Notation for the Working Drummer
Unlock the art of transcription from the drummer who’s transcribed for Vic Firth, Zildjian, Benny Greb, and many more. Save time by cutting out the middleman and learn how to decode your drum heroes and elevate your drumming.
”Tim is the transcription master of our time.”
“I’m so impressed and humbled by what Tim has done…excited we have created something special involving transcriptions.”
”The transcription master, Tim Buell”
“I can confidently say Tim’s teaching approach is exceptional.
Tim is thoughtful in every aspect of his teaching, ensuring that each lesson is customized to meet me where I am in my musical journey.
His consistency and accountability have helped me grow in ways I never imagined. I can confidently call myself creative because of Tim’s dedication to going beyond the basics.
These are more than just drum lessons; they are a holistic exploration of music and self-expression under Tim’s expert guidance.”
“After graduating from university, I didn’t know what my next step should be and it was during this confusing time that I began searching online for educational resources and stumbled upon Tim’s website.
His teaching style is very methodical and shows his seriousness and dedication. Through private lessons I’ve learned Tim is not only a very competent teacher, but also a trusted friend.
His encouragement has allowed me to constantly surpass the ceiling I set for myself and it was with Tim’s help I was able to prepare and get accepted to New York University.
I don’t think my music journey would be where it is without Tim and I’m so grateful for his help and mentorship.”
Companies Tim has worked with:
Brands and Drummers Tim Has Transcribed For:
- Vic Firth
- Zildjian
- Percussive Arts Society
- Sweetwater
- Trinity College
- Steve Smith
- Benny Greb
- Aaron Spears
- Aaron Sterling
- Stephen’s Drum Shed
- Drum Beats Online
- drummerworld.com
- Orlando Drummer
- ZackGrooves
- 180 Drums
- Ulysses Owens Jr.
- Hal Leonard
- Austin Burcham
- Juan “Carlito” Mendoza
- Jerrod “J-Rod” Sullivan
- Siros Vaziri
- Ash Soan
- Henrique de Almedia
- Casey Cooper
- Joseph Arrington
- Jario Ubiano
- Dre Energy
- David Raouf
Why should you care about music notation?
For a long time I thought reading music was a waste of time (maybe you can relate). Reading notation was VERY difficult for me and I had a good ear – so I rolled with it.
But the first sign I had made the wrong decision was getting passed up on auditions and gigs for people that could read better than me (even though they weren’t always the better ‘player’).
What finally drove me to get serious about mastering the art of transcription and notation was a drummer named Calvin Rodgers. His playing blew me away and I wanted to know what he was doing in his most intricate fills – but there were no lessons online teaching them.
So I decided to teach myself by finally figuring out how to transcribe, notate, and then apply what my favorite drummers were doing to my own playing.
Over nearly two decades later, I’ve transcribed for just about any drummer and drum company you can think of – but it wasn’t because I was “gifted” at reading music.
When I first started reading music and transcribing I was terrible. It took me hours to transcribe just one measure (and it wouldn’t even be right).
I wasn’t “gifted” at notation when I started – and you don’t need to be either.
You just need a system to show you how to read music, transcribe music, and to use notation in a practical way – and that’s exactly what this course is.
How to use transcription and notation to expand your unique voice on the drums with hands-on exercises to quickly see progress through experiential learning.
Benefits of Mastering Transcription and Notation:
Cut Out the Middleman
No more searching for middleman drum lessons where you rely on someone else to teach you what your favorite drummers are playing.
Learn to teach yourself by going to the source (your drum heroes) and decoding what they are doing yourself.
Save Time
Spending time finding reliable sources to break down your favorite drummers slows the learning process.
Spend less time searching on YouTube and Google for the information you want and study directly from the source – your favorite drummer.
Hands-On Learning
Experience is a great teacher.
I’ve learned the most about transcription and notation by applying it in real world applications – and that’s why this course includes exercises for beginners, intermediate drummers, and expert drummers.
More Details on Notation for the Working Drummer:
Over 9+ Hours of Video Lessons (delivered electronically)
Module 1 Topics Include:
• Basics of Reading Music
• Tools You’ll Need
• Helpful Software and Tips
• Rhythmic Dictation Examples and Exercises
Module 2 Topics Include:
• Transcription Tips
• Methods for Transcribing Grooves
• Methods for Transcribing Fills
• Methods for Transcribing Solos
• Start-to-Finish Transcription Demo
• Transcription Exercises
Module 3 Topics Include:
• How to Practice Transcriptions
• The Adaptive Transcription System
• Using Transcriptions to Find Your Own Voice
• Charting Songs and Practicing for a Gig
Module 4 Topics Include:
• Drumming Minimalism (How to Learn More From Less)
• How to Analyze Touch, Tone, and Tuning
Exercises for Hand-On Experiential Learning:
Rhythmic Dictation Exercises
• Focuses on just rhythmic recognition and notation
• Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced exercises
• Audio files are the exercises and a PDF of “solutions” is provided to check your work
Transcription Exercises
• Transcription exercises of synthetic drums, solo drums, and drums in the context of music
• Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced exercises
• Audio files are the exercises and a PDF of “solutions” is provided to check your work
What Happens After I Buy this Course on Your Site?
This course is delivered in PDF format – how it works:
• Click “add to cart”
• Once you add the course to your cart, you can “view cart” and checkout via the PayPal page (you can select the option “Pay with Debit or Credit Card” and that will allow you to purchase the lessons without signing into PayPal)
• After your payment goes through you’ll be redirected to a download page (and a copy of the receipt and download links will be sent to your email)
• Click the download link and you’ll download the PDF course booklet that contains all the video download links. Also included in the PDF booklet: course overview, transcription examples, video downloads, exercise downloads, and more.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Contact me here.
Who is Tim Buell?
Tim is a Nashville-based drummer and educator who has toured with artists like Gloriana, Jana Kramer, Jerrod Nieman, Remedy Drive, Cody Fry, and many others. In 2022, he had the honor or being nominated for a Latin Grammy for his drumming on Athena’s “Alfa y Omega”
In addition to touring and recording, Tim has transcribed projects for Zildjian (Zildjian LIVE! project), Vic Firth (VFjams LIVE!) Percussive Arts Society, Aaron Sterling, Benny Greb, Aaron Spears, Stephen’s Drum Shed, 180 Drums, Ash Soan, and many more.