Hey, developing drummers! Today, I’m sharing a quick, rough guide on how to write a basic drum chart to help you learn songs faster. If you’ve ever wanted a solid method to map out your parts without having to memorize every detail, you’re in the right place! We’ll break down the song Something Happened on the Way to Heaven by Phil Collins, and by the end, you’ll have a practical approach to create charts for any song.
This process becomes invaluable when you’re trying to learn multiple songs, whether it’s 10, 20, or more. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Create a Bar Guide to Map the Song Structure
The first step in writing any drum chart is to establish a basic bar guide to map out the song’s structure. Here’s where you’ll identify the sections—verses, choruses, middle eight, and any transitions. Simply listen through the song, counting out the bars, and write down the number of bars for each section.
At this point, you don’t need to write in any detailed drum parts or rhythms. Just keep it simple by noting the song’s structure and anything significant, like stops, pauses, or key phrases. This step gives you a solid foundation for the rest of your chart and helps clarify the overall song flow. You’ll know exactly where each section starts and ends, allowing you to mentally map the transitions as you play through the song.
Example:
For Something Happened on the Way to Heaven, the bar guide might look something like this:
- Intro: 4 bars
- Verse 1: 16 bars
- Chorus: 8 bars
- Verse 2: 16 bars
- Chorus: 8 bars
- Middle Eight: 8 bars
- Verse 3: 16 bars
- Chorus: 8 bars
- Outro: 4 bars
This bar guide is a simple map that outlines the song structure without any specific drumming details yet.
Step 2: Construct a Functional Drum Map with Notation Symbols
Now that you have a bar guide, it’s time to turn it into a more functional drum map. Here, you’ll add repeat symbols, first and second-time bars, codas, and other notational signs that make the chart easier to follow. This is where we can get creative with the layout to make it intuitive and efficient.
For instance, if there’s a repeat section, make a note of it with a repeat sign, or if there’s a D.S. al Coda, include that. This symbol, dal segno (or D.S.), means to go back to a specific symbol (the “sign”) in the chart and then jump to the coda when you encounter the coda symbol. This technique saves space and makes the chart easier to navigate, especially during a live performance when you don’t want to read every bar linearly.
For our song example, we might structure the chart like this:
- Intro: 4 bars (Repeat)
- Verse 1: 16 bars
- D.S. al Coda after Chorus 1
- Coda: Jump to Outro after Chorus 3
Adding these symbols lets us manage space better, making the chart concise and easy to follow. This step helps ensure that your drum map isn’t cluttered and remains clear when you’re reading it.
Step 3: Write the Drum Map on Manuscript Paper
Now that we have a structured drum map with repeats and codas, it’s time to bring it to life by writing it on standard manuscript paper. This is where we add the actual drum parts, including beats, fills, phrasing, and key accents that make the song unique.
Using manuscript paper gives us the space to write out any significant rhythm changes or fill placements. You’ll also add other details like dynamics (soft or loud hits) and specific cymbal or snare placements for accents. If there’s a brass section hit, for instance, you might note where that fits in rhythmically. This stage of the chart ensures you have all the drumming specifics laid out, so you don’t miss any essential details.
For example:
- Verse sections may use a standard rock beat for all 16 bars.
- Choruses might call for open hi-hats with a heavier snare.
- The Middle Eight could introduce some syncopated fills and crashes.
By translating your drum map onto manuscript paper, you’re essentially creating a visual guide that captures both the structure and the musical elements of the song.
Step 4: Run Through the Drum Chart for Accuracy
With your drum chart fully laid out on manuscript paper, it’s time to put it to the test. Play along with the song, using your chart as a guide to ensure it’s accurate and that you’re hitting all the intended phrases and fills at the right spots. Running through the chart will allow you to catch any errors or sections that may need extra clarification.
As you go through the chart, make any necessary adjustments, such as adding or removing beats, tweaking fills, or clarifying where certain accents should fall. This final step helps ensure that the chart you’ve created is reliable and ready to guide you in any performance or practice setting.
Pro Tip: Download the rough notes I made while creating this drum chart. Seeing the process visually can help you understand each step more clearly and give you insight into any mistakes I made along the way, so you can avoid them in your own charts.
Conclusion
By following these four steps, you’ve created a basic drum chart for Something Happened on the Way to Heaven that lets you learn and remember the song’s structure quickly. This method of charting is invaluable for busy drummers who need to learn multiple songs efficiently.
In the next video, I’ll be practicing and playing this part, both with and without the brass hits. Depending on the arrangement, I might play the brass phrasing during a live gig, so I’ll show you how to approach it both ways. That’s also why I chose a MIDI file version instead of the original track—I prefer to add my own flavor rather than copying every detail exactly.
If you’re ready to see this chart come to life in practice, make sure to join me in the next video. Thanks for reading, and let’s keep drumming
