Genshin Impact Kory Drum Guide How to Play Locations and Scores

The Kory Drums challenge in Genshin Impact turns rhythm into precision combat-each beat testing your timing, focus, and reflexes. Mastering their patterns means more than keeping tempo; it’s about striking at the heart of their hidden rhythm mechanic.

The drum scores can be a little confusing to read at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to play the drums like a professional. Keep on reading to find out how to read the notes and which attack to use on the Kory Drums in Genshin Impact.

How to play the Kory Drums in Genshin Impact

The Kory Drums in Genshin Impact are rhythm-based puzzles that require players to strike drums in the correct order and timing to match the musical patterns displayed. Each drum represents a different note or beat, and precision in timing affects the score and completion. Players must observe the symbols or beats shown before performing the sequence using light or heavy attacks at the right moments. Practicing the rhythm and watching the cues carefully helps achieve higher accuracy and rewards.

First, you’ll need to learn how to read the notes and what attack they correspond to. The drum scores read from top left to bottom right, and there are three different notes: full, half, and empty. These three notes correspond to three different attacks: plunge, normal, and pause. Here it is in chart form for easy reference:

Kory Drum Notes

Kory Drum Notes are short rhythmic sequences that guide timing during the Kory Drum trials in Genshin Impact. Each note symbol on the screen indicates a specific action-strike, pause, or hold-matching the beat of the melody. Success depends on hitting the drum at the precise moment shown by the visual cue. Learning the rhythm pattern helps achieve higher scores and smoother performance during each session.

When you begin the performance, the drum will glow, indicating to you that a note must be played. Using the image above as an example, the first time the drum glows, you should hit the drum with a normal attack because the first note is a half note. The second note is empty which means you should stay still and not hit the drum the next time it glows. Proceed through the entire drum score and use the respective attack on the drum as it glows to receive your reward.

All 5 Kory Drum locations in Sumeru

Kory Drums in Genshin Impact are puzzle interactables found in Sumeru’s desert region (Girdle of the Sands), mainly around Asipattravana Swamp and Hills of Barsom. There are five overworld ones accessible without quests, which unlock chests or challenges upon solving their unique drum scores.

Drum 1 Location

East side of Asipattravana Swamp, atop a small cliff.
Teleport nearby and climb up; perform Normal → Pause → Normal → Pause → Normal → Pause → Normal → Pause.

Drum 2 Location

Also east Asipattravana Swamp, north of Drum 1 on a small hill.
Sequence: Normal → Normal → Pause → Normal → Normal → Pause → Normal → Normal.

Drum 3 Location

East Asipattravana Swamp, further north on another hill.
Sequence: Normal → Pause → Pause → Normal → Pause → Normal → Normal → Pause.

Drum 4 Location

Hills of Barsom cave (accessible via land bridge from Realm of Farakhfert).
Inside the cave near tents; solving the first three unlocks Percussive Prancing Mushroom challenges here, leading to a Luxurious Chest.

Drum 5 Location

Deeper in Hills of Barsom cave; release a trapped floating Khvarena near camp tents first-it reveals a hidden chamber.
Place Farrwick on gray crystal wall for icons, then: Pause → Plunge → Pause → Normal → Pause → Normal → Pause → Plunge.

These five completions grant the “Seven Dish Dance” achievement and rewards; note that quest-specific drums (Vijnana, Samjna, etc.) in “Awakening’s Real Sound” appear separately around a tree after progressing Khvarena of Good and Evil.

How to solve the Kory Drum puzzles at each location

Kory Drum puzzles in Genshin Impact’s Sumeru desert require matching the leaf-note sequence on each drum’s mural by performing actions (Normal Attack, Plunge Attack, or Pause) precisely when the drum glows gold, reading left-to-right and top-to-bottom.

Asipattravana Swamp East (Drums 1-3)

These three on cliffs/hills east of the swamp unlock Percussive Prancing Mushroom time challenges afterward; complete all three for a Luxurious Chest and “Seven Dish Dance” achievement.

Hills of Barsom Cave (Drums 4-5)

Enter via land bridge from Realm of Farakhfert; these are inside near tents/camps.​

Note Interpretation Recap: Full leaf = Plunge; half leaf = Normal Attack; empty/huge cavity = Pause (do nothing). Use a sword/polearm character, time to glows only, and stand close for hits to register. Quest drums (e.g., Vijnana Pyro: Normal x3 → Plunge) are separate in “Awakening’s Real Sound.”