When you start drumming, it’s important to understand the basic symbols in drum notation. These symbols will help you play simple songs. Let's go through the key symbols every beginner should know.

Basic Drum Notation Symbols

1. Staff: This is the main part of sheet music! The drum staff has five lines and four spaces. Each line and space stands for different drums or percussion instruments.

2. Note Heads: These are the round shapes that sit on the lines or in the spaces of the staff. Where the note head is located tells you which drum to play:

   • Bass Drum: Usually shown on the bottom line.
   • Snare Drum: Often found on the third line.
   • Hi-Hat: Usually represented by a note on the top line.

3. Rests: These symbols tell you when to stop playing. For example:

   • Quarter Rest: Looks like a squiggly line and means to pause for one beat.
   • Eighth Rest: Looks like a smaller version of the quarter rest, meaning to pause for half a beat.

4. Ties and Slurs: These symbols connect notes, showing that they should be played smoothly together. Although you might not see these often in basic drumming, they can be helpful in advanced rhythms.

5. Dynamics: Symbols like 'ff' (forte) mean to play loudly, while 'pp' (piano) means to play softly.

Example

To help you visualize, think of a simple measure:

• Bass Drum: Notated on the bottom line, you strike it on beats 1 and 3.
• Snare Drum: A note on the third line means you hit it on beats 2 and 4.
• Hi-Hat: Notes on the top line mean you play it on every beat for a steady rhythm.

By learning these symbols, you will be able to read and play your favorite simple drum songs with confidence. Happy drumming!