[putrefieddrinkingwater]

does anybody know drummers(in the metal community esp. technical death metal) who can read sheet music?
pls post reply..

[MaximusDukusErectus]

Mu son.....he is 10 almost eleven and he bangs those skins so loud......well it echoes like death.lol...Thought I would reply since you had no hits yet to put a smile on your face.

[butter]

Thomas Haake has to be able to. I've never read anything about it, but theres no way he doesn't. Either that or he learns his songs by ear bar by bar. I think it's probably a combination of that and sheet music, though. Anybody know how he writes his parts?

IMO, there is a difference between being able to READ sheet music, and being able to USE sheet music. Being able to use it, or understand it, is absolutely necessary for anybody trying to get work as a studio musician or something. Otherwise it's just helpful if you need the skill. If you're lucky enough to get work writing your own parts, there isn't much point in learning to read sheets unless it's just for personal interest. It might provide some gain, but if you aren't required to learn from sheets it probably won't help a lot.

I'd say any drummer who isn't an original member of the band he is in is able to read (at least use) sheet music. Possibly by necessity of joining the band, but they learned regardless.

[putrefieddrinkingwater]

@butter..
yeah. i think so..freedom to express art is limited when you use sheet music in drumming.but it's interesting to learn sheet.it's good to be professional

[butter]

professionalism. Exactly.

[rt55]

Reading is just another tool to have at your disposal. One use for that tool is to learn new material for cover bands. Listen to the recording, jot down the organization of the song, and key figures, and you save yourself time and effort down the road, not to mention being consistent in playing your part in rehearsal.

Not being able to read limits what kind of playing you can do. A non-reading drummer will have a hard time doing session work, or sitting in with a big band... which is about the most fun you can have behind a set of drums. It's a shame that more good drummers lack reading skills. We want to be taken seriously as musicians, yet so many of us disregard one of the essential skills of a serious musician.