Notation for Percussion

 

These are all percussion parts and how they are notated:

 

C - crash cymbal

x - Hi-hat

c - Ride cymbal

o - Snare drum

H - High tom

L - Low tom

F - Floor tom

O - Bass drum

X - Hi-hat with foot

 

These are techniques that can only be applied to certain types of percussion. The dynamic goes directly after the note, before any accented dynamics.

 

Cymbals:

x - Strike cymbal or hi-hat

X - Strike loose hi-hat or hit crash cymbal hard

o - Open hi-hat

# - Choke cymbal

s - Splash cymbal

c - China cymbal

b - Bell of ride

C - Click hi-hat with foot

 

Drums:

o - Strike

O - Accent

g - Ghost note

f - Flam

d - Drag

b - Soft one-handed roll

B - Accented one-handed roll

@ - Snare rim

 

Percussion parts are always written separately from the main part. The clef is written []:, and the time signature is written the same way. Rhythms are indicated by the number of beats the note occupies right in front of it. For example, four sixteenth notes played on a snare strike would be written as follows:

 

16oo 16oo 16oo 16oo

 

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