Nathan Ewing
5/12/14
Percussion Methods Notes
Sticks
o
o
o
Beginning sticks Vic Firth SD1or Gaugar
Dont get ones with nylong
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 Beginners
o Steady beat test
o Coordination test Pat head, rub stomach
o Possible piano test three years of piano
o Rhythm test sight read easy music, quarter and eighth notes
o Make sure they have good time management and a will to learn a lot of instruments
o Two Companies with Beginners Sticks:
Promark or Vic Firth
o 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 all
o Decide whether or not to mirror them
o Model sound source that is different from the kids
o Good time source, metronome
o Plan for mass chaos! (Controlled)
o Definite procedure to start and begin class
o Friday Instrument of the week or percussion ensemble
o Have a lot of mirrors for them to observe themselves
Snare Drum Grip Beginning Process
o Students lay sticks on a flat surface
o Refine the grip 1/3 the way up
o Between pad of thumb and behind first knuckle of pointer finger
o Run through the valley of the plam
o Common Elements Approach
Stance
Body Position
Grip
Stroke
Stickings
Snare Drum
o Feet shoulder width apart
o Height vs. arm length
o Distance from the drum
o Grip Procedure
o 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
Anticipating the upstroke
Nathan Ewing
5/12/14
Not being ready for stroke
Choking up on the stick too much
Gripping Problems
o Death grip or no grip
o Get them to play with just the fulcrum
o Buzzing means that grip is too tight
o Loose grip means that the sticks are bouncing
Parts of the Snare Drum
o Heads are made of nylar, previously made from calf skin
Remo Renaissance
Orchestral
Concert
Ambassador Batter $15-18
Snare $12-13
Evans Similar Prices
o Shell is made of wood, metal, fiberglass, or aluminum
Metal has a bright sound
o 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
Paradiddle
o Start the sticking on snare. Best for timpani and keyboard instruments
o Harder as it gets faster they will change the sticking
Rolls
o 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 roll
o 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 notes
o Notation of Rolls:
American, European, Buzz Roll Closed
o Multiple Bounce
Close(d), Press(d), Concert, Buzz, Indoor
o One Wrist Motion, One Bounce
Open, Diddle, Rudimental, Marching, Martial, Outdoor
o Bad Names for them Double Stroke and Double Bounce
Flams
o Play both sticks together
o Gradually lift right stick as left stick stays low
o 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 bounce
o Concert buzz one wrist motion, ZUMP! (sound for buzz)
Sticking
o Natural, Straight
o Dominate Hand plays strong beats (usually right)
Finger Control to execute faster music without a diddle
o Rudimental Book Anthony Cirone
