8-How to Play the Drums: Quavers

This lesson is part of the series: Introduction to Drumming: The Basics, Drumming Lessons: Reading Rhythm, Drumming Lessons: Basics through Advanced

This lesson covers the Quaver, a particular type of note. A quaver is half of a crotchet (or it is an eighth note whereas a crotchet is a quarter note). Because quavers and quaver rests are half the length of crotchets, it takes twice as many of them to fill a bar. Remember there are four beats/crotchets in each bar, so that means that a bar can also be composed of eight quavers. If two quavers next to each other are part of the same beat, we will usually join their tails together to make a thick, straight line. We call this line a beam, and joining notes into groups like this is called beaming, or sometimes grouping.

Given that a crotchet is a single beat, it follows that it takes two quavers to make a single beat. Thus, counting with quavers varies from the counting with crotchets (one and two and...for quavers versus one - two...for crotchets). This lesson will show you how the quaver is shown, what it looks like as a rest, what quavers look like when joined together, etc. Additionally, you will walk through exercises to familiarize yourself with quavers as well as to get used to incorporating both crotchets and quavers. Once you have mastered the reading of crotchets and quavers together, you will be ready to start reading some basic rhythms on the drum kit.

This lesson is excerpted from a broader course available from www.begindrumming.com. The Begin Drumming course is a 100% comprehensive drumming course which takes you from absolute beginner to expert soloist without any gimmicky short cuts! Through a combination of video and written lessons, the course will teach you proper technique as well as how to read drum music.

• Once you purchase this lesson you will have access to these files:
• 08.pdf

Let me introduce myself. My name is Jim McCarthy. I'm a drum clinician and teacher and have specialized in pure technique for many years. I consider myself still a student as well, because I have a passion for constantly learning. I learn every day when I watch other drummers, and I analyze what works and what doesn’t. Performing, Educating and Learning have been my life and my living for well over 20 years.

I've had a tremendously broad background in drumming. I've played in rock bands, orchestras, marching bands - everything from high-brow contemporary music to Latin American stuff.

I spent six years at university studying percussion performance full time, and I ended up with a...

This lesson has not been reviewed.

Please purchase the lesson to review.