Welcome to the website of drummer Jeremy Sheehan and JD Drum School
Receive drum lessons by an active Boston area performer in a private studio setting.
Serving the towns of Stoughton, Sharon, Canton, Norwood, Walpole, Easton and surrounding areas for over 20 years

JD Drum School Logo Drum Lessons Jeremy Sheehan at JD Drum School, Stoughton, Massachusetts JD Drum School Logo
On Line Drum Lessons
By

Jeremy "JD" Sheehan


LESSON 3




"TIME SIGNATURES"

The following material assumes you are familiar with measures, barlines, tempo, and rests.

-----Time Signatures are represented in the form of a fraction, such as 4/4, and let us interpret notes in different values. The most important thing to remember is that the relationship of notes to each other never changes. This means that a whole note always breaks up into 2 half notes, or 4 quarter notes, or 8 eighth notes, or 16 sixteenth notes, or 32 thirty-second notes. A quarter note always breaks up into 2 eighth notes. An eighth note always breaks up into 2 sixteenth
notes. A sixteenth note always breaks up into 2 thirty-second notes.
-----The value of each note in relation to other notes is always the same. The time signature tells you how to interpret the note. In a time signature, the top number tells you how many beats are in a measure. The bottom number tells you which note receives 1 beat. The easiest way to remember the bottom number is the number on the bottom is equal to the note that fits into a whole note that amount of times.
-----So in the time signature of 4/4, the top 4 tells us that there are four beats in a measure. The bottom 4 tells us which note receives 1 beat. Which note fits into a whole note 4 times? The quarter note does. The quarter note receives 1 beat, which means the 8th note receives 1/2 beat, the 16th note receives 1/4 beat and the 32nd note recieves an eigth of a beat.
Remember, the value of notes to each other is constant.

"2/4 TIME SIGNATURE"

-----The first time signature we will learn other than 4/4 is 2/4 time. The only difference is that there are 2 beats per measure. All note values are the same as in 4/4 time.

-----Here is an example of the previous 4/4 drumbeat written in the time signature of 2/4. Notice it plays exactly the same but must be repeated to equal the same time as the 4/4 beat.


Hear the above rhythm ( 4 measures of beat )



-----The second figure in 2/4 will be the use of the single stroke roll in tempo. This figure is written in 2/4 time as 16th notes. You could also play it in 4/4. Play this figure with alternating strokes, RLRL, and play the bass drum on the count of 1. Also play it with the bass on 1 - 2 . Try to increase your speed. Next we will connect it with the drumbeat we learned to form a "fill".


Hear the above rhythm ( 4 measures of roll )



-----We will now connect the sixteenth note roll to the drumbeat to form a "fill". Watch your tempo and don't rush the "fill". The bass drum should remain at the same tempo and play the same pattern.


Hear the above rhythm ( 2 measures drumbeat with fill )



-----We will now make a "2 bar phrase" by connecting together the drumbeat and fill with another measure of drumbeat Again, the bass drum plays the same pattern repeated across both measures.


Hear the above rhythm ( 2 bar phrase of drumbeat with fill )



LESSON 1 LESSON 2 LESSON 4 LESSON 5


Drum Sticks Map Pearl Dennis Chambers Signature Snare Drum Pearl Eric Singer Signature Snare Drum Drum Sticks Map Pearl Ian Paice Signature Snare Drum Pearl Joey Jordison Signature Snare Drum Drum Sticks Map

Neil Peart's DW Snare Drum Pearl Omar Hakim Signature Snare Drum
Resume - Biography - Equipment - Projects - Calendar - Discography - Audio - Video - JD's Videos - Student Videos - Press
Photos - Studio Tour - Studio Info - Drum Services - On Line Lessons - Drummer Archives - Photo Gallery - Drum Links - Home Page

Site Map