Reading Drum Tablature 
 

 

Drum Tablature Legend

Description of Common Notation Used

C |-Cymbal----------|
H |-Hi-Hat----------|
Rd|-Ride-Cymbal-----|
t |-Small-Tom-------|
T |-Medium-Tom------|
S |-Snare-Drum------|
F |-Floor-Tom-------|
F2|-2nd-Floor-Tom---|
B |-Bass-Drum-------|
Hf|-Hi-Hat-w/foot---|

C |-x-| Strike Cymbal
C |-#-| Choke Cymbal 
(Grab Cymbal After Striking)
C |-s-| Splash Cymbal
C |-c-| China Cymbal

H |-x-| Strike Closed Hi-Hat
H |-X-| Strike Loose Hi-Hat
H |-+-| Bell of Hi-Hat

Rd|-x-| Strike Ride Cymbal
Rd|-X-| Strike Bell of Ride

S |-o-| Strike Snare
S |-O-| Accent Snare
S |-g-| Ghost Note on Snare
S |-f-| Flam on Snare
S |-b-| Soft One-Handed Roll
S |-B-| Accented One-Handed Roll
S |-@-| Snare Rim

t |-o-| Strike Small Tom
t |-O-| Accent Small Tom
t |-g-| Ghost Note on Small Tom
t |-f-| Flam on Small Tom
t |-b-| Soft One-Handed Roll
t |-B-| Accented One-Handed Roll

T |-o-| Strike Large Tom
T |-O-| Accent Large Tom
T |-g-| Ghost Note on Large Tom
T |-f-| Flam on Large Tom
T |-b-| Soft One-Handed Roll
T |-B-| Accented One-Handed Roll

F |-o-| Strike Floor Tom
F |-O-| Accent Floor Tom
F |-g-| Ghost Note on Floor Tom
F |-f-| Flam on Floor Tom
F |-b-| Soft One-Handed Roll
F |-B-| Accented One-Handed Roll

F2|-o-| Strike 2nd Floor Tom
F2|-O-| Accent 2nd Floor Tom
F2|-g-| Ghost Note on 2nd Floor Tom
F2|-f-| Flam on 2nd Floor Tom
F2|-b-| Soft One-Handed Roll
F2|-B-| Accented One-Handed Roll

B |-o-| Strike Bass Drum
B |-O-| Accent Bass Drum
B |-g-| Ghost Note on Bass Drum
B |-f-| Flam on Bass Drum
B |-b-| Soft One-Handed Roll
B |-B-| Accented One-Handed Roll

Hf|-x-| Click Hi-Hat With Foot