Drum Tabs? Effective or Not?

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I understand that usually in most rock songs that drums are basses are for rythem. In jazz songs drums are usually for a jazzy effect, not really keeping the beat and it's the bass and sometimes low brass job to keep that up.

But are DRUM tabs really that good? I mean I guess they can be if their just a repeated loop that goes steady throughout the whole song but a lot of rock songs have lots of variations in the drumbeat through the song. I guess their acceptable if you know how the song goes already. I use to take lessons for guitar and over on the other side there was drum lessons so I overheard the instructor saying drum tabs are useless because tabs take away rythem and drums is all about rythem. He has a good point.

[Chrysler]

Tabs for drums are exactly the same for tabs on guitar, not as good as real music, but is quick to learn and read. Tabs do take away rhythm as usually they dont have timing or what feel it is, or the exact spaces of the notes. Basically, get sheet music if you can. If you cant, tabs are always an alternative. The other thing is tabs cant be copywrited like sheet music can so its more free to distribute on teh web.

[Sum 41]

They work fine if you know how the song sounds like beforehand.