Percussion

malletKAT 8.5 - An Essential Tool for Any Music Program What the malletKAT offers the band room is a great-sounding, portable option to traditional instruments in the percussion family. It comes standard with 127 different user kits that…
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For more articles and resources, visit the Yamaha Educator Suite As a percussionist, there are three things that we should always work on - reading, rolls and ear/listening. I know it is naive to…
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Just like the basics of basketball are dribbling, the chest pass, and free throws, the basics of performance on a keyboard percussion instrument are the grip, the stroke, and proper sound production. Without these basics, every other aspect…
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Basic Mallet Percussion Instrumentation for the Middle High School Concert Percussion Section ©2001 Majestic Percussion. Reprinted with permission. David Steinquest Both diversity and virtuosity are rarely achieved at the level…
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In the realm of percussion, the goal for every music educator is to create a percussionist who is a musician. As teachers, we dream of a highly disciplined group of students in the back of the band hall who are every bit as accomplished as…
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Building A Better Percussion Section © 2001 Majestic Percussion Reprinted with Permission Dr. Stephen Crawford Whether it is the orchestra, wind ensemble, percussion ensemble, jazz ensemble, opera/musical theatre orchestra, dance…
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With the old head still in place, mark the counterhoop and a corresponding spot on the bowl. Adjust the fine tuner so that it is midrange. Pedal the pitch of the head down to its lowest point.
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Teaching cymbal technique is often a neglected topic in the course of study for many young percussionists. Due to time limitations and an overwhelming amount of information that is necessary to learn on snare drum, keyboards, and timpani,…
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How do you play a basic crash? First, I think it’s important to have a pre-conceived idea about what sound should be produced when the cymbals are brought together.
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This is the last part in a four part series examining the importance of proper auxiliary percussion in large ensemble performance. The instruments suggested are a basic inventory recommended for all band programs. Within the world of…
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This is Part 3 in a four part series examining the importance of proper auxiliary percussion in large ensemble performance. The instruments suggested are a basic inventory recommended for all band programs. Within the world of percussion…
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In this part of this series, we will take a look at another set of basic auxiliary instruments, that band director should have for their ensemble. The instruments we will look at now are: Wood Block, Temple Blocks, Vibra-Slap, Claves, and…
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#1: Tips on Selecting an Indoor Show for your Winter Drum Line This is the time of year when band directors find themselves with the daunting task of selecting an Indoor Show for their Winter Drum Line. Unfortunately those of us who play…
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The old adage, “where the rubber meets the road,” refers to the tires on an automobile as they spin on the road. In other words, that is where it all happens. That is what counts. That is when the automobile proves its worth.
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Drum Tuning It's always a good idea to get the head seated before actually tuning the drum up. By seating the head you are actually breaking the glue away from the hoop, allowing the head to be stretched. The easiest way to get the…
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Avoid Air Pocket Crashes with Cymabls Easy tip to avoid catching an air pocket when playing crashes! Eddie Capps Whether you are in an orchestral or marching setting, you are at risk of what we call “catching air” when you crash your…
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In the frantic race to prepare for upcoming festivals and contests, band directors have many issues on their mind. From scheduling extra rehearsals to working on specific passages in a particular piece of music, many items are placed on the…
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More than just people keeping time, the drum players in your school band can be called upon to play a variety of instruments, including timpani, xylophone, marimba, vibes and bells, as well as the occasional tambourine, triangle, wood block…
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Change timpani heads when the tone starts to sound dry or dead or the pitch becomes "false" meaning it is impossible to fine-tune the head and obtain a clear pitch. Please refer to the Evans Timpani Head Sizing Chart to determine which head…
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The problems that a timpanist must solve or overcome are many, and I'm not covering problems or issues of sticking and mallet type changes such as wood, hard, medium, or soft to achieve the appropriate sound for the music. Determining which…
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The first and most important step in tuning timpani is knowing the pitch to which you are tuning the drum. Though this seems obvious, many beginning timpanists neglect the time necessary to establish the pitch in their head before striking…
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On a hard wood or linoleum floor, the hi hat and bass drum will slide away from the player if something is not done to hold them in place. The simplest solution is to set up the drums on a rug. The rug should be relatively thin so the…
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There is nothing more important for the beginning percussionist than to establish the correct snare drum grip. Just like the wind player with an improper embouchure, the percussionist with an improper grip will continually be hampered in…
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A technique can be broken down into many areas: single strokes, open and closed rolls, rudiments such as flams, drags, 4-stroke ruffs, etc. They all must be executed with precision if a percussionist is to be an effective performer.
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This is a basic skill for all drummers who play casuals and club-dates. With the wide variety of foodstuffs available in buffets served at wedding receptions and bar-mitzvah, the drummers ability to consume different types of food while…
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In today's band program, percussionists are asked to play a wide variety of instruments ranging from Agogo Bells to Xylophones. Just as you would not have just one screwdriver in your toolbox, you wouldn't have 1 pair of mallets for every…
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Generally speaking, percussion music is very straightforward and has clear guidelines for who plays what and when. However, many times there are confusing instructions in the parts. This is especially prominent in parts that have multiple…
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Pro-Mark Corporation, the world's largest manufacturer dedicated exclusively to the design, production, and distribution of drumsticks, mallets, and percussion accessories announces the addition of two new marching snare drumstick models.
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The concept of timpani sound is complex and every conductor with whom I have played has some idea of what sound he wants the timpanist to project. Whole schools of thought have been built around producing a particular sound. The "Cloyd Duff…
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Regardless of the type of drum, it is best to use the cross-lug tuning sequence (fig. 4) when tuning from scratch as it creates balanced tension. Study each of the tuning sequence diagrams illustrated below. Count the number of lugs on your…
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The thumb and first finger of the hand should form the shape of the letter "C." The clip should then drop into the "C" so that it rests on top.
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Most people choose an eighteen-inch medium cymbal as their general purpose suspended. Make sure that the cymbal responses at all dynamic ranges, especially the outer extreme levels: ppp / fff Make sure it doesn't break up or distort at the…
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MEDUCTIC, Canada (August 17, 2007) - SABIAN has launched its innovative new Sound Calculator.TM This revolutionary web-based program at www.sabian.com helps musicians choose the Band & Orchestral cymbals that best fit their needs.
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A standard pair of cymbals is usually 18 inches in size and has a quick response to vibrations. These are generally used when a cymbal part has a combination of loud and soft strokes and rhythmic passages.
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A cymbal can crack if you don't play it correctly. By choosing the 'right' cymbal weight, size, and positioning, you immediately reduce the possibility of cracking. Here are 6 tips to remember and follow:
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Keeping your cymbals clean doesn't have to be a chore. Proper handling of your cymbals and occasional cleaning will keep them clean. For the best and safest cleaning, 'The SABIAN Cymbal Cleaner' (a new, one-for-all formula introduced in…
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Unlike most other instrumentalists, percussion students typically do not, and could not, own many of the instruments they play. Instead, the school or ensemble traditionally purchases many of the percussion instruments and students are…
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Ben Miller is Professor of Music at Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, where he serves as Coordinator of Percussion Studies, Conductor of the Symphonic-Community Band and is a member of the M.U. Jazz Faculty.
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First of all, they are in the back of the room, the easiest place to hide. Second, there aren't enough parts to go around so many of them have to sit out for an entire tune. While rehearsal is happening on a tune they are not playing on,…
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A band director friend of mine once mentioned that he considered buying heavy overcoats for his drumline each year because it seemed they always needed to warm-up. It's true that most drumlines could manage an entire rehearsal just…
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To begin, we need to consider what the musical purpose of the bass drum is in an ensemble. The bass drum is the lowest sound in the percussion section. Whether it is played repetitively, such as during a march, or is used to reinforce…
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