Nathan Ewing5/12/14

Percussion Methods Notes

Stickso Beginning sticks – Vic Firth SD1or Gaugaro Don’t get ones with nylongo Things to look for in a new pair of sticks

Grain of wood – no knots in the wood Warped sticks – find a flat surface to roll it on Pitch matching – use the same hand and tap it on a surface or your fingernail

Selecting Beginnerso Steady beat testo Coordination test – “Pat head, rub stomach”o Possible piano test – three years of pianoo Rhythm test – sight read easy music, quarter and eighth noteso Make sure they have good time management and a will to learn a lot of instrumentso Two Companies with Beginners Sticks:

Promark or Vic Firtho Beginning Kit Comes With:

Same sticks and drum pad Bells that are cheap with music stand for them Pair of mallets for bells

o Places to buys beginning kits: Marimba Warehouse Brands

Pearl – All of this with a rolling bag for $179 Innovative Percussion for $224 Majestic Vic Firth

Suppliers Steve Weise Music Lone Star Percussion

o Put them in a set up where you can see them allo Decide whether or not to mirror themo Model sound source that is different from the kidso Good time source, metronomeo Plan for mass chaos! (Controlled)o Definite procedure to start and begin classo Friday – Instrument of the week or percussion ensembleo Have a lot of mirrors for them to observe themselves

Snare Drum Grip – Beginning Processo Students lay sticks on a flat surfaceo Refine the grip – 1/3 the way upo Between pad of thumb and behind first knuckle of pointer fingero Run through the “valley” of the plamo Common Elements Approach

Stance Body Position Grip Stroke Stickings

Snare Drumo Feet shoulder width aparto Height vs. arm lengtho Distance from the drumo Grip Procedureo Resonance of Snare:

Least is the center – Node Some is at the edge – 2nd node Most is 1/3 the way – Anti-node

o Stroking Problems

Nathan Ewing5/12/14

Anticipating the upstroke Not being ready for stroke Choking up on the stick too much

Gripping Problemso Death grip or no gripo Get them to play with just the fulcrumo Buzzing means that grip is too tighto Loose grip means that the sticks are bouncing

Parts of the Snare Drumo Heads are made of nylar, previously made from calf skin

Remo Renaissance Orchestral Concert

Ambassador – Batter $15-18 Snare – $12-13

Evans – Similar Priceso Shell is made of wood, metal, fiberglass, or aluminum

Metal has a bright soundo Brands:

Pearl – 5x14 Philharmonic Maple for $1,174 Pearl – 5x14 Philharmonic Solid Maple for $1,906 Yahama – 5x14 Berlin Maple for $1,412 Black Swamp – 5x14 Concert Maple $598

o Stands: Concert Snare Drum stand Yahama - $126 Single Brace, Double Brace - $165

Paradiddleo Start the sticking on snare. Best for timpani and keyboard instrumentso Harder as it gets faster – they will change the sticking

Rollso A number of wrist motions such that when doubled, produce the desired length of sound with the exception

of the terminating note.o Rebound is necessary for a rollo Ways to teach rolls:

Only fulcrum and drop the stick. Wait and bounce Place the three fingers back on the stick Pick up stick after one wrist motion and one bounce Get wrist motion and bounces to sound the same

o The skeleton of a roll is always based off a 16th noteso Notation of Rolls:

American, European, Buzz Roll – Closedo Multiple Bounce

Close(d), Press(d), Concert, Buzz, Indooro One Wrist Motion, One Bounce

Open, Diddle, Rudimental, Marching, Martial, Outdooro Bad Names for them – Double Stroke and Double Bounce

Flamso Play both sticks togethero Gradually lift right stick as left stick stays lowo Work in preparation of single hand flam (SUBTLE)o Watch for swinging back and forth, “Doggie Paddle,” front and back, the elevator – same height of sticks,

and fa-lam is separate release of the wrist Drag Rudiment

o Concert drag = multiple bounceo Concert buzz – one wrist motion, ZUMP! (sound for buzz)

Stickingo Natural, Straighto Dominate Hand plays strong beats (usually right)

Finger Control – to execute faster music without a diddle

Nathan Ewing5/12/14

o Rudimental Book – Anthony Cirone