Song: Schism
Artist(s): Tool
Drummer: Danny Carey

First I would like to thank Tool and Danny Carey for existing, without them at least I would not be the musician I am today.

*Please do not discard reading this beacuse there are many words, as a musician please keep yourself open for new things*


Each set of hi-hat notes, a phrase, contains one time signature, they do sometimes change.This is an example of a phrasing in 5/8, which is what the drums start with in the song Schism:

HH[x-x-x-x-x>x-x-x-x-x]
 SD[-  -  -  o  - >-  -  -  o  -]     5/8
BD[o o -   -  - >o o  -  -  -]
        1  2 3 4 5 >1  2 3 4 5

The > symbol shows that the phrase of 5/8 is over and then begins a new one, but time is obviously not lost.

If you are Beginner or Intermediate,(if this is difficult), just count to 5 with the hi-hat and hit the snare on the 4th note. The kick drum is hit on the 1st and 2nd notes in the phrase. If this isn't difficult try this next set of phrases.

These two phrases are in 6/8, which if you are learning, instead of counting to four or five on the hi-hat, you count to six and then start over again. Here is the phrasing.

This phrasing is the 2nd part of the 1st phrase in Schism, which will be shown later in this study. If you know or feel that you are up to it, go ahead and try it. I am certainly not doubting anyone's ability. Embrace and learn.





HH[x-x-x-#-x-x>x-x-x-#-x-x]
 SD[-  -  -   -  o - >-  -  -  -  o  - ]    6/8
BD[o o  - o  -  - >o o  - o  -  - ]
        1 2  3 4  5 6 >1 2  3 4  5 6

Try this over again and again until you feel comfortable with it. Don't rush something if you are not completely certain you are capable.

-This # sign stands for an open hi-hat, which is on the 3rd note.
-The snare is hit on the 5th note.
-The kick drum is hit on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th notes in the phrasing.

Now when you are comfortable with this you can add both the 5/8 and the 6/8 together and play them after another. In this phrasing; the 5/8 and 6/8 are combined this can also be classified as 11/8 with 11/ 8th notes - but do not concentrate on that. Study this and work on it. Then move to the next phrasing when you feel that you are ready.

               5/8               6/8
HH[x-x-x-x-x>x-x-x-#-x-x]
 SD[-  -  -  o  - >-  -  -  -  o  - ]
BD[o o  -  -  - >o o -  o  -  - ]
        1 2  3 4 5 >1 2  3 4  5  6

If this is difficult, do each phrasing separate. If you have other problems e-mail me. My e-mail address is contained within my profile. Please respect the use of my e-mail address.

This entire phrasing is the first bar in Schism. The second bar is different than the first. Instead of having that phrae of 6/8 after the 5/8. It will be a phrase of 7/8. Just try it.

This phrase counts to 7 on the hi-hat. Here it is.

HH[x-x-x-x-#-x-x>x-x-x-x-#-x-x]
 SD[-  -   -  -  -  o  ->-  -  -   -  -  o  -]
BD[o o -  o  o -   ->o o  -  o o  -  -]
        1  2 3 4  5  6 7  1  2  3  4 5 6 7

Again the # sign is for an open hi-hat.
-The hi-hats count to 7 with open hi-hat on the 5th note.
-The snare hits on the 6th note.
-The kick hits on the 1st and 2nd and 4th and 5th notes.

Once you feel comfortable with this phrase, move to this.

The second bar in Schism contains a 5/8 plus the 7/8 you just learned. That bar looks like this:

               5/8               7/8
HH[x-x-x-x-x>x-x-x-x-#-x-x]
 SD[-  -  -  o  - >-  -  -  -   -  o - ]
BD[o o -   -  - >o o -  o  o -   -]
        1 2  3 4 5 >1 2  3 4  5 6  7
-The hi-hat basically counts to 12, with an open hi-hat on the 10th note
-The snare hits on the 4th and 11th notes
-The kick hits on 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th notes.

Once you get a feel for all of this, move onto the entire intro of the drums on Schism. All this learning will be used - trust me.


               5/8               6/8
HH[x-x-x-x-x>x-x-x-#-x-x]
 SD[-  -  -  o  - >-  -  -  -  o  - ]
BD[o o  -  -  - >o o -  o  -  - ]

               5/8               7/8
HH[x-x-x-x-x>x-x-x-x-#-x-x]
 SD[-  -  -  o  - >-  -  -  -   -  o - ]
BD[o o -   -  - >o o -  o  o -   -]

               5/8               6/8
HH[x-x-x-x-x>x-x-x-#-x-x]
 SD[-  -  -  o  - >-  -  -  -  o  - ]
BD[o o - - - >o o - o - - ]

               5/8               7/8
HH[x-x-x-x-x>x-x-x-x-#-x-x]
 SD[- - - o - >- - - -  - o - ]
BD[o o - - - >o o - o  o - -]

I WILL soon have the rest of the song put into tab form for all of you if you want it. If you have trouble or questions e-mail me. Once again, my e-mail address is in my profile. And please respect having the use of my e-mail address.

Keep your eyes open.