Drum Tabs?

[Beauford33]

Aren't both tabs and sheet music basically the same thing? They both tell you how the song's played. Why the big distinction?

And as you get into playing more gigs, you'll see that you dont really get note for note things to really play. You might, but more then likely youre just going to get a chart that explains maybe the piano part and whoever is in charge will tell you what you the feel they want and the hits you need to play

[pie21]

And good luck trying to write everyting down note for note.

I don't see why it's so difficult. Apart from catching every single little ghost note he throws in as improv, it's really not that hard at all. I just finished off 'Where Are You Going' and have got almost all of 'Jimi Thing', except I need to go back through it to get the cymbals right.

Hang on, tabs are simply so you can learn to play a song that you want to learn how to play, right? Noone's expecting you to take these to your gigs. Nor are they supposed to train you up to be good at playing live. They're just notes.

[bassman462]

tabs completely different then sheet music, it takes knowledge and skill to play straight off of sheet music, it does not to go right off of tab. well at least with bass tabs and bass music.

tabs give u a simple outline has the number of what frets

sheet music shows you the octave and the note, u must know which note it is also have to know if its flat or sharp by the key signature, and then know the octave, all the "road map" showing you how to go along with playing the song since it doesnt just go straight through it goes back to verses, or goes to the senoi(sp?) and coda.

[pie21]

tabs completely different then sheet music, it takes knowledge and skill to play straight off of sheet music, it does not to go right off of tab. well at least with bass tabs and bass music.

tabs give u a simple outline has the number of what frets

sheet music shows you the octave and the note, u must know which note it is also have to know if its flat or sharp by the key signature, and then know the octave, all the "road map" showing you how to go along with playing the song since it doesnt just go straight through it goes back to verses, or goes to the senoi(sp?) and coda.

I can understand that, but for drums there is no frets, no octaves, no sharps/flats, no key signature. There is only one way to play each drum, no 'first string 5th fret or second string open' idea. D.S. and Coda don't really apply as much (I'm not saying they don't) in drumming, since each verse is generally different, as are the choruses.

The thing that makes drumming sheet music take more skill to play off is that it doesn't tell you all the notes, you get the basic groove and you improv around it. If you want that, then I guess you could just take a piece of sheet music from a tab and delete half of it, and make that up again

[brian_ok]

Can you post an example of a drum tab? I've never seen one...I've always just seen percussion written on a 'blank clef'.

Once, I saw a site with piano tabs, I shit you not. Dumbest thing I've ever seen, especially considering that any dumbass can sight read on a piano after oh, say, 30 minutes of instruction.

[pie21]

Alright, here's an example of one of my favourite pieces of tab, #41, mine of course. I've only ever found one piece of DMB tab that wasn't a joke, Ants Marching. Anyway, I'm quite proud of this song, cos it's about 99% accurate. This bit is the first half-or-so of the sax solo part starting at 4:27.

Note, a [tt] under two notes means it's a triplet with the middle note missing (rested), and a [TT] means a full triplet. Most of the [tt]'s are pretty superfluous, it's just that the song is played in 16th note triplets (except for the intro).

Code: Select all

Sax Solo – 4:27
CC|X---------------|----------------|----------------|---------s------|
RC|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
HH|-------X-------x|-xx----x-xo-#--X|-xx----xo---#--X|-xx----x--------|
SD|----o-------o---|----o-------o---|----o-------o---|----o-------o---|
BD|o--o------o---o-|o--o----------o-|o--o------------|o--o--o--o---o-o|
  |1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|
    [tt][tt]    [tt|tttt][ttTT]  [tt|tttt][tt]    [tt|tttt][tttt][tttt]

CC|s---------------|----------------|----------------|------------s---|
RC|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x---x-|
HH|-------X------x-|-xx----X-------X|---------x------|-X-----o--------|
SD|----o----o--o---|----o-------o---|----o--o----o-o-|----o----o--o---|
BD|o--o------o---o-|o--o------o--o--|o--o------o-----|o--o-ooo--o---o-|
  |1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|
    [tt][tttt]     [tttt][tt]    [tt] [tt][tttt]     [tttttttttt]    

CC|s---------------|----------------|----------------|------------C---|
RC|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x---x-|
HH|-------X-------x|-------X-x------|---------X-----X|-------X--------|
SD|----o----g--o---|----o-------o---|----o--o----o---|-o--o-o--o--o---|
BD|o--o------o---o-|o--o------o--o-o|o--o------o---o-|o--o------o---o-|
  |1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|
    [tt][tttt]  [tt] [tt][tttt][tttt] [tt][tttt]     [tttt][tttt] 

CC|x---------------|----------------|----------------|--------------s-|
RC|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-----|
HH|-------X-------x|-------X--------|-X-----X-------x|-xX----X--------|
SD|----o-------o---|----o-------o--o|----o-------o---|----o----o--o---|
BD|o--o------o---o-|o--o-----ooo--o-|o--o------o---o-|o---------o---o-|
  |1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|
    [tt][tt]    [tt] [tt][tttttt][tt|tttt][tt]    [tt|TT]  [tttt]    

CC|s---x-----------|----------------|s---------------|----------------|
RC|--x---x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-----|
HH|---------X-----X|-xx----X---X-x--|-------X-------X|-------X--------|
SD|----o--o----o---|----o----o-----o|----o-------o---|----o----o--oo--|
FT|----------------|------------o---|----------------|--------------oo|
BD|o--o------o---o-|o--o------o---o-|o--o------o---o-|o--o---o--oo----|
  |1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a|
    [tt][tttt]  [tt|tttt][tttttttttt] [tt][tt]    [tt] [tt][tttttttttt]

Hopefully you understand me when I say it's not that different to sheet music, apart from telling you exactly what notes.

[Beauford33]

tabs completely different then sheet music, it takes knowledge and skill to play straight off of sheet music, it does not to go right off of tab. well at least with bass tabs and bass music.

tabs give u a simple outline has the number of what frets

sheet music shows you the octave and the note, u must know which note it is also have to know if its flat or sharp by the key signature, and then know the octave, all the "road map" showing you how to go along with playing the song since it doesnt just go straight through it goes back to verses, or goes to the senoi(sp?) and coda.

I can understand that, but for drums there is no frets, no octaves, no sharps/flats, no key signature. There is only one way to play each drum, no 'first string 5th fret or second string open' idea. D.S. and Coda don't really apply as much (I'm not saying they don't) in drumming, since each verse is generally different, as are the choruses.

The thing that makes drumming sheet music take more skill to play off is that it doesn't tell you all the notes, you get the basic groove and you improv around it. If you want that, then I guess you could just take a piece of sheet music from a tab and delete half of it, and make that up again

What kind of sheet music have you been playing?

And after looking at that tab, Im begging JKanter to not allow TAB. That whole idea of tt representing a triplet....wow. No offense to Mr. Pie, but common.

And I realize Im really comming off as an ass right now, but Im really not that bad. I just think the ideas of these things are kinda.....dumb

[pie21]

What kind of sheet music have you been playing?

And after looking at that tab, Im begging JKanter to not allow TAB. That whole idea of tt representing a triplet....wow. No offense to Mr. Pie, but common.

I'll be honest about the sheet music... very little. Either the simpler music that doesn't need to cut anything, or sheet music that is supposed to be improvised around. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut

How would you prefer I wrote triplets? Either you have ts, you give each triplet its own space and subsequently fit about 2 bars to a line and take up twice as many (10) pages, or you could do it like they do with sheet music, with a 3 on top. Sadly, Word doesn't give you that option. The thing about this song is the WHOLE THING is in triplets... most songs aren't. I'll go get some more, less triplety tab.

Most songs aren't like #41, most are mostly like American Baby, which is simply

Code: Select all

Chorus 1 - 1:02
CC|X---------------|----------------|----x-----------|----------------|
HH|--x-X-x-X-x-X-x-|X-x-X-x-X-x-X-x-|X-x---x-X-x-X-x-|X-x-X-x-X-x-X-x-|
SD|----o-------o---|----o-------o---|----o-------o---|----o-------o---|
BD|o---------o---o-|o---------o---o-|o--o------o---o-|o------o--o---o-|

CC|----------------|----------------|----x-----------|----------------|
HH|X-x-X-x-X-x-X-x-|X-x-X-x-X-x-X-x-|X-x---x-X-x-X-x-|X-x-X-x-X-x-X-X-|
SD|----o-------o---|----o-------o---|----o-------o---|----o----go-----|
FT|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------o--|
BD|o---------o---o-|o--------oo-----|o--d------o---o-|o--o----o---o-o-|

for most of the song. I attempted to tab the outro part as well, but I doubt you'd like it

Alternatively, there's DMB that's not triplets, like Where Are You Going:

Code: Select all

Verse 2 – 1:01
                   /-------x6-------\
CC|x---------------|----------------|----------------|
HH|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-----|
SD|-g-G-gg--g--o--b|-g-G-gg--g--o--b|-g-G-gg--g-go---|
TT|----------------|----------------|--------------33|
BD|o------o--o-----|o------o--o-----|o------o--o-----|

Chorus 2 – 1:30
CC|x---------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
HH|--x---x--x-gx-gx|-x---gx--x------|-----gx--x-gx--x|-----gx--x------|
SD|---go---g-------|--ggo---g--g---b|-gggo---g-----g-|---go-------o---|
TT|----------------|------------4---|----------------|-----------4---5|
BD|o------o--o--o--|o------o--o---o-|o------o--o--o--|o------o--o---o-|

CC|----------------|----------------|----------------|x---------------|
HH|-----gx--x-gx--x|-x---gx--x------|-----gx--x-gx--x|-----gx--x--x--x|
SD|-gggo---g-----g-|--ggo---g--g---b|ggggo---g-----g-|--ggo---g--g--g-|
TT|----------------|------------4---|----------------|----------------|
BD|o------o--o--o--|o------o--o---o-|o------o--o--o--|o------o--o--o--|

CC|----------------|x---------------|x---------------|----------------|
HH|-x---gx--x------|--x---x-x-x-----|----------------|----------------|
SD|--ggo---g-------|----o----o--o---|----------------|------------r~~~|
TT|------------4---|-----------3--4-|----------------|----------------|
BD|o------o--o---oo|o------o--o-----|o---------------|----------------|

But you won't like that either because it's too accurate. You'll say that because you can't hear half those notes, they're not there. They are.

[Beauford33]

What kind of sheet music have you been playing?

And after looking at that tab, Im begging JKanter to not allow TAB. That whole idea of tt representing a triplet....wow. No offense to Mr. Pie, but common.

I'll be honest about the sheet music... very little. Either the simpler music that doesn't need to cut anything, or sheet music that is supposed to be improvised around. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut

How would you prefer I wrote triplets? Either you have ts, you give each triplet its own space and subsequently fit about 2 bars to a line and take up twice as many (10) pages, or you could do it like they do with sheet music, with a 3 on top. Sadly, Word doesn't give you that option.

Right, so maybe you should just leave it to standard notation to show note value instead of TT and tt and X

[pie21]

Right, so maybe you should just leave it to standard notation to show note value instead of TT and tt and X

I COULD leave it to standard notation, but how would I learn it then? I'm not about to write out the whole song by hand, and I haven't got any software to turn the tab into standard notation. The point is, it works. I can basically play the song, and whether you like it or not, the tab is right. The fact that you think [tt]'s should be burnt doesn't change that.

And please, if you know a program that does allow drumming to be notated, please tell.

[Beauford33]

Right, so maybe you should just leave it to standard notation to show note value instead of TT and tt and X

I COULD leave it to standard notation, but how would I learn it then? I'm not about to write out the whole song by hand, and I haven't got any software to turn the tab into standard notation. The point is, it works. I can basically play the song, and whether you like it or not, the tab is right. The fact that you think [tt]'s should be burnt doesn't change that.

And please, if you know a program that does allow drumming to be notated, please tell.

Why not learn some basic music theory. Learning how to at least understand note value in standard notation. Really doesnt take that long. And it WILL prove to be more valuable. And I never said it was wrong, but I actually never looked through it because just trying to see how this represents anything remotely musical....well all I have to say is "no sir".

And there is a program where you can write things in standard notation. As for the name, I do not know. I just remember seing Brock put up some sheet music for a piano part.

And I didnt see your post ealier when you posted more tabs. But what was this? I dont like it because it is "too accurate"? WTF?

[pie21]

Why not learn some basic music theory. Learning how to at least understand note value in standard notation. Really doesnt take that long. And it WILL prove to be more valuable. And I never said it was wrong, but I actually never looked through it because just trying to see how things relate to others...no sir.

Ahhh... another misinterpretation. I'm getting good at these. What I mean is that I CAN'T write it in standard notation without software, and I'm not going to write it out by hand. So if I have no music to read, how can I learn it? I can't, is the idea. I know all about music theory, I played piano for a few years and even guitar briefly, and while I could read it if it were in standard notation, I can't write it in standard notation, so there's nothing for me to read. Is that any clearer?

However, as we speak I'm getting some software to put it in standard notation, I'll show you when it's done

EDIT: What, are you saying you don't dislike it? I just figured you wouldn't, for all the reasons you've already said. I was just being petulant.

[Beauford33]

I dislike the fact that they are presented in the mildly retarded manner that you are making.

[DJR]

Can you post an example of a drum tab? I've never seen one...I've always just seen percussion written on a 'blank clef'.

Once, I saw a site with piano tabs, I shit you not. Dumbest thing I've ever seen, especially considering that any dumbass can sight read on a piano after oh, say, 30 minutes of instruction.

i seriously hope you're joking

[bassman462]

Why not learn some basic music theory. Learning how to at least understand note value in standard notation. Really doesnt take that long. And it WILL prove to be more valuable. And I never said it was wrong, but I actually never looked through it because just trying to see how things relate to others...no sir.

Ahhh... another misinterpretation. I'm getting good at these. What I mean is that I CAN'T write it in standard notation without software, and I'm not going to write it out by hand. So if I have no music to read, how can I learn it? I can't, is the idea. I know all about music theory, I played piano for a few years and even guitar briefly, and while I could read it if it were in standard notation, I can't write it in standard notation, so there's nothing for me to read. Is that any clearer?

However, as we speak I'm getting some software to put it in standard notation, I'll show you when it's done

EDIT: What, are you saying you don't dislike it? I just figured you wouldn't, for all the reasons you've already said. I was just being petulant.

here use this

http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/