Common terms in drum music???

Being new to reading drum music I'm curios as to what the hell half the terms on my sheet music mean because my teacher doesn't seem to want to tell me. So if anyone's in a helpful mood could you perhaps list down some common terms used in drum music.

Just to give you a basic idea on what I'm dealing with heres some examples (If it helps, Im playing in a concert band with wind instruments and such).

-H.H W/FOOT
-ENS.
-TIME
-SIM
-W/ENS
-STICK - TIME
-DS AL FINE
 
How about this, Mason? Not exclusively for drums but lots of goodies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_musical_terminology
QUOTE]

Very useful link Polly, but I think Mason was asking about written information on a transcription sheet :)

ie: -H.H W/FOOT = playing the transcripted notes on the hi-hat with the foot ('instead of the hands) :)

I have no clue what the other ones are reffering to though :(

A special language from down under??? ;-))
 
How about this, Mason? Not exclusively for drums but lots of goodies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_musical_terminology
Very useful link Polly, but I think Mason was asking about written information on a transcription sheet :)

True. The list did have DS al fine, though:

D.S. al fine or dal segno al fine: from the sign to the end; i.e., return to a place in the music designated by the sign and continue to the end of the piece
 
How about this, Mason? Not exclusively for drums but lots of goodies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_musical_terminology


True. The list did have DS al fine, though:

D.S. al fine or dal segno al fine: from the sign to the end; i.e., return to a place in the music designated by the sign and continue to the end of the piece

Thanks for the link polly, it did help a lot to understand that term :)

It's challenging but will be worth it once I've settled in. I've always wanted to learn all styles of music but I've never had the motivation/teacher/ability to do so. Finally my chance has came and now I'm struggling because no one has ever taught me how to read everyone just expects me to know even when I explain to them that I'm clueless. But thanks for the helpful link indeed :)
 
HiHat with foot
ensemble (I suppose)
play time
simile (similarly)
dal segno (from the sign) al fine (to the end)

many terms are Italian.

ok so that's what they stand for, but what do they mean? :(

The main one I'm struggling with is "play time" I'm getting told this a lot and people look at me like I'm a total idiot to not understand. I take it it's just play a beat that is of the correct tempo to hold the band together but can I play whatever beat I want? or does it depend on the situation/whats written?
 
Yes, play a groove or comping pattern that is appropriate to the situation.
For example if a rock band says play time, you may play a simple rock beat.
If a bop group says play time, you may play the swing pattern on the ride
cymbal, 2 and 4 with the hihat (foot), and comp with snare and bass drum.
 
Yes, play a groove or comping pattern that is appropriate to the situation.
For example if a rock band says play time, you may play a simple rock beat.
If a bop group says play time, you may play the swing pattern on the ride
cymbal, 2 and 4 with the hihat (foot), and comp with snare and bass drum.

Thanks for the clear explanation.

Makes my life 100x easier :)
 
-H.H W/FOOT

Play the hihat with your foot.


The music maybe is telling you that the entire ensemble comes in in that spot, or it's telling you what they're playing so you can play along with it.


Play a beat ("time") in the style of the piece. If it's a rock song, you play a rock beat.


Short for simile, which means to keep doing what you were doing.


Short for "with ensemble". Whatever the music is telling you to do right there is supposed to be in unison with the rest of the group.

-STICK - TIME

It wants you to switch to sticks, and to play time.

-DS AL FINE

Go back to the sign:
Symbols.Dal_Segno.jpg

and play to where it says fine (pronounced FEE-nay), which will be the end of the piece.
 
Play the hihat with your foot.



The music maybe is telling you that the entire ensemble comes in in that spot, or it's telling you what they're playing so you can play along with it.



Play a beat ("time") in the style of the piece. If it's a rock song, you play a rock beat.



Short for simile, which means to keep doing what you were doing.



Short for "with ensemble". Whatever the music is telling you to do right there is supposed to be in unison with the rest of the group.



It wants you to switch to sticks, and to play time.



Go back to the sign:
Symbols.Dal_Segno.jpg

and play to where it says fine (pronounced FEE-nay), which will be the end of the piece.

Exactly correct! You get an A.
 
Thanks Todd. You are a wellspring of pro knowledge.
 
What Todd said.

For some reason people who write drum music like to add in little notes like that.

On one transcription of Eric Whitacre's Godzilla Eats Las Vegas, a note read, "Insane Latin Solo!", among all these other crazy notes like, "pretend to celebrate and knock glasses with other percussionists"

The Solo lasted 80 bars.
 
What Todd said.

For some reason people who write drum music like to add in little notes like that.

On one transcription of Eric Whitacre's Godzilla Eats Las Vegas, a note read, "Insane Latin Solo!", among all these other crazy notes like, "pretend to celebrate and knock glasses with other percussionists"

The Solo lasted 80 bars.

or this...

image.axd


Jeff
 
Cheers for that todd, I think I completely grasp the concept of reading drum music now.
and lovin the example jeff.
 
Cheers for that todd, I think I completely grasp the concept of reading drum music now.
and lovin the example jeff.

You said it was a concert ensemble, but the terms you asked about were those that you'd find in a big band jazz chart. Is it more a a pops style band - concert band playing more popular pieces with drum set?

Jeff
 
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