Teaching Percussion
Teaching Percussion
Teaching Percussion
1. Snare Drum
2. Mallets
3. Timpani
5. Day of Percussion
6. Websites
8. Percussion Ensemble
Jared Morris:
[email protected]
Jed Blodgett:
[email protected]
Snare
Drum
EXERCISES
There
are
6
types
of
exercises.
Your
warm
up
should
include
1
of
each
type
of
exercise.
Begin
every
class
period
with
these
exercises.
Use
matched
grip,
not
traditional.
It
is
easier
to
teach
and
it
has
application
to
ALL
percussion
instruments,
not
just
some
snare
and
set.
RUDIMENTS
They
dont
need
to
know
them
all!
After
these
essentials
are
mastered,
all
the
others
will
come
easily
enough.
It
is
better
to
know
these
essential
ones
WELL:
3. After
double
stroke
rolls
have
developed
some
consistency,
teach
buzz
rolls.
a. Buzz
one
hand
at
a
time,
make
it
last
as
long
as
possible.
This
is
the
one
time
where
students
SHOULD
take
their
back
2
fingers
off
the
stick.
But
the
fingers
should
not
stick
out
like
bunny
ears
or
sipping
tea.
b. Alternate
hands
very
slowly.
Overlap
the
buzz
(left
starts
before
right
has
finished
buzzing)
c. Isolated
rudiments
(5,
9,
17)
PACING
Paradiddles
Begin
teaching
during
first
half
of
1st
year
Rolls
Begin
reading
literature
w/
rolls
at
end
of
1st
year
or
beginning
of
2nd
year
Flams
Begin
reading
literature
w/
flams
at
end
of
1st
year
or
beginning
of
2nd
year
Drags
Wait
until
end
of
2nd
year
or
into
the
3rd
year
EQUIPMENT
Dont
use
marching
sticks
on
a
concert
snare!
Start
with
mallets
up
in
the
air,
above
the
note
that
mallet
will
strike.
Strike
the
note,
and
immediately
bring
the
mallet
back
into
the
upright
position.
Lift!
Like
wind
and
string
players,
mallet
players
should
play
scales
in
various
patterns.
4-MALLET
PLAYING
I
dont
recommend
4-mallet
playing
to
a
student
unless
they
have
private
lessons.
Usually
they
can
begin
4-mallet
playing
during
their
3rd
year
with
a
good
teacher.
Dont
try
to
teach
this
in
your
percussion
classes.
RECOMMENDED
MALLETS
2-Mallet
Marimba
(perfect
for
suspended
cymbal,
too)
Encore
32YR
(medium
hard)
Encore
34YR
(medium
soft)
These
will
cover
90%
of
all
2-mallet
marimba
music,
for
junior
high
and
high
school
purposes.
Theyre
durable
and
versatile.
4-Mallet
Marimba
(work
for
2
mallet,
but
designed
for
4)
Innovative
Percussion
IP100
(softest),
IP200,
IP240,
IP300,
and
IP400
(hardest).
Vibraphone
Innovative
Percussion
IP201
(soft)
IP251
(medium)
and
IP301
(hard).
Timpani
TECHNIQUE
Placement
Find
the
sweet
spot
of
the
drum,
roughly
2
inches
from
the
rim
(varying
by
drum
size).
Too
close
to
the
edge
will
produce
a
thin,
twangy
sound.
Too
close
to
the
center
will
produce
a
thumpy
sound.
Single
strokes
-
Use
an
up-stroke
or
full-stroke,
not
down-strokes.
Professionals
will
turn
their
thumbs
upward
and
use
more
of
whats
called
a
French
grip.
While
this
is
good
at
the
college/pro
level,
for
J.H.
and
even
many
H.S.
students,
its
really
not
practical
for
the
time
and
effort
it
takes
to
do
it
right.
Have
them
hold
timpani
mallets
the
same
as
a
drum
stick
and
play
with
full
strokes,
until
they
are
very
comfortable
with
it.
Advanced
high
school
students
may
switch
to
French
grip.
Rolls
-
Use
open,
single-stroke
rolls.
Never
buzz,
doubles,
or
anything
in-between.
On
a
forte-piano,
strike
forte,
then
pause,
then
sneak
in
with
a
soft
roll.
SETUP
The
timpanist
needs
a
stool
so
their
feet
are
free
to
use
the
pedals.
Timpanists
need
2
music
stands.
One
stand
is
for
the
sheet
music.
The
other
should
be
covered
with
a
black
towel.
Keep
mallets
and
a
tuning
fork
on
this
stand.
Rarely
will
one
set
of
mallets
suffice
for
an
entire
piece
of
music.
Place
the
largest
drum
on
the
left
and
the
smallest
on
the
right.
MALLETS
The
Vic
Firth
timpani
mallets
are
not
a
good
choice,
but
its
what
most
schools
use.
Id
recommend
buying
some
real
timpani
mallets,
and
keeping
them
safe
in
your
office.
The
best
brands
are
Black
Swamp,
Mike
Baker,
Clevelander
and
Cloyd
Duff.
You
just
need
a
staccato
pair
and
a
general
pair.
The
big
fluffy
cartwheels
or
the
ultra
staccatos
arent
really
necessary.
Ive
got
about
10
pair
of
timpani
mallets,
and
I
use
2
of
them
the
staccatos
and
generals
for
90%
of
what
I
play.
DAMPENING
Dampen
by
lightly
placing
the
back
fingertips
on
the
drum.
Dampen
during
rests
and
sometimes
when
alternating
between
pitches.
PACING
Year
one
Simple
etudes
with
no
tuning
changes.
Teach
tuning
to
one
pitch
and
dampening.
Year
two
Introduce
rolls
and
simple
tuning
changes
(M2,
P4,
P5).
Drum
Set
Your
set
player
in
jazz
band
should
take
private
lessons
if
theyre
going
to
do
the
job
well.
Here
are
some
books
that
will
also
help:
Jazz:
The
Chart-Reading
Workbook
for
Drummers
by
Bobby
Gabriel.
It
teaches
how
to
setup
and
kick
a
big
band.
Funk/Rock:
Advanced
Funk
Studies
by
Rick
Latham.
Everyone
loves
this
book,
students
and
teachers
alike.
It
has
developmental
exercises,
transcriptions,
and
10
solos.
Auxiliary
I
prefer
to
teach
the
auxiliary
instruments
as
they
come
in
the
music.
If
a
student
can
play
snare
drum
well,
they
will
be
fine
on
tambourine,
bass
drum,
etc.
If
they
cannot
play
snare
drum
well,
they
will
struggle
with
auxiliary
instruments.
There
is
an
excellent
DVD
that
will
answer
all
your
questions
about
how
to
play
each
auxiliary
instrument.
BYU
Percussion
Professor
Ron
Brough
produced
it.
The
title
is
Percussion
Techniques.
It
is
available
at
c-alanpublications.com
Helpful
Websites
Vic
Firth
has
countless
education
videos,
online
lessons,
rudiment
demos,
etc.
15
min.
Bucs.
o Start
at
72
bpm.
Increase
by
increments
of
10.
o Variation
one
play
everything
tap
height
(about
2
inches)
Split
up
by
level.
All
students
playing
Level
One
mallets
start
first,
so
I
can
help
them
know
how
to
use
their
time
productively
when
were
finished.
When
I
split
up
the
kids
this
way,
I
have
small
groups
of
about
6
kids
each,
so
I
only
need
3
mallet
instruments.
There
are
plenty
of
others
for
people
to
practice,
plus
they
can
use
pianos
or
work
on
timpani
and
snare
drum.
15
min.
Work
with
all
Level
One
mallet
players.
o Say
the
note
names
aloud
and
in
tempo.
o At
this
level,
sticking
and
technique
will
be
the
primary
issues
to
fix.
o Work
on
lifting,
using
full
strokes,
not
down
strokes.
o Help
them
choose
proper
sticking.
Double
sticking
occasionally,
but
almost
never
more
than
2
in
a
row
on
one
hand.
o Use
more
wrist
and
less
arm.
15
min.
Work
with
all
Level
Three
mallet
players.
o By
level
three,
they
will
be
using
more
complex
rhythms
and
keys.
o The
primary
concern
here
will
likely
be
rolls.
See
the
tips
above
for
proper
mallet
rolls.
15
min.
Work
with
all
Level
Four
mallet
players.
o By
level
four,
the
primary
concern
will
likely
be
phrasing.
LESSON
THREE
FOCUS
ON
CONCERT
BAND
OR
PERC.
ENSEMBLE
15
min.
Snare
drum
warm
up
(run
by
advanced
student
while
you
take
roll).
10
min.
Split
the
class.
Group
one
(concert
band
music)
stays
in
band
room
with
director.
Group
two
uses
practice
rooms
to
work
on
pass-offs
or
their
ensemble
music.
As
the
concert
band
kids
set
up,
help
direct
the
other
students
in
how
to
use
their
time
well.
50
min.
Begin
rehearsing
the
concert
band.
It
will
help
to
have
a
recording
of
the
piece
so
they
have
to
count
rests,
rather
than
just
stop
and
start.
Rehearse
the
percussion
just
as
you
would
a
concert
band.
Every
15
minutes
or
so,
leave
the
concert
band
kids
on
their
own
and
check
up
on
the
others
who
should
be
practicing.
Daily
participation
points
can
be
a
motivator
here.
While
the
concert
band
students
clean
up,
give
the
other
students
the
opportunity
to
do
any
pass-offs
they
may
have
prepared
during
their
practice.
Or
for
percussion
ensemble:
Split
the
group.
Choose
your
ensemble
music
so
that
2
ensembles
can
rehearse
simultaneously.
For
example,
have
a
mallet-only
piece,
and
a
battery/auxiliary
only
piece
with
different
kids
in
each.
They
can
be
rehearsed
at
the
same
time
in
different
rooms.
If
instrumentation
is
such
that
this
isnt
an
option,
the
kids
you
arent
working
with
can
practice
for
pass-offs.
If
some
students
wont
use
the
time
well,
give
them
worksheets
that
they
need
to
complete
in
order
to
earn
their
daily
points.
AN
ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT
BUFFET
WITHOUT
DESSERT?
NO
WAY!
SHOULD
YOU
PLAY
PERCUSSION
ENSEMBLE
LITERATURE
IF
YOU
DONT
HAVE
A
PERCUSSION
CLASS?
YES!
Meet
with
them
before
or
after
school,
even
if
its
just
once
or
twice
a
week.
I
know
this
means
more
time
for
the
teacher
and
student.
But
a
school
band
program
without
percussion
ensemble
is
like
an
all-you-can-eat
buffet
dinner
without
dessert.
If
you
had
two
all-you-can-eat
buffets
to
choose
from,
and
one
of
them
doesnt
offer
dessert,
you
would
choose
the
other
one.
For
wind
players,
concert
band
is
the
main
course.
Jazz
band
and
marching
band
are
the
salads
and
side
dishes.
If
that
is
all
you
have,
it
may
be
a
functioning,
working,
successful
music
program
for
the
wind
players.
Without
percussion
ensemble,
one
of
the
sweetest,
most
appealing
parts
of
the
overall
experience
is
missing.
It
takes
extra
work
to
prepare
dessert.
But
for
some,
it
is
the
best
part
of
the
meal.
They
eat
the
main
course
to
earn
dessert.
For
your
percussionists,
that
percussion
ensemble
experience
will
likely
be
the
most
memorable
part
of
their
school
music
experience.
Do
not
deny
them
this!
They
earn
their
dessert
by
playing
with
the
concert
band.
While
the
director
may
think
of
the
percussion
ensemble
dessert
as
an
optional
thing
that
could
be
left
out,
it
doesnt
feel
that
way
to
the
percussionists.
For
them,
percussion
ensemble
is
the
meat
and
potatoes,
while
concert
band
is
a
side
dish
that
they
could
do
without.
Concert
band
is
NOT
the
most
musically
rewarding
experience
for
percussionists,
especially
at
the
junior
high/high
school
level.
Their
parts
are
easy
and
they
have
lots
of
rests.
They
need
parts
with
more
substance,
that
require
more
practice,
and
that
give
them
the
spotlight.
Percussion
ensemble
gives
them
this
opportunity.
Do
not
deny
them
this!