{"id":28136,"date":"2021-05-07T09:48:23","date_gmt":"2021-05-07T16:48:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/?p=28136"},"modified":"2024-11-04T11:29:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T19:29:44","slug":"how-to-learn-songs-on-drums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-learn-songs-on-drums\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Learn Songs On Drums"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>How do you learn songs on drums? And when do you <em>really <\/em>know a song?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you can picture the part you&#8217;re about to play before it happens, you know the song well.<br>When you can hear every section in your head while another song is playing, you know the song <em>really<\/em> well.<br>When you can play it 100% of the time without messing up, well&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s get you there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people learn by listening and others learn by reading. This guide includes tips to help beginner drummers get started, and to help experienced or working drummers learn songs faster.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><style>\n#toc_container {<br \/>\n   background: #f9f9f9 none repeat scroll 0 0;<br \/>\n   border: 1px solid #aaa;<br \/>\n   display: table;<br \/>\n   font-size: 95%;<br \/>\n   margin-bottom: 1em;<br \/>\n   padding: 20px;<br \/>\n   width: auto;<br \/>\n}<br \/>\n.toc_title {<br \/>\n   font-weight: 700;<br \/>\n   text-align: center;<br \/>\n}<br \/>\n#toc_container li, #toc_container ul, #toc_container ul li{<br \/>\n   list-style: outside none none !important;<br \/>\n}<br \/>\n<\/style>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\">\n<p class=\"toc_title\">\n<\/p><h3><strong>Table of Contents<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul class=\"toc_list\">\n<li><a href=\"#Learn_songs\">How to learn songs by ear<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Learn_fills\">How to learn drum fills by ear<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Drum_charts\">How to read and write drum charts<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Technology\">Using technology to learn songs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Learn_faster\">How to learn songs faster on drums<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Learn_songs\" style=\"color: #0b76db;\"><strong>How to learn songs by ear<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing you need to do is get used to &#8216;active listening&#8217;. This means that when you sit down to learn a song, you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Remove all distractions (that means you, social media) and make sure you&#8217;re comfortable<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure you can hear the track (your best bet is headphones)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consciously pay attention to what&#8217;s happening in the song<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consider taking notes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t give up too quickly. Ear training takes&#8230;well, training. If you\u2019ve only listened to the song a few times and can\u2019t hear what the drummer is doing, listen a few more times, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/why-you-should-learn-to-program-drum-parts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">slow it down using a music program<\/a> (scroll down to the technology section of this article), or try a simpler song to practice learning by ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Learn the song structure<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you even think about what the drums are doing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Learn the order of the song sections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is there an intro followed by a verse and then a chorus? Or is there a pre-chorus?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Where does the bridge come in?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How long is each section?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you write down the order of sections, it\u2019ll be easier to learn the song rather than relying on your memory. Congrats &#8211; you\u2019ve basically written a chart! (Skip ahead to the charts section if you don\u2019t know what that means)<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VyedyKlZTCo\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Decipher the drum parts<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you aren\u2019t in a rush to play the song, start learning each section bit by bit. Don\u2019t try to tackle the entire song at once. First, learn the intro part. Then, learn the first verse. Then test yourself by practicing both the intro and the first verse together. This is a vertical approach to learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if you need to learn the song quickly &#8211; and it\u2019s more important to nail the structure and get through the track than get every single detail down &#8211; try to learn the overall gist of the song, simplify it, and play through it before getting into the nitty-gritty. This is more of a horizontal approach to learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of how to simplify drum parts in a song, where Dave shows you how to play &#8220;Smells Like Teen Spirit&#8221; at any level:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Bz2xC7bfRnA\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this video, Jimmy Rainsford (Picture This) talks through his listening process as he learns a song by ear:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kJ1Egv-6at8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the following video, Larnell Lewis learns a song he\u2019s never heard before. It has no drum parts, but he\u2019s able to figure out how many verses and choruses there are, and he\u2019s paying close attention to the number of times each section repeats:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vIW72VXMPHo\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rashid Williams does the same in this video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GVQDvBGIQMo\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sing the rhythms<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Gregg Bissonette finds that vocalizing the patterns helps him retain the information &#8211; and it can be more fun this way, too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KIX53xAKQww\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Learn_fills\" style=\"color: #0b76db;\"><strong>How to learn drum fills by ear<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First, identify the length of the fill. Is it a half-bar fill? A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/drum-fills-play-along\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one-bar fill<\/a>? Or does the fill take two bars to play through?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then listen to how many notes make up the fill. Similar to what you might do when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/benny-greb-drum-lessons\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">learning grooves<\/a>, sing the rhythms to yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there are snare hits in the fill, figure out where those fall, and then move on to where the bass drum hits go. Add in the toms after. If you\u2019re struggling to distinguish between tom and bass drum sounds, you can either keep listening to the song, look for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/larnell-lewis-what-about-me-snarky-puppy-drum-playthrough\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">videos of the drummer playing that part<\/a>, or give yourself the freedom to decide what goes where.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jimmy Rainsford demonstrates tips for learning drum fills here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wmbu4eS6xgs\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more complex or quick drum fills where you\u2019re struggling to hear exactly what the drummer is playing, you can use a program to slow it down. Skip forward to the \u2018technology\u2019 section for options!<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Drum_charts\" style=\"color: #0b76db;\"><strong>How to read and write drum charts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you ever take a test in school where they let you bring your own \u2018cheat sheet\u2019? Think of charts as cheat sheets for drummers. Rather than transcribing an entire song note for note, charts are much quicker to write and read. They consist of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-read-drum-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abbreviated notes that outline the song structure<\/a>, grooves or accents that need to be played, and other shorthand or symbols chosen by the drummer to help them remember key elements.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>This lesson shows you how drum charts help you learn songs faster:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Drumeo-Live-2020-04-09-Charting Songs for Learning Faster\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/406074348?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of a handwritten chart for a Radiohead song <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/pro-drum-studio-tips-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">from this article<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/16185830\/radiohead-song-1-1.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">click here for the digitized version<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/27173024\/lucky-Drumeo.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/27173024\/lucky-Drumeo.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<p>As a session drummer, Randy Cooke uses charts to learn songs quickly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TVLcZfo7HFQ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For each section of the song, it&#8217;s helpful to write down:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The section type (verse\/chorus\/bridge\/solo)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The time signature<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The subdivision (quarter notes\/eighth notes\/sixteenth notes)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The cymbal you should be using (hi-hats\/ride\/etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The basic kick\/snare pattern<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How often something repeats<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The dynamics (should it be loud or soft)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lyric cues (if you find it helps)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s an example of Randy&#8217;s chart (it may be tough to read a chart that isn\u2019t yours, but this works for him!):<\/p>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/Resources\/randy-chart.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/27173551\/randy-chart.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s an example of an even simpler chart written by Gil Sharone, who was tasked with playing a song after one listen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"761\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/27173815\/gil-chart-761x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28155\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/27173815\/gil-chart-761x1024.jpg 761w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/27173815\/gil-chart-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/27173815\/gil-chart-768x1034.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/27173815\/gil-chart.jpg 913w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 761px) 100vw, 761px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SLO5WcJzm6o\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gregg Bissonette is so fluent in chart-building that he can do pretty much anything on the fly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OMALS_mIg1E\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See how everyone has their own methods of writing charts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>R<a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-read-drum-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eading music<\/a> in general is a helpful skill. Glen Sobel (drummer for Alice Cooper) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/glen-sobel-always-read-into-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">got his first big gig<\/a> because he could quickly read and write music. Can you identify roadmap signs (like a dal segno or coda) or quickly eyeball the length of a phrase? (Shameless plug, but Drumeo has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">great course for members<\/a> called Chart Reading &amp; Interpretation with Stephane Chamberland).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you have time to get familiar with charts, it\u2019ll become your best friend &#8211; either to help you learn and memorize songs quickly for fun, or to set yourself apart on a professional level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Technology\" style=\"color: #0b76db;\"><strong>Using technology to learn songs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you tried teaching yourself songs before the modern digital era, you\u2019d have to stop and rewind the track (relying on your ears) or learn by reading music. While these are still two popular methods for learning songs, technology has made it much easier to work through individual parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Get a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A DAW is a program designed for music recording, editing, and more. Unless you\u2019re going to be recording your drums often and want the same high end software pro engineers and producers use (like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.avid.com\/pro-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Pro Tools<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/new.steinberg.net\/cubase\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Cubase<\/a>), you can get <a href=\"https:\/\/www.audacityteam.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Audacity <\/a>(not super user friendly, but it\u2019s free), or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reaper.fm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Reaper<\/a> (very affordable and great bang for your buck).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All DAWs work in a similar way: if you\u2019ve ever used Photoshop or a similar program, audio software lets you \u2018layer\u2019 tracks, effects, and individual drums and cymbals on their own channels so you can move things around, speed things up, slow things down, cut and paste, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Slow down the song<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re struggling with the tempo of a song &#8211; or the drummer played a fill so fast you can\u2019t figure out what they did &#8211; you can slow it down!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each DAW has its own workspace. While the design differs slightly from one to the next, they all let you change the tempo of a song or section. You should be able to find this function for your DAW with a quick search on Google or YouTube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"529\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132802\/slowdown-reaper-adkpiper-1024x529.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28172\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132802\/slowdown-reaper-adkpiper-1024x529.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132802\/slowdown-reaper-adkpiper-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132802\/slowdown-reaper-adkpiper-768x397.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132802\/slowdown-reaper-adkpiper.jpg 1275w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">How to slow down a song in Reaper <em>(adkpiper on YouTube)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"586\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132810\/slowdown-protools-audioplug-1024x586.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28173\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132810\/slowdown-protools-audioplug-1024x586.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132810\/slowdown-protools-audioplug-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132810\/slowdown-protools-audioplug-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132810\/slowdown-protools-audioplug.jpg 1271w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">How to slow down a song in Pro Tools<em> (audioplug on YouTube)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"532\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132815\/slowdown-audacity-Tutorials-with-GS-1024x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28174\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132815\/slowdown-audacity-Tutorials-with-GS-1024x532.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132815\/slowdown-audacity-Tutorials-with-GS-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132815\/slowdown-audacity-Tutorials-with-GS-768x399.jpg 768w, https:\/\/drumeoblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/beat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/28132815\/slowdown-audacity-Tutorials-with-GS.jpg 1270w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">How to slow down a song in Audacity<em> (Tutorials with GS on YouTube)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Loop a section<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re slowing down the entire song or just a tough section, you can also select a part and set it on repeat so you can listen to or practice it over and over again. A quick Google search will tell you how to do it for your chosen software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Write down or program the part<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many drummers find that writing out the song (or tricky part) helps them to better internalize patterns. If your brain has already broken down the parts, it\u2019ll be easier to know what you need to do when you sit down on the kit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t know <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-read-drum-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how to read or write music<\/a>, you might still be able to come up with shorthand doodles that work for you. In drum tablature, for example (a simplified way to write drum music), we represent a drum hit with an \u2018o\u2019 and a cymbal hit with an \u2018x\u2019. And lower-sounding notes (like a bass drum) are typically written below higher-frequency notes (like a snare drum, or even higher, a crash cymbal). If you jot down \u2018o\u2019s for the bass and snare drum and some \u2018x\u2019s for the main cymbal, that should be enough to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to take it one step further with technology, you can use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/why-you-should-learn-to-program-drum-parts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">transcribing software like Guitar Pro<\/a> or Finale to write out the parts. While many people use these programs for composing original pieces, they\u2019re just as useful for learning songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alex Rudinger has 4 pro tips to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/4-tips-to-learn-hard-songs-quickly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">learn hard songs faster<\/a> &#8211; and these are immediately applicable whether you\u2019re learning a simple track or something complex:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"qt-4-Tips-To-Learn-Hard-Songs-Faster\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/414066147?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Learn_faster\" style=\"color: #0b76db;\"><strong>How to learn songs faster on drums<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Why do students take notes in school? Because it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/worklife\/article\/20200910-the-benefits-of-note-taking-by-hand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">helps retain information &#8211; especially when you do it by hand<\/a>. So while learning a song, whether you\u2019re making a chart, a cheat sheet, or mapping out every single note, writing it down can help you internalize the parts more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Take notes\/chart it out<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Create a roadmap of the song (refer back to earlier sections on how you can do this). You can count each section in bars, chord progressions, or something totally different &#8211; whatever comes more naturally to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Use a program to slow it down<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The previous chapter of this article says it all: technology can help us slow down songs, loop parts, visualize patterns, and more. Taking time to break down parts will help you learn songs faster and more accurately (since it takes much longer to muddle your way through it again and again until you eventually figure it out). Work smarter, not harder, as they say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In case you skipped the \u2018using technology to learn songs\u2019 section, go back and watch the video with Alex Rudinger\u2019s practical tips for learning songs faster!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Work on your listening skills<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Listening is critical to learning more quickly and accurately. How many times does a section repeat? Where are the key shots and accents? Where do fills start and end?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this helpful lesson, Casey Cooper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCWYDCQIvJn2oihM7xEYX6jQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">(Coop3rdrumm3r<\/a>) emphasizes continuing to play through the song if you mess up the structure, rather than stop and start again. Since you can\u2019t do that live, it\u2019s a good opportunity to practice your recovery skills; that is, being able to stay on track after making mistakes and transition into the next part seamlessly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LpQcbNXQQns\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some pro drummers have next level listening skills. Larnell Lewis learned the entire We Like It Here album by Snarky Puppy on the plane ride to the studio session. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/gil-sharone-getting-the-call\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gil Sharone learned an entire +44 set on his flight<\/a> to fill in for Travis Barker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While these drummers are at the top of their game, it doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t also get there with enough practice and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/the-art-of-practicing-drums\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">active listening<\/a>. But you\u2019ll have to be in it for the long haul!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Now get out there and learn!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Playing along to music (whether it&#8217;s with live musicians or to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-find-and-use-drumless-tracks-and-play-alongs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drumless tracks<\/a>) is so important to learning the drums and appreciating other musicians and the instruments they play. Plus it makes drumming <em>way<\/em> more fun, and if your goal is to play in a band or ensemble, you&#8217;ll be better prepared to be part of a team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you like free stuff (who doesn&#8217;t?) and learning new songs, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/40-songs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">click here to get sheet music and handy playback tools for 40 of the biggest songs in drumming<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d1rYSLqWqoM\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How do you learn by ear or slow down a track? This guide will help you learn a song and figure out what the drummer&#8217;s playing!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":124,"featured_media":28160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4024,4016],"tags":[4014,4052],"class_list":["post-28136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-song-tips","category-songs","tag-beginner","tag-songs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/124"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28136"}],"version-history":[{"count":54,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52362,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28136\/revisions\/52362"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}