Drum Notation Cheat Sheet
Use this quick reference while writing or reading drum sheet music. It is designed as a fast overview of the drum notation symbols and counting patterns you will use most often in a drum sheet music editor.
Note Values
| Value | Common Count |
|---|---|
| Quarter | 1 2 3 4 |
| Eighth | 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & |
| Sixteenth | 1 e & a 2 e & a ... |
| Triplet | 1-trip-let |
| Sextuplet | 1 ta ta ta ta ta |
Common Symbols
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ghost note | Softly played note (usually snare/toms) |
| X notehead | Cymbal/hi-hat strike |
| Circle-X notehead | Open hi-hat / open cymbal articulation |
| Rest | Silence for the written duration |
| Tuplet bracket | Subdivision grouping (3, 5, 6, 7, 9) |
Reading Tip
Group beams by beat and keep notation clean. If the pattern is dense, use playback to confirm feel. This makes drum groove notation easier to read and easier to share with other players.
Use It in the Editor
If you want to write drum sheet music online, keep this page open beside the app. It works well as a reference while using a free drum notation editor or drum score maker.
Open the free drum notation editor
Related pages: How to Write Drum Notation ยท Drum Groove Notation Examples