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