Drummers · Beginner → Intermediate
Foundations of Reading Music
Learn to read drum score and the stave side by side, from zero: how each line and space of the stave becomes a drum or cymbal, the drum kit and drum key, note values and grooves — from your first rock beat to reading a full groove chart — plus the same full music theory as every JT Hub course: clefs, letter names, time signatures, accidentals, major scales and keys, triads and musical terms, reaching an intermediate standard.
Foundations of Reading Music
Learn to read drum score and the stave side by side, from zero: how each line and space of the stave becomes a drum or cymbal, the drum kit and drum key, note values and grooves — from your first rock beat to reading a full groove chart — plus the same full music theory as every JT Hub course: clefs, letter names, time signatures, accidentals, major scales and keys, triads and musical terms, reaching an intermediate standard.
One device at a time. Your course can only be active on one device at a time — you can't be on a laptop or tablet and a phone at the same time. To switch, log out and log in on the other device: all your progress is saved to your account, not the device, so you carry on exactly where you left off.
Stave and drum score: as a drummer, you should be able to read drum score and know how it relates to the stave. This course shows you both, side by side, so you learn the differences between them.
Suggested practice schedule
One lesson a week finishes the course in 10 weeks. Little and often works best: 15–30 minutes a day, six days a week.
Sun · New lesson
Work through the next lesson and its play-along (20 – 30 mins).
Mon · Practice
Warm up, then the lesson's practice steps: rudiments on a pad, grooves with a metronome and reading drum charts (20 mins).
Tue · Theory
Check-yourself quizzes and Music Terms flashcards (15 mins).
Wed · Play along
Loop the tricky bars at a slower tempo, then speed up (20 mins).
Thu · Review
Re-read the lesson's music without stopping and retake the knowledge check (15 mins).
Fri · Record
Record a take of the play-along and send it to Jason (15 mins).
Sat · Rest
Rest day — or a relaxed 10 minutes playing something you enjoy.
Busy week? Do Sunday's lesson and two practice days, and move on when you pass the knowledge check.
Jason in action
Jason on keys — live, in church and on stage
See all 12 videosIncludes play-along & sing-along backing tracks in every course, with tempo & key control, a live score and record-yourself feedback from Jason.
Tip: press the light/dark mode button (sun/moon) at the top if it's easier to read in the room you're in — or open Accessibility (bottom left) for bigger text, captions and read-aloud.
Not sure where to start?
This course covers Beginner → Intermediate. If you're already confident reading at beginner level, you may prefer Advanced Sight-Reading & Theory (Intermediate → Advanced). Both syllabuses are free to preview before you buy.
Recommended for you: if reading music is new to you — or you'd like to rebuild your fundamentals from scratch — this is the perfect place to start. No prior theory needed.
Melody first. The melody is the most important part of any song — it's what people remember and sing along to. Every lesson in this course shows you how to read, hear and support the melody, whether you're singing it, playing it or accompanying it.
Unlock all 10 lessons — £500, or £450 with a referral code from someone who's already booked, or bundle any two courses (even across different instruments) for £850 (£425 each).
Lesson-by-lesson breakdown
Exactly what each of the 10 lessons covers — free to read before you enrol.
Reading the Drum Staff
The percussion staff & notation key
Drum music uses the same 5-line staff, but each line and space stands for a different drum or cymbal instead of a pitch.
Note Values for Drummers
Whole, half, quarter & eighth
Duration works the same on drums: a quarter note is one beat, eighths split the beat in two.
The Basic Rock Beat
Hi-hat, snare on 2 & 4, kick on 1 & 3
The bread-and-butter groove: steady hi-hats on top, snare on beats 2 and 4, kick on 1 and 3.
Rests & Space in Grooves
Measured silence between hits
Rests tell you when NOT to play — the silence between hits shapes the groove as much as the notes.
Eighth-Note Grooves
Counting '1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &'
Splitting each beat into two eighth notes gives grooves their drive. Count '1-and-2-and'.
Sixteenth Notes & Subdivision
Counting '1-e-&-a'
Four sixteenth notes fit in one beat, counted '1-e-and-a'. They add detail and funk to grooves.
Reading Drum Fills
Moving around the toms
A fill is a short break from the groove, usually running down the toms to signal a new section.
Time Signatures for Drummers
4/4, 3/4 and 6/8 feel
The time signature tells you how many beats fill a bar. 4/4 is standard; 3/4 is a waltz; 6/8 has a rolling feel.
Dynamics, Accents & Ghost Notes
Loud, soft & in-between
Accents (>) mark louder hits; ghost notes are whisper-quiet snare notes that add groove and feel.
Reading a Full Groove Chart
Putting the beat together
Combine hi-hat, snare and kick and read a full bar of groove fluently, top to bottom, left to right.