Do I need to read music to play drums?

Do I need to read Music to play Drums?

Eric Berringer

Music Factory drum instructor

There are the age old questions "Do I need to learn how to read music in order to play drums?" "Are drum lessons right for me?" Technically, I cannot answer that because I am not you, but…. here are some of my thoughts.

Do I believe that pursuing an understanding above and beyond just copying what you hear or see can make you an outstanding musician/drummer? Absolutely!! There is obviously value in learning by ear thru songs and videos, and anyone who tells you otherwise is misleading you. In the same way, you are doing yourself a disservice by avoiding, what some consider, "complex theory and rhythms" because you or someone else may have deemed them too difficult or mundane. As a drum instructor, I do not say this out of fear of loosing students, but out of a fear of stifling creativity that has not been given the opportunity to surface. 

Creativity is the driving force behind music and is what motivates an instrumentalist in the first place. Pursuing the skills to be better at your instrument is all part of the creative process. No one can claim whether or not someones creativity is valid, that is the opposite of what musical collaboration is all about. But when we choose to ignore certain parts of what we know can make us better, we weaken our ability to be creative. 

We will not always have resources to look to when we are performing, practicing, collaborating, etc., and that is why possessing a knowledge of drumming from the bottom up is so important. Surprises happen in musical situations outside of forgetting your drum throne or your stick bag on a gig. Sometimes they come in the form of a time or feel change, volume restriction, form change, or song change, some of which could involve playing to backing tracks, reading charts, correcting charts, drastically changing your dynamics, or taking notes ALL ON THE FLY!! You may not see yourself in situations like this, but when they happen you will probably be wishing you had given them some thought.

This IS NOT to say that being "book smart" is a prerequisite for drumming or being in a band. This IS saying that if you want to reach the next level in your ability to play, write, understand, contribute, and function in a musical setting… equip yourself.