Hi, D!J!X! This is a great start, and I'll take you up on your offer for help. I'll send you the song I'm trying to borrow from off-list; I need to understand what style of "Latin" it's in so I can look it up in the book and figure out how to notate it, then how to vary it. (I'm awful. Anything that's got that sassy, syncopated feel with the bongos, congas, and guitars in it is labeled "Latin" in my book, and ITunes isn't any help with explaining genre either.) This drum arrangement thing is part of my midterm and will have piano, guitar, and bass in it, too by the time I get done wrestling with it. *said happily* Thanks, Dani -----Original Message----- From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of D!J!X! Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2012 5:04 PM To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [ddots-l] Re: Need Help Understanding Drum Notation Hi, when you say drums, you mean a drum set, or actual percussions like congas, timbale, bongos etc? Also, what style are you looking at, salsa, merengue, mambo, songo, rumba, bolero, cha cha cha etc. All these have different styles of playing and the drums (if applicable) do different things on there. I am not by a nature a drummer, but I do play, compose, arrange and work with latin music, play some percussions (the piano/keys is my forte), and could prob help explain or teach you on some of that if learning is what you want to do. The snare is always seen as a sharp attack percussive sound which cuts through, specially if playing samba, songo or types of styles where the snare is doing syncapations. Also, if used along with timbales, it is used (though not so sharp) to give accents to cuts and breaks. Usually a latin drum set has 1 or 2 toms, a bass drum, a snare, but the main part is the timbales and splash simbles and crash simbles; sometimes a high-hat is used also. HTH, D!J!X! -----Original Message----- From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dani L Pagador Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2012 3:48 PM To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy; ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [ddots-l] Need Help Understanding Drum Notation Hi, Everyone. I'm learning to write drum parts in arranging this week and have downloaded Latin Guide for Drummers by John Rae from NLS to help me get a handle on the Latin style. Are there any percussionists on list who would be willing to look at the braille with me to help me understand the finer points of this type of notation? I understand the durational values attached to the notes, but don't understand things like which clef is being used, why different pitches are used for the snare drum, etc, etc. Thanks, Dani PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE! To leave the list, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type unsubscribe For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq or send a message, to ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type faq PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE! To leave the list, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type unsubscribe For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq or send a message, to ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type faq PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE! To leave the list, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type unsubscribe For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq or send a message, to ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type faq