Sunday, January 10, 2010

Some Various Ways To Notate Or Jot Down Drum Rhythms

There's a variety of different ways I like to use to notate, or can clearly transcribe a drum circle rhythm. It's really a matter of preference, and what you find the fastest, and easiest for you. Here's some various ways I've seen to do so. The accented louder strokes (or slaps) are in caps.

Here's an example of "Fanga" in 4/4 time notated a few different ways:

Gun go-do-go Gun-Dun go-Do (or like this:)
Dun, -, -, go, +, do, go, -, Dun, -, Gun, -, do, go, -, -

(As far as I know, a style taught by Babatunde Olatunji)
Probably the most common, and well known method.
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Doum tek-ka-tek Doum-Doum tek-Ka (Middle Eastern style)
(or in shorthand = D t-k-t D-D t-K)
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Boom chickaChick Boom-Boom chicKa
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B o-o-o B-B o-O
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Or, Bass=B, Slap=S, Rim Shot=R, Open Tone=O, Closed Tone=C, Muffled Bass=M
(I don't use this one very much)
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Or if it's dark, & I'm in a hurry which is usually the case:
Morse Code _ ... __..
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I've seen some others also use this one: R l-r-l R-L r-L
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Or, keep it simple: B = bass tone, T = tone note, S = slap tone
(I use small case letters for softer notes)
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Jazz scatting - Just write down, whatever it sounds like.
Boom sha-ka-la Boom-Boom sha-Ka
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So there's a variety of ways to notate, or jot down a drum circle rhythm even quickly on the fly. Maybe even make up your own method.

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