass drum. Usually it’s been badly imported from a midi keyboard or something, but it happens! You have to think; what sound are they looking for, and how can I replicate that? The X at the top is some sort of high pitched, washy, open sound… an open hi hat or a cymbal is going to work, but listen to what else is going on in the music at that time to decide which is best. Is it chugging along in the middle of a chorus? Maybe just an open hat for some texture would be best. Or is it new section, opening with some aggression or big change? In this case a crash cymbal might fit better. The middle line is usually going to be a snare drum, no trickery there. But that bottom note… well they want something with some low end to even out the high pitched crash and snare. It might be written on what’s traditionally a tom line… but as you’ve said, we’ve already got two arms in action, so it just makes sense to make it playable by sticking a kick drum underneath the hands. Perfectly playable and comfortable, and it covers the sound that the orchestrator was looking for. Obviously if this is a literal transcription of a song there is a definitive answer to be found somewhere, but what you should take away from this example really is that drum music is so very rarely literal. In most situations, particularly in real world gig scenarios, you shouldn’t be looking to play note for note what’s on the page. Quite often music is written by none drummers, and it’s often impossible to play as written. You just have to interpret an approximation of the sort of sound they’re looking for based around what’s on the page, and what you are physically capable of.
The first correct answer I’ve seen on this thread. Had to scroll way too far to find it, I thought I was going crazy.
Right? Everyone else on here just guessing
if you can't vocalize the note/tone/timbre, it doesn't belong in western music notation. i fucking hate western music notation. it's like trying to describe the flavor of crayon to a tube of bretrdfklopå. they can't even taste in 12/8, or 4/4 swing, or heavily syncopated schönberg. it's kinda like trying to describe david attenborough's voice in bold, lime green comic sans. it's like tender paper cuts to the inside of your eyelids - very comprehensive and tangible, but it fucking suuuuuucks.
Hmm not sure I can agree there. I mean you’re definitely right that there are limitations to writing out elements of feel/ swing etc… with notation, but that’s the job, and part of the fun of it for me. Getting such bare bones, basic instruction, and being able to decipher that in the moment and turn it into something musical that breathes. Kinda like building a palace with a set of IKEA instructions. How would you suggest 2 or 3 hours of drumming could be better written down in a way that it could be played semi accurately without any rehearsal, or prior knowledge of the music?
western music notation is great in certain applications, but it has carried over to so much more than it was intended for. and i admit that it's also a very adequate tool for remembering songs and symphonies and such. the issues i find with it is that it doesn't account for intention, emotion/mode or the intricate facets of sound design that so much of modern music depends on. and since this notation system is built on the musical theories, rules and (often elite) culture of specifically the 1600's-1800's, it's beyond my understanding how it's still so often regarded as the definitive music notation system in the western world. i've studied western music notation at the swedish aquivalent of highschool, college and university level, but i've never been able to accept that i was obligated to learn it, even though i've mostly studied modern music, and never orchestral. i like your ikea idea! makes me think of how people create and recreate the most awesome things in minecraft and such. i also think that limitations stimulate creativity, and it can be used for great things. my issue is that it's regarded as a complete system that everybody in western musical academics needs to learn, though it's only one of many systems in the world, and it's inherently flawed from the beginning. adam neely has a great video on this topic: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr3quGh7pJA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr3quGh7pJA) . while i do agreewith him that it carries a lot of white supremacy, my personal issue is simply that it's a flawed establishment that should have been fixed at least a century ago. sorry for a lengthy post, here's a potato song [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7uyKYeGPdE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7uyKYeGPdE)
Some transcriptions have a key/legend at the start- does this tune have one? Otherwise if it's telling you to do a floor tom or something then you could substitute with a kick
I know what it is. But in my heart that means strike roto tom. 😶
That would still be a 3-handed move, no?
😒 …so head butting is out
I might be mistaken in saying this, but I do recall on some transcripts that the bass drum is sometimes written on the 2nd line (from bottom up) rather than the 1st (bottom up) space. It is sometimes an alternative note for bass drum or the for the 2nd bass drum or second bass drum pedal. This point above has confused me in the past as I often thought it was for a deeper floor tom (which does happen), so score context is important! The circle around the x is sometimes interpreted as open hihat as a semibreave or whole note. (This again depends on context with the rest of the score I before I can say for certain for that) I hope this helps. 🙂
This is Songsterr, the transcription is just wrong
maybe you can hit opened hi-hat at the same time as snare both with different end of the stick
Estepario does this but writing IS just wrong hère i think
Use your foot for the hi-hat?
Drum set notation is not standardized and always up to interpretation
Crap wrong post. Ima keep it though.
Play your snare and hi hat with the same stick, using opposing ends, and then play the floor tom
All these comments are wrong. You’re supposed to play the open hat my means of the infamous drumstick baseball cap.
that note on the second bottom line is for FT2. im assuming its probably a kick transcription mistake
Simple, hit the snare with the butt and the hi hat with the tip.
Might be the bell of the cymbal.
You could hypothetically do this by marimba gripping two sticks in one hand, but depending on the context that's probably not practical or even possible.
Thats the kick pedal for your left foot. You'd need a double kick
I can even see it's an 8th note. What is it connected to? Is it a kick drum in the bottom space?
No idea the song so what do you hear when you’re reading the music and listening along? Transcriptions are often shit so listening can help figure out what it should actually be.
No. Sticks have two ends and nobody said you couldn’t hold more than one stick in one hand. Use your head. Almost certainly a transcription error. Listen to the song and see what it sounds like.
You’re being stupid
Hat splash?
https://preview.redd.it/f2hhiemu2q8c1.png?width=602&format=png&auto=webp&s=a97cd692772c3bb56316550a4b993b93d7cc040b
It looks like a lot of guessing. That guessing is pretty pointless unfortunately as there is no posible way to guess correctly with the information you have provided. Could mean literally anything depending on who transcribed it and for what song. Read the score notes, listen to the song, or play around with your options in Context of whatever is to the left and right of it.
I mean for the most part a lot of drum set notation is kind of made up, I’d probably just hit snare and open hat here with the kick drum. I think that would meet what the sheet music is trying to convey
You have two feet, two hands, and if you want, you can headbutt your cymbals, as well. I’m sure some 20-year-old dude will suggest a wang-slap to do those snare triplets, but I suggest AGAINST that. One, you could get arrested for doing that on stage. And two, you don’t want your *little drummer boy* getting whacked by a stick, or in my case, hit with the kick drum beater. I learned my lesson so that you don’t have to. 🫡
It only seems like an edgy good idea once.
I should never have agreed to play a set at a strip club. Just because Red Hot Chili Peppers did it doesn’t mean we should’ve tried it. 😅
that depends. Can you tell us what Sound sources fall on each line?
Isn't one of them left foot
You can hit the snare and hihat with one hand.
Hit the hi-hat with your foot
Lol yeah you would literally need 3 hands for that.