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Drum Tabs

Drum tabs, or drum tablature, are the written percussion beats of a piece of music. In the same way that other instruments follow music notes to perform a song, drums follow the striking patterns noted on drum tabs. Because percussion instruments don't play different notes like most other instruments, the tabs are noted for rhythm, different types of striking of the drum and which drum or cymbal should be struck.

Drum tabs have a different type of notation that musicians might not be familiar with if they have not played percussion before. Standard music notes represent the octave and note to be played, as well as the length of time to play each note in relation to the timing of the song. On a drum tab, the notation specifies the instrument (for example: HH for high hat cymbals, B for bass drum, FT for floor tom, etc.) as well as the method of striking for each note (-o- which means strike, -O- which denotes an accented strike, -B- is an accented one-handed roll, etc.).

Drum tabs are designed to accurately show timing for a song. Standard guitar tabs often have problems showing timing correctly and rely on the guitarist to know a song in order to play it correctly beyond the tabs. A percussionist looking for drum tabs will be able to find many online at various Web sites devoted to drummers.

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