Always good advice from Jon E. Yeah, there is really no point unless you are making some notes for yourself- if your band members are clueless then notation is just a drag *c'mon man, just feel it
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But if they are willing to learn and you can all work together- cool beans.
I have two theories when I write drum parts.
1.) Writing for the music
2.) Writing for soloing
When I write for music it's all about groove and a slow building of progressions, following chord changes with cymbal crashes, lifting the music with rides and crash rides if needed, effects cymbals etc. I like a subtle approach myself and try not to disrupt the flow of the tune. If it is a more progressive tune then I will add some more elements of my 2nd approach.
When I write for solos I like to really play the patterns well, over and over and I don't write them down unless they sound good *to me*. This is what makes us all unique as players. I try to make my solos build and not necessarily full of fireworks and chops- personally I like a subtle approach to my solos as well. I pretty much stick to what moves me as a player, and it is usually not a terribly complicated pattern. I just like to keep it smooth. I wish I would have taken this philosophy more as a younger player. Simple patterns/stickings well executed with clever displacement and a little bit of layering sound GREAT and they can also sound very complicated
Have fun
