Avenged Sevenfold – Nightmare

Nightmare drum sheet music – a note-for-note transcription of Mike Portnoy’s drum part on Avenged Sevenfold’s “Nightmare”, from the album Nightmare (2010). Every groove, fill and cymbal hit is written out from the original recording in a clean, print-ready PDF.

About the drum part

“Nightmare” is the title track of Avenged Sevenfold’s 2010 album, recorded with Mike Portnoy on drums. It starts dark and theatrical and turns into a heavy, fast metal song full of double bass and big fills.

The intro is in 12/8: fast thirty-second-note runs between snare and toms, then a 12/8 hi-hat groove and a crescendo into a 6/8 bar. After that the tempo changes to 130 bpm in 4/4. The verses combine half-time crash grooves with busy sixteenth-note bass drum patterns and sextuplet kick and tom figures, with notes like “drop on repeat” and “snares on repeat”.

What’s in the Nightmare drum sheet music

This Nightmare drum sheet music shows both tempos and every time-signature change, and marks the differences between repeats (“drop on repeat”, “snares on repeat”). Sections are labelled and the double-bass patterns are written out in full.

Looking for Nightmare drum tabs? This is full drum notation on a five-line staff, so it shows the exact rhythm of every note – something tabs can’t do.

Song facts

• Artist: Avenged Sevenfold
• Album: Nightmare (2010)
• Drummer: Mike Portnoy
• Tempo: ♩. = 87 (12/8), then ♩ = 130
• Time signature: 12/8 and 6/8 in the intro, then 4/4
• Style: Heavy metal
• Level: Advanced

What you get

• The full song, transcribed note-for-note from the original recording
• Clearly labelled song sections
• Professionally engraved, print-ready PDF
• Instant download after purchase

How to practise Nightmare on drums

Once you have the Nightmare drum sheet music, here is a good way to learn it:

1. Learn the 12/8 intro slowly. Count the thirty-second-note runs in groups and keep them even.
2. Practise the tempo change. Play the last intro bars and the first 4/4 bars with a metronome.
3. Isolate the double bass. Practise the sixteenth-note kick patterns alone before adding hands.
4. Master the sextuplets. Say “1-2-3-4-5-6” per beat and play hands and feet slowly together.

Reading tips for this chart

• Repeat bars (the slash signs) mean “play the previous bar or bars again”. The small numbers above them count the bars so you do not lose your place.
• Time-signature changes are written exactly where they happen. When a new one appears, count the smallest note value (eighths or sixteenths) until it feels natural.
• Section labels in boxes (such as I, V1, C1) name each part of the song – intro, verse, chorus and so on – so you can find your place quickly.

Who is it for?

This Nightmare drum sheet music is for advanced metal drummers and Avenged Sevenfold fans who want to learn a modern metal classic with double bass, meter changes and a tempo change.

More Avenged Sevenfold drum sheet music

You might also like So Far Away, Shepherd of Fire, and the rest of the Avenged Sevenfold drum sheet music collection.

Frequently asked questions

Is this Nightmare drum sheet music the full song?

Yes. It is the complete drum part, transcribed note-for-note from the original recording on Nightmare. Nothing is simplified.

Is it a drum tab or real notation?

It is real drum notation, the standard way drum parts are written. If you are used to tabs, it is worth the switch – notation shows rhythm exactly, which tabs can’t.

How do I get the PDF after I buy?

The download link appears straight after checkout and is also sent to your email. You can print the PDF or read it on a tablet.

Listen to the song on YouTube · Got any questions? Get in touch · Need another song? Custom drum transcriptions