Writing Drum Parts - Big Band Arranging SECRETS REVEALED

Big Band Arranging Secrets Revealed #8!!!
In this lesson I show you how to write sheet music for the drummer in your jazz ensemble. I give a short history of drum notation, then I show you where to write each drum or cymbal on the percussion staff. Finally, I we will look at a few drum parts that I have prepared for Pandemonium Big Band... learn by example!

Videos that accompany the drum parts (examples from the lesson):

All of the background music was recorded by the Pandemonium Big Band and composed by Elliot Deutsch.

#drumkit #composing #musictheory

[danadarvebass]

You literally just saved my life. I've been so scared to write drum parts for a jazz combo piece - this video gave me kind of everything I needed to know, thank you!

[pattibrugman]

Meant to write earlier. This is so clear, Eliot! Like being in a really smart class. I think I can do slashes and repeat bars perfectly!! (Will also try to follow conventions.)Thanks!!

[CrisMejiaQuartet]

beautifully explained as always Elliot, thanks so muchs for sharing, now my drummer doesnt have to cry everytime I give him his sheet

[tinman]

Brilliant! Thank you! Doing a TON of arrangements for a ship gig, and I need to hand the drummer the parts and make it easy on him. This is exactly what I was looking for.

[mckenziemusicproductions]

Great stuff Elliot! There are several schools of thought where the ride and HH should sit on the stave. I've seen Tim Davies and Peter Erskine both showing other systems. I tell my students to indicate with text at the first measure what they want and then just be consistent. Open any working band's drum book and see what they have to deal with!

[leonli]

Really want to learn how and when you make the special effects for wind instruments, like shake, fall, doit and so on

[dubbtubbdrum]

Even though I myself am a Jazz Drummer, I’m glad that I could find this video, I can’t ever write good parts.

[ChristopherSiu]

Definitely gonna think on these :D Thanks as always Elliot!

[clayjohnson]

DUDE! frikin amazing video bro that helped me SO much. The example parts were money! Tryna to write a big band chart in a day, and you just gave me the keys I needed.

[MalikRefaat]

Thanks, man! I'm working on my first big band arrangement and your videos have been super helpful. I'm not a drummer, so will be coming back to this when I get to the drum line!

[MegaPiano]

Great stuff, Elliot. This is going in my growing library of drum references. Thanks so much.

[FostersLab]

Funny anecdote for you: I giggled when I heard that drummers are used to reading crummy notation, because it is SO TRUE.
I remember when I was younger and playing with my local orchestra, I filled in as a drummer for the older folks' band. Except they had no sheet for drums, and it was all old style music, like waltzes and marches, and old songs and such. So my chart was a clarinet part for all of the pieces. It was funny, but it really taught me a lot on how to accompany a band without a proper sheet :) as long as the form is clear, drummers will play anything!

[edmatzenik]

Fantastic. I feel like it's everything I need to know - it wouldn't be everything but it feels like it. A guy could spend years trying to learn this stuff, well I'm 78 so I did spend a lifetime without youtube looking for this stuff.

[JamesTseung]

Thanks Elliot, this whole series is very helpful! It would be awesome if you can make videos on what to write for the other members of the rhythm section.

[murimk]

Great! Speaking as a drummer, I think you speak the truth! There's a few aspects of drum notation I disagree with, or would like to see slightly tweaked - but as far as things stand, this is really the definitive guide :-)

[Frodohotep]

The assignment of ride and hihat lines (F line and G space, respectively) is standardized in Norman Weinberg’s book, the same way it is shown in this video. But I much prefer to reverse them, for two reasons.
1. The ride cymbal is physically higher than the hihat, and since the notation scheme for the drums is based more on location than pitch, it make sense to follow the same approach in order to keep things intuitive.
2. Because of the typical setup, it is rare for drummers to play the hihat in unison with the small tom tom. It is very common to play the ride in unison with the small tom. Placing the ride note on the F line makes it difficult to notate in a stack with a note on the E space. But on the G space, it is easy and visually clearer.
This is why I submit that the accepted standard is poorly chosen.

[Sebhjmusic]

I am writing a big band piece at the moment, and this is really helpful. Thank you :)

[AndresJazzable]

You have no idea how much i thank you for this!!!!

[charlesjschuder]

I got out some manuscript paper and took notes. Your approach is really enlightening and easy to follow.

[bmenear]

Your videos are so helpful and clear. It’s certainly given me a lot more “tools in my tool box”. I especially appreciated your approach on how to work with non harmonic tones. I listened to all of your video’s and wrote down a tone of notes which I utilize. You need to write a book on arranging maybe even a workbook where we follow your directions and you show what the correct method should look like later in the book. I learned a lot from a well know arranger’s work book like this, but I think your ideas are fresh and could fill in a lot of information missing in other methods.
Since I started studying your methods I did another Big Band arrangement and am so happy with the way it turned out. I can’t wait to have my guys play it.
Thanks so much for taking the time to do these.