A Syllabic Language for (Rudimental) Drummers

Vocal drumming? Why?

Reasons and goals

  • Increase efficiency in the process of learning to play the drum
  • Enhance efficiency when studying new drum compositions and thus being sooner able to play them by heart
  • Provide an easy method for drummers to explain their music among them, even in case of existing linguistic barriers

Efficient Learning

  • Trigger and use as many senses as possible.
  • Activate as many of the brain's perception centers as possible.

The more senses triggered during a learning process, the greater the retention rate:

  • Hearing 20% (Auditory)
  • Seeing 30% (Visual), i.e. 50% accumulated
  • Saying 20% (Auditory and communicative), i.e. 70% accumulated
  • Doing 20% (Kinesthetic), i.e. 90% accumulated
If you can say it you can play it!
Sample of drum scores added syllabic language

A well-known example – Forgotten beginning

Instead of recapping the first bar in a bothersome way with Right five stroke roll, left reverted flam tap, right reverted flam tap, left reverted flam tap, right reverted flam tap, left reverted flam tap, right reverted flam tap, the leader simply answers: "fRra gdi gda gdi gda gdi gda", and one, two, three, four, everybody is playing 1st bar of Celanese

Here is my two cents:

Version 2023.05.14  » Display full size in new tab »

Examples of Use

Beginnings of Drum Solos

Celanese   Beginning of Celanese fRra gdi gda gdi gda gdi gda


dr DrummlerGeginning of dr Drummler fRra gdi gdadi RiTa gdi gda


Dr Grien HundBeginning of Dr Grien Hund fRra gdi gda gdi gda RriTaTi


PumperniggelBeginning of Pumperniggel fRra fla fLifLa gdi gda


Walliser    Beginning of Walliser frradidafLifLadidafLifLa gdi gda


Finals of Drum Solos

Final of 7  Final of 7 frra rridadi RraTiTa


Celanese    Final of Celanese frra rridadiTaTi Rra


Drummler   Final of dr Drummler frra rridadi Ri Rra


“Words are like money; there is nothing so useless, unless when in actual use.” (Samuel Butler, 1835-1902)

SIRD Logo

Society of International Rudimental Drummers
Since 2018

Schwertfeger Trommelbau
30+ Jahre im Fokus der Tambouren

"Mein Trommelbauer"