How important is note reading for beginning drummers?

striker

striker

Well-known Member
I have two questions:

1) Is this a skill that is useful for professional drummers and recording artists only or all drummers?
2) Is note reading a beginner subject or an intermediate subject that has to be taught?
 
Is knowing how to read your language an essential skill?

Is it fun to be illiterate?

Then in Music reading is for all levels important, and for a beginner essential to stop being one.
 
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Reading music is useful and can be a major asset. It does not determine your skill level or playing ability.
Music theory on the other hand, usually does.
 
reading music can be very useful, but it takes time. before i knew how to read music, i was just fine. its not necessary to be able to be a good drummer, but it will help.
 
Musical notation is a symbolic representation of music on paper. While jazz and rock drumming often prioritize improvisation and listening over reading, understanding music theory is essential. It not only teaches fundamental concepts but also enables effective communication among musicians. This insight is part of my drum book, 'Time Initiation,' featuring a comprehensive theory section.
 
bud7h4 said:
Reading music is useful and can be a major asset. It does not determine your skill level or playing ability.
Music theory on the other hand, usually does.
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Thanks. I think you articulated the question better than I did. I will be more specific.
So, how does going through something like "Alfred's Drum Method Book 1" help in increasing one's playing skill and ability?
 
striker said:
So, how does going through something like "Alfred's Drum Method Book 1" help in increasing one's playing skill and ability?
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You know a little more about how rhythm is constructed, and how music is organized, and you will have learned a lot of necessary basic drumming items quickly, clearly and precisely.
 
Yes..from the very beginning.
Start with a whole note in 4/4 time at 100 BPM.....and see....already gettin' it.
Avoid the situation at a gig, where the guy paying, hands out a chart to play.......and "one" does not understand it....at all.
 
Yes! Important for all levels.

The level you can play at will dictate what level of reading you need to be comfortable with.

As you advance in your playing new concepts in reading will present themselves.

You don’t need to be able to read The Black Page if you are still learning Back in Black.

Don’t get overwhelmed, just get started.
 
and, It's not that hard to learn note values
 
I always recommend to learn how to read music. It's not difficult and will make things dramatically easier to learn (especially large amounts of music at once). There is literally no downside to learning to read, and I've never heard of anyone getting hired because they *didn't* know how to read.
 
Reading and writing notation has been essential to my career. Not just what I write for myself, but to read what other players inevitably hand me.

I don't know any working musician who doesn't read and write.

striker said:
So, how does going through something like "Alfred's Drum Method Book 1" help in increasing one's playing skill and ability?
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It's musical development and a stepping stone to higher learning. Not the only stepping stone of course, you can't learn to play with other musicians just by reading about it. You need to get together with players of a similar ability and experience the dynamics of being in a group. Apart from a literal handful of solo drummers - Bozzio and a few others - drummers drum in a band. That should be your goal. The type of music is your choice, but there is a 99.9999% chance it will be playing in a band.

Listen to songs, play along with them, and listen carefully to what the drummers do.
 
I don't think anyone has ever said learning how to read hurt them in the long run.

Reading opens doors to learning you wouldn't have otherwise. The sources of which to learn from to resolve issues, learn and enhance facility on the instrument is endless.

It is very, very easy to learn how to read.
 
I’ll chime in and say yes, it’s important, especially if you plan on moving onto playing with a lot of different bands on a quest to becoming a working professional. But if you’re not sure where you want to end up, I wouldn’t get too stressed from everyone making it sound like you “must or else”. It’s music and an art and everybody finds their way through it however they want to do it. So figure out what you want to be and do as a drummer and find the path that gets you there.

Personally, it turns me off when I meet people who tell me “YOU MUST DO THIS OR ELSE I’LL SPANK YOU” - especially when they’re assuming I’m just like them (yeah, ain’t that arrogant?). You can do what you want - just have fun with it. I can’t tell you how many failed musicians I’ve met who quit because others forced them into thinking they must do things. It’s a shame.
 
ADrummerGuy said:
Reading opens doors to learning you wouldn't have otherwise
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Yep, such as being able to digest the countless drum books available, at your own pace, and without the time and expense of someone personally teaching you those things.
 
Bo Eder said:
I’ll chime in and say yes, it’s important, especially if you plan on moving onto playing with a lot of different bands on a quest to becoming a working professional. But if you’re not sure where you want to end up, I wouldn’t get too stressed from everyone making it sound like you “must or else”. It’s music and an art and everybody finds their way through it however they want to do it. So figure out what you want to be and do as a drummer and find the path that gets you there.

Personally, it turns me off when I meet people who tell me “YOU MUST DO THIS OR ELSE I’LL SPANK YOU” - especially when they’re assuming I’m just like them (yeah, ain’t that arrogant?). You can do what you want - just have fun with it. I can’t tell you how many failed musicians I’ve met who quit because others forced them into thinking they must do things. It’s a shame.
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Thanks. That is why I asked the question in the first place. Personally, I learn better and get more motivated by knowing "why" I do this and "how" it helps me in becoming a better player, rather than just being told "what" to do.
 
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