weckl-x
New member
I managed to find some today, thought they might be useful for someone else too.
Here are some generic ones which work for a wide range of instruments/formats:
http://www.dolmetsch.com/manuscriptpaper.htm
Drummer Jeff Consi shares his own version on his site.
Here are some generic ones which work for a wide range of instruments/formats:
http://www.dolmetsch.com/manuscriptpaper.htm
Drummer Jeff Consi shares his own version on his site.
Manuscript for Drummers
I have used a few different types of manuscript notebooks to jot down some ideas, grooves, and songs, but I found that most of them didn’t accommodate the space needed to write down a quick “cheat sheet” for a set that I needed to perform. So, I sat down and came up with a PDF file of blank manuscript that can be printed out and used to write out the music and key notes of each song.
Download Drum Manuscript PDF (A4)
http://www.jeffconsi.com/images/DrumManuscript_A4.pdf
In the PDF file I included enough space for the song title, a text box to write the tempo(bpm), space for the time signature, and a “ride key” that I use to quickly figure out the ride pattern of the song. It’s just four 1/4 notes that you can turn into 1/8 notes or 1/16 notes by tying them together with a pen or pencil. See Figure 1 below for an example.
I found this to be an easy way to quickly get a summary of the tune. I usually grab the iPod and go through each song, writing down intros, grooves, major drum fills, and the endings of the songs. I enter the bpm in the tempo text box, and tie the notes together in the “ride key” to form the basic ride pattern of each tune.
After learning the songs by ear, and also going through this process of writing out my notes on manuscript paper, I find that I get familiar with the songs quickly. Then, it’s just a matter of practicing a bit on your own and/or with the band as well.
At the gig I bring along my notes and a metronome so I can quickly set myself up for each song in the set. I have been doing this for a while now, and it seems to be work quite well. I would love to hear any other tips you may have. So feel free to comment. Cheers!
http://www.jeffconsi.com/archives/2006/11/29/a-drummers-guide-to-learning-new-music/
