Beat Reading Drum Patterns and Beat Reading 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'hand-to-foot coordination' in drum beat reading?
- Using only hands
- Synchronizing hand strokes with bass drum and hi-hat pedal patterns (Correct answer)
- Alternating hands on cymbals
- Using feet to count beats
Correct answer: Synchronizing hand strokes with bass drum and hi-hat pedal patterns
Hand-to-foot coordination means aligning the hands' rhythms precisely with the foot-operated bass drum and hi-hat pedals.
Question 2: What does 'open hi-hat' notation look like?
- An x with a circle above it (Correct answer)
- A regular x notehead
- An x with a plus sign
- A diamond notehead
Correct answer: An x with a circle above it
An open hi-hat is marked with a circle (°) above the x notehead, indicating the cymbals are separated.
Question 3: A 'fill' in drum beat reading refers to:
- A bass drum accent
- A brief passage departing from the main groove, usually at phrase endings (Correct answer)
- A rest of one full beat
- A repeated pattern on the snare
Correct answer: A brief passage departing from the main groove, usually at phrase endings
A drum fill is a short melodic or rhythmic departure from the groove that marks transitions between sections.
Question 4: What is a 'flam' in percussion notation?
- A very loud accent
- A grace note immediately preceding the main note (Correct answer)
- A roll of 16 strokes
- A cross-stick technique
Correct answer: A grace note immediately preceding the main note
A flam consists of a soft grace note stroke followed immediately by a louder primary stroke on the same drum.
Question 5: In drum notation, what is a 'roll' marking?
- A dynamic swell
- Tremolo slashes on a note indicating rapid repeated strokes (Correct answer)
- A cymbal crash
- A rest
Correct answer: Tremolo slashes on a note indicating rapid repeated strokes
Rolls are indicated by three tremolo slashes through the note stem, meaning to rapidly alternate strokes.
Question 6: What does a cross-stick notation indicate?
- A cross-hand technique
- Resting the stick across the drum head and striking the rim (Correct answer)
- A very loud accent
- Playing two drums simultaneously
Correct answer: Resting the stick across the drum head and striking the rim
Cross-stick technique places the stick shaft across the snare drum and taps the rim for a distinctive 'click' sound.
Beat Reading Drum Patterns and Beat Reading 2
What is 'hand-to-foot coordination' in drum beat reading?