Ultimate_Percussion_Method.pdf

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Lesson 1

Warm-up

1. Students set-up their snare drums. The angle of the drum should be flat. The rim of the drum should be 3-4 inches below the belt line of the player.

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3. “Set Position” or “Player’s Ready Position.”

3. Play a stroke.

To the teacher

1. GOAL: Have the student play one controlled stroke.

2. Don’t worry about tempo or time-keeping for now. Encourage the student to start in a good “set position”, play one stroke, then return to “set position”. Repeat with the left hand. Have each student play individually. Always be very positive and encouraging. Make sure to say things like: “Great,” “You have it!,” “Exactly”…

3. Move the lesson along quickly and don’t get hung up on any one concept or individual. Your students need to feel that they are achieving and accomplishing at all times.

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Lesson 2

Warm-up

1. Students set-up snare drums at correct heights and angles.

snare drum set-up checklist:

____top rim of drum should be about 4 inches below the belt line of the player ____the angle of the drum should be pretty close to flat (like a tabletop)

____feet are shoulder-length apart ____no music stand is needed yet

2. Review grip checklist (Matched Grip).

grip checklist:

____no gaps between thumb and index finger

____all fingers and thumbs are touching the sticks at all times

____elbows are about 2 inches from the sides of the body

____sticks are in line with the forearms (straight line from the tip of the stick to the elbow)

____hands are turned over (analogy: students should imagine getting a nice tan on the top part of their hands if they were outside)

*** KEEPING THE HANDS TURNED OVER IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT TO GET RIGHT!

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3. Review “Set Position.”

set position checklist:

____tips of the sticks form the top angle of a triangle

____tips should be 1 inch apart and 1 inch above the drum head

____tips are over the center of the drum head

____maintain the grip guidelines listed above

4. Review the stroke checklist.

GOAL: Play a single stroke at full volume (tip of stick moves about 12 inches), no time-keeping or counting, first try right hand then left.

stroke checklist:

____start in the “set position”

____while keeping your elbow still, turn wrist back, tip of the stick is the first thing to move, NOT FOREARM!

*** THIS ISOLATED WRIST TURN CONCEPT IS CRUCIAL

* When the stick moves to the up position it is called the up-stroke.

____play a 12 inch stroke (full wrist turn) * When the stick is moving downward it is called the down-stroke.

____immediately return to the set position after the down-stroke, in other words, control the tip of the stick immediately after it hits the drum head

____maintain a firm FULCRUM (place where the meat of the thumb and the first knuckle of the index finger firmly pinch the stick, this occurs one-third of the way up from the butt end of the stick)

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5. Counting.

Demonstrate steady counting (“1234, 1234, 1234”…) at a moderately slow tempo, encourage students to join in counting out loud, praise students’ counting when they are steady and relaxed, try counting 2 measures of quarter notes yourself (“1234, 1234”) then the students echo (“1234, 1234”), repeat this individually and if there is a group of players go right down the line without missing any beats, gestural and eye contact cues will really help the students enter, it helps to have a relaxed demeanor when counting, teach your students to have PATIENCE!

6. Counting aloud while playing a 12 inch stroke on beat 1:

GOAL: Play one quarter note on beat one then rest for three quarter rests while counting “1234” all along.

checklist:

____count “1234, 1234”… while playing a 12 inch quarter note on beat one ____maintain grip and stroke guidelines

____return to “set position” immediately after the stroke ____demonstrate steady and relaxed time-keeping

____play the exercise with just the right then just the left, then alternating but with the same rhythm

____encourage students to play individually

Reading

To the Teacher:

- show the class a flash card of a quarter note and explain that it is a quarter note and tell them that we play on “notes”

- show the class a flash card of a quarter rest and explain that it is a quarter rest and tell them that we do not play on rests

- have a bunch of quarter note and quarter rest flash cards in a mixed pile on a table, invite each student to walk up and choose one quarter note and three quarter rests and bring them back to his/her drum

- ask if anyone knows how to arrange the flash cards to create the measure that we’ve been playing, have the entire class arrange their cards on their own music stand in front of their drum

checklist:

____encourage students to look at each flash card as the time goes by

____have students clap and count aloud ____have students play right hand only while counting aloud

____have students play only left hand while counting aloud

____have students alternate hands: one measure with right hand, one measure with left hand

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Creativity

Student Fill-ins:

1. Do you know any drummers? (family, friends, neighbors, professionals) List them here:

_______________________, ______________________, ________________________ _______________________, ______________________, ________________________ 2. Experiment with the snare/tom switch. Which sound do you like better? Why?

______________________________________________________________

review

1. Demonstrate a good matched grip.

2. Demonstrate a good “set position” at the snare drum.

3. Play a 12 inch stroke with your right hand. Remember you should be in a good “set position.” before and after the stroke.

4. Play a 12 inch stroke with your left hand. Remember you should be in a good “set position.” before and after the stroke.

5. Draw a quarter note on the chalkboard.

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Lesson 3

Warm-up

1. Students set-up snare drums and music stands.

To the teacher: display eight flash cards on the chalkboard, have a bunch of quarter note and quarter rest flash cards on a table. Ask students to find a partner and decide among themselves who will get the notes and who will get the rests from the table, invite them to arrange the flash cards on their own music stand.

warm-up checklist:

____encourage students to clap the rhythms while counting aloud

____encourage students to play the rhythms as a group with right hand only ____encourage students to play the rhythms as a group with left hand only

____review technique detail (see grip, set position, and stroke checklists in Lesson 2)

Reading

Musicianship – measures, barlines

Measure – A group of beats separated by barlines. In other words, a box in which music is

written.

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Double Barline – A double barline signifies the end of a piece of music.

Time signatures –

4/4 Time Signature – Tells us there are four quarter notes per measure and each quarter note gets

one beat.

** 4/4 Time Signature is also known as Common Time Signature.

** The abbreviation for Common Time is a capital letter C. (Example #2)

Examples #1 and #2 sound exactly the same. It is just the sticking (which hand you play) that changes

Creativity

1. Practice drawing quarter notes and quarter rests in the spaces provided.

Quarter Notes:

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Quarter Rests:

listening game

To the Teacher: The “Listening Games” section is a great way to help players develop listening skills. Most of the activities found in this section involve a soloist playing for the class while the class writes answers in their workbooks. Have the soloist positioned so that the

class cannot see him/her. The students filling in answers should only use their ears. Get in the habit of rotating the soloists as much as possible. As always, the more confidence you can give the students the quicker they will develop.

Activity:

One player sets up in the back of the room. The rest of the class are seated and facing the front of the room. The soloist puts the snare/tom switch on or off. The soloist plays one note. This is example #1. Students record their answer in their workbooks. The soloist chooses whether to put the drum on tom or snare and plays another note. This is example #2. The class records their answer and so on.

To the Student:

Listen to the soloist and circle the correct answer. Example #1 tom snare Example #2 tom snare Example #3 tom snare Example #4 tom snare

To the Teacher: From Lesson 3 on you will find a feature composition at the end of each lesson. These solos are perhaps the most important element of this method book. The featured solo gives the student a chance to demonstrate ownership of the concepts covered. Fun and appealing titles were given to make performing an engaging and enjoyable experience for the player. Each solo will be followed by a checklist of details. Student and teacher should work together to complete all checklists.

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review

1. Matching Game: Fill-in the correct term.

A) double barline B) measure C) barline

Single line that separates measures__________________________________ Box in which music is written______________________________________ Indicates that you’ve reached the end of the piece______________________ 2. 4/4 Time Signature is also called ____________________________.

3. A 4/4 Time Signature tells us that there are __________ quarter notes per measure and each ______________________________ gets one beat.

“Blast-off!” checklist:

How many measures are there in “Blast-off!”?______________ How many barlines are there in “Blast-off!”?_______________ How many double barlines are there in “Blast-off!”?___________ ____play the correct sticking

____your stick should immediately return to the “set position,” especially every measure that has a quarter note followed by three quarter rests

____maintain a steady beat throughout ____play the piece while counting aloud ____clap the rhythm while counting aloud

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Lesson 4

Warm-up

Repeat Sign - A double barline with two dots tells us to repeat the enclosed measures. Usually a

repeat sign tells us to repeat the section once but in our warm-up exercise we will repeat it indefinitely.

Eight on a Hand checklist:

____the tip of the stick should not press into the head or stop on the head during the stroke ____after the eighth stroke on each hand the student must return the tip of the stick to the set position (tip of stick is one inch above the center of the head)

____as a rule the stick that is not playing should be in the “set position” Helpful Tips:

- Figure 4.1 shows the player’s EXCELLENT stick control while playing “Eight on a Hand“ on his right hand. This is correct. Notice how the right stick is in the air while the left stick is in “set position.”

- Figure 4.2 shows the player’s LACK of stick control while playing “Eight on a Hand” with the right hand. Notice how the left stick is hanging in mid-air and NOT in “set position.” - Whichever stick is NOT PLAYING should stay down at “set position.”

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Reading

Auxiliary instruments – concert bass drum

Standing Position

standing checklist:

____left hand resting on the rim on player’s left side of the drum ____right hand strikes the head slightly off-center for fullest sound Bass Drum Grip

grip checklist:

____bass mallet grip is similar to snare grip (no gaps between thumb and index finger) ____all fingers stay on the mallet at all time

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____fulcrum is at the point on the mallet that is one-third the way up from the butt of the mallet RHYTHM – WHOLE NOTES AND HALF NOTES

Whole Note – A whole note looks like an oval-shaped circle. It lasts for four beats in 4/4 time.

Here is a whole note:

Half Note – A half note is an oval-shaped circle with a line attached. It lasts for two beats in 4/4

time.

Here is a half note:

bass drum checklist:

____no gaps between thumb and index finger ____turn the wrist

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____keep all fingers on the mallet at all times ____hit the drum head slightly off-center ____strive for each stroke to sound the same ____left hand is resting on the top of the shell ____counting aloud while playing

CREATIVITY

1. Does the bass drum sound lower or higher than the snare drum? Why?

2. Can you think of anything that is not a drum yet sounds like a bass drum?

3. Practice drawing whole notes:

4. Practice drawing half notes:

5. Draw two repeat signs in the following measures (one in the first and one in the second):

LISTENING game

- Performer plays either bass drum or snare drum (on tom). Write down the name of the performer and circle the instrument that was played.

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Performer #2:___________________ bass drum snare drum Performer #3:___________________ bass drum snare drum Performer #4:___________________ bass drum snare drum Performer #5:___________________ bass drum snare drum

REVIEW

1. The major difference between a barline and a double barline is that a barline has _____ line while a double barline has ______ lines.

2. Matching: Draw the note or rest that equals the value given.

4 beats 1 beat rest

2 beats 1 beat

3. 4/4 Time Signatures tell us there are __________________ beats per measure and the __________ note gets one beat.

4. 4/4 Time Signature is also known as _____________ Time. 5. What does a repeat symbol tell us to do? ___________________

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6. For a great bass drum sound hit the bass drum: (circle correct answer)

A) directly in the center of the head B) on the shell C) slightly off-center To the teacher: Visual Technique Guide

COMMON

ERROR

FIXED

BAD - thumb off the stick, poor fulcrum GOOD - thumb on stick, great fulcrum

BAD - moving arm instead of just wrist GOOD - isolated wrist turn, elbow remains still

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BAD – stick is not an extension off the forearm

GOOD – stick is a natural extension of the forearm

BAD – fingers off the sticks

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BAD – elbows are locked into the hips GOOD – about two inches of space between the elbows and hips

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DRAG RACES

Bass Drum Solo

"Drag Races" checklist:

____maintain proper bass drum grip (fulcrum with no gaps, all fingers on mallet,

hold mallet at the balance point which is one-third of the way from the butt end of the stick) ____left hand rests on opposite rim

____strike the head slightly off-center for fullest sound

____all forty-four notes in this piece should have the same fullness of sound ____perform the solo loudly

____perform the solo quietly

____notice that there is only one line through the staff where there is usually five, this one-lined staff is used for non-melodic instruments

There are______half notes in this piece. There are______whole notes in this piece.

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Lesson 5

Warm-up

Copy the warm-up exercise from Lesson 4 in the measures provided below: (include repeat signs, stickings, and notes)

Dynamics – Dynamics are musical terms for the volume of the music. Here are two common

dynamics:

Fortissimo – Fortissimo means loud, let’s call it a 12 inch stroke, the symbol for

fortissimo is ff

Piano – Piano means quiet, let’s call it a 1 inch stroke, the symbol for piano is p

warm-up checklist:

____when playing at lower dynamic levels you must maintain all “grip guidelines” described in Lesson 2

____remain relaxed when playing low

____there should be a definite difference in the stick heights for piano (1”) and fortissimo (12”)

READING

RHYTHM – WHOLE RESTS AND HALF RESTS A whole rest is a rest that lasts for four beats in 4/4 time.

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The symbol for a whole rest is

A half rest is a rest that lasts for two beats in 4/4 time. The symbol for a half rest is

Auxiliary – bass drum dampening

Bass Drum Dampening

- play a note on the bass drum and let it ring for a few seconds

- with your left hand gently but firmly press your fingertips into the head on your left side - at the same time that you dampen with the left hand dampen with the fingertips of your right

hand on the head to your right (get used to holding the mallet in the crux of your thumb while you dampen with the right hand)

- strive for absolute silence on the downbeat of the rest - many players use their right knee to dampen the head also

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REATIVITY

Draw whole rests:

Draw half rests:

Listening game

Soloist either plays a dampened note or a non-dampened note on the bass drum. Class records answers below.

Performer’s Name:_________________ dampened non-dampened Performer’s Name:_________________ dampened non-dampened Performer’s Name:_________________ dampened non-dampened Performer’s Name:_________________ dampened non-dampened

review

1. True or False: Fortissimo means loud. 2. True or False: Fortissimo means quiet. 3. True or False: Piano means loud.

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4. Piano and Fortissimo are called __________________. 5. A half rest is worth ______ beats of rest in 4/4 time. 6. A whole rest is worth _______ beats of rest in 4/4 time.

7. What is the musical term for stopping an instrument from ringing? _____________________ 8. Why would you need to dampen a note? __________________________________________

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Lesson 6

Warm-up

New dynamic – mf which stands for mezzo-forte or medium loud, let’s say that mf dynamics will be played as 6” strokes.

Warm-up checklist:

____play the following levels: 12” forte, 6” mezzo-forte, and 1” piano ____display three distinctly different dynamics at the three different levels ____both hands have the same height and volume at any given dynamic (make sure the left hand is not played lower than the right hand)

____maintain “grip guidelines” (see Lesson #2) while playing the three dynamics

reading

new term – repeat previous measure symbol This symbol tells us to repeat the previous measure:

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new term – duet

Duet – A duet is a piece of music written for two players. The featured piece in this lesson is a

duet.

New term – alternating sticking

Alternating Sticking – Alternate you hands when playing.

Examples/ RLRLRL… or LRLRLRLR…

Sight reading – snare drum

This is the first example of sight reading. The intent of sight reading is to see how quickly and accurately you can play a piece that you’ve never seen before.

*** KEEP YOUR EYES MOVING FORWARD ALL THE TIME. YOUR EYES SHOULD ALWAYS BE A LITTLE AHEAD OF THE MUSIC YOU ARE ACTUALLY PLAYING. Imagine riding your bike – wouldn’t you be looking ahead for what was coming up next?

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creativity

Draw the following: Half Notes Quarter Notes Quarter Rests Whole Rests Half Rests Whole Rests

Draw Repeat Previous Measure Symbols:

Listening game

Soloist performs the bass drum sight reading excerpt from this lesson in front of the class. Soloist will play four times. Soloist will either dampen or not dampen during each performance of the piece. The class circles either dampened or not dampened.

Performer’s Name:_________________

Example #1 dampened not dampened Example #2 dampened not dampened

Example #3 dampened not dampened

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Example #4 dampened not dampened

Review

1. Fill in the correct dynamic levels for the following dynamics: fortissimo (ff) ____ inches

piano (p) ____ inches

mezzo-forte (mf) ____ inches

2. The “Repeat the Previous Measure” symbol looks like________ 3. The “Repeat the Previous Measure” symbol tells us to:

4. A piece of music written for two players is called a________ 5. R L R L is an example of _____________ sticking

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BEACH FUN

"Beach Fun" checklist:

____snare: demonstrate a good set position on beat two of measures 2,4,6,8, and 12 ____bass: strive to get the drum silent on the downbeats of the rests

____switch parts ____perform faster ____perform slower

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Lesson 7

Warm-up

Forte – Forte is a dynamic level that means loud. It is similar to fortissimo but not as loud. The

symbol for forte is f. We will play forte dynamics at 9 inches.

warm-up checklist: ____play at ff (12”) ____play at f (9”) ____play at mf (6”) ____play at p (1”)

____play as a loop (four measures at each dynamic without stopping) ____play slowly

____play quickly

Reading

Rudiment – Rudiments are skills that are required to play the drums. Just like scales help wind

players, rudiments help drummers improve.

Rudiments – buzz strokes (in quarter notes) GOAL – Play a buzz stroke:

- Using your right hand, play a mf stroke but at the moment the tip of your stick touches the drum head let the stick fizzle (buzz) on the head. It will make a “zzzz” sound if you allow the tip to bounce multiple times in one spot. Do not stop the stick from bouncing just let it fizzle out on its own. It is important to pinch the fulcrum slightly to make the stick bounce. The symbol for a buzz stroke is a “z” through the note stem. It is better to have the tip of the stick bounce in one spot on the drum head than to smear the tip across the drum head.

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Stick clicks – Just hit your sticks together.

The symbol for a stick click is an x as a notehead.

Creativity

1. Draw lines connecting the dynamics to the correct stick heights:

mf 1 inch

p 6 inches ff 9 inches

f 12 inches

2. Draw repeat previous measure symbols in the blank measures below then play the piece with the written repeat symbols.

Listening fun

Soloist sets a snare drum up in the back of the class. Soloist plays four notes one at a time. Choose either a buzz stroke or a normal stroke. Class circles the stroke that was played. Performer’s Name:_____________________

Example #1 buzz normal Example #2 buzz normal

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Example #3 buzz normal Example #4 buzz normal

video goal

To the Teacher: You will find strategically placed Video Goals throughout this method. Naturally, you will need to get permission forms if your school requires them. The process of having to PERFORM for a video camera immediately raises the performance level of the player. Getting young players into the habit of performing is beneficial to the development of the player. Plus, the video documentation will benefit you as a teacher as well. You can easily chart

progress. The students will get a kick out of seeing themselves after a few months pass. They will clearly recognize their own progress. In later lessons you will have students make videos for younger students in your district.

Student chooses a solo from Lessons 4 through 7 and performs for the video camera.

Review

1. What is it called when you hit your sticks together?_____________________ 2. If we play a 9 inch stroke, what is the dynamic level? ____________________

3. True or False: When we play a buzz stroke we want to stop the bouncing immediately. 4. Circle the correct answer:

The best way to get a buzz sound is to (A) pinch the fulcrum slightly or (B) take all the fingers off the stick and hope.

“Magic Trick” checklist:

____snare: allow the buzz strokes to buzz for as long as possible

____bass: make sure to get silence from the drum on beat four of measure four ____don’t forget the repeated section

____snare: try not to choke-off the stick’s vibration during the stick clicks ____play it much slower and see if you can keep it under control

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Lesson 8

Warm-up

warm-up checklist: ____play at 12”, 6’, 1” ____play faster ____play slower

____”Eights Down the Line” one player at a time (4 measures each) then the next player enters, there should be no stops, visual cues will help students enter

Reading

New term – tempo

Tempo – A musical term used to describe the speed of the music. (slow, medium, fast, very

fast…)

Auxiliary instrument – triangle

Auxiliary Instrument – Special effect instrument. The most common sizes of triangles are 6-8

inches per side.

Triangle – The triangle is a very popular auxiliary instrument. Here are some examples of how

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triangle dampening checklist:

____dampening takes place on the downbeats of the rests (silence on the rests)

____allow triangle to ring for the full value of the note before dampening (don’t clip the note off)

new term – rim click

Rim Click – Hit the top of the snare drum rim (12 o’clock) with the shoulder of the stick.

Creativity

Which of the following are examples of alternating stickings (circle two): RRRR RLLR LLRL LRLR LLLL LLLR

LLRR RRLL LLRL RLRL RRLR LRLL

Listening For enjoyment

Listen to “Trepak” from the Nutcracker Suite by Peter Tchaikovsky. The mood of “Trepak” is:_________________

The tempo of “Trepak” is_________________

Open-ended question: What is happening in this music?

Listen to “Arabic Dance” from the Nutcracker Suite by Peter Tchaikovsky. The mood of “Arabic Dance” is:_________________

The tempo of “Arabic Dance” is_________________ Open-ended question: What is happening in this music?

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listening games

1. Play a few notes on the triangle then play a few notes on the bass drum. Which one sounds low and which sounds high? Why do they sound differently? (Hint: Compare the sizes of the two instruments.)

______________________________________________________________________________

2. Soloist plays triangle excerpt #2 at the back of the classroom. Soloist plays four times. Soloist chooses whether or not to dampen the rests. Class circles the correct answer below.

Performer’s Name:________________________

Example #1 dampened not dampened Example #2 dampened not dampened Example #3 dampened not dampened Example #4 dampened not dampened

3. Soloist plays the snare drum. Soloist plays four times. Soloist chooses whether or not to play a rim click or a normal hit on the drum head. Class circles the correct answer below.

Performer’s Name:_________________________ Example #1 rim click drum Example #2 rim click drum Example #3 rim click drum Example #4 rim click drum

review

1) Demonstrate the correct way to hold a triangle.

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3) Demonstrate a rim click on the right hand and the left hand. 4) True or False: “Trepak” is a slow piece.

5) True or False: “Arabian Dance” is a slow piece.

6) True or False: Alternating Sticking is when you play only with your left hand.

7) Circle the correct answer: When dampening a triangle, it is best to use your (A) chest, (B) knee, (C) fingers, or (D) your face.

“Waterpark” checklist:

____snare: buzz strokes should “fizzle” as long as possible ____bass: act quickly to dampen the quarter rests in the piece ____snare: get the rim clicks in measures 13 and 14

____record you and a friend performing this piece

____give this piece another title, Why did you pick that title? ____add a few more dynamic markings and perform the piece

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Lesson 9

Warm-up

Mezzo-piano is a dynamic that means medium quiet. The symbol for mezzo-piano is mp.

Mezzo-piano music will be played at 2 inches.

warm-up checklist:

____keep all fingers on the sticks at all times ____keep both elbows still (turn from the wrist)

____be relaxed (your forearm muscles should feel like jelly) ____play as a group

____play individually

____play “Down the Line” (one player at a time)

____play at 12”, 9”, 6”, 2”, 1” (change dynamic level every four measures)

Reading

Auxiliary instrument – tambourine

Tambourine – Tambourine is a very effective auxiliary instrument. It is often used in classical,

rock, funk, and world music. The three main parts of a tambourine are head, rim, and jingles.

rim head jingles

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____hold the tambourine with your left hand, your thumb will be on the head while your other fingers will hold the ring underneath (the opposite goes for a left-handed player)

____hold the tambourine about chest high at a slight angle (imagine the tambourine is a mirror and you are looking slightly downward to see your face in that mirror)

____play the tambourine with the fingertips of your right hand ____play the tambourine 1/3 of the way from the rim to the center

Creativity

1) What is the name of this instrument? (see photo)____________________

Listening fun

Listen to any piece of music (in 4/4 time) and count “1 2 3 4” aloud with the quarter notes of the music. Which beat do you think is the most important?

Try counting along to a lot of music with different tempos, styles, eras, and origins. * Next play “Eight on a Hand” with some recordings. Count out loud.

Review

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2. Circle the correct answer: The tambourine should be held (A) above your head, (B) way above your head, (C) about chest high, (D) about belt high.

3. The three main parts of a tambourine are:

__________________, _____________________, ______________________

4. The tambourine is usually played with (A) the knuckles, (B) the palm, (C) the finger tips, (D) your nose.

5. ____________________ is a dynamic marking that tells us to play at a medium quiet volume.

“Pirates” checklist:

____measure 5 should be much quieter than measure one

____the 4 rim clicks in measures 2 and 14 should all sound good (don’t make 4 different sounds when you play those 4 notes on the rim)

____switch parts and perform

____all buzzes should “sizzle” as long as possible

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Lesson 10

Warm-up

New term – crescendo

Crescendo – A crescendo means you start quietly and gradually get louder.

The symbol for a crescendo is: * Think of walking up a ramp!

warm-up checklist:

____play a crescendo that starts at p (1”) and goes up to ff (12”)

____make sure that the last eighth note on each hand returns to the “set position” immediately following the eighth stroke in “Eight on a Hand”

____keep all fingers on the sticks regardless of dynamic level ____elbows don’t need to move, isolate the wrist turning ____make sure that both hands start at a 1 inch level

____after playing the eighth stroke, make sure to immediately return to the set position ____make sure the crescendo is gradual, take 8 strokes to arrive at fortissimo (12”) ____play it “Down the Line” (4 measures for each player)

Reading

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Creativity

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2. What is the name of the instrument pictured below?___________________________

Listening fun

One player performs “Eight on a Hand” at either 12” (ff), 6 (mf), or 1 inch (p). The performer is in the back of the room so the rest of the class cannot see the player.

Write down the player’s name then circle the dynamic that was played. Rotate until entire class gets a chance to be the performer.

performer’s name_____________ 12” (ff) 6” (mf) 1”(p) performer’s name_____________ 12” (ff) 6” (mf) 1”(p) performer’s name_____________ 12” (ff) 6” (mf) 1”(p) performer’s name_____________ 12” (ff) 6” (mf) 1”(p) performer’s name_____________ 12” (ff) 6” (mf) 1”(p)

Review

1. A crescendo tells us to ________________________________________________ 3. The symbol for a crescendo is:

4. If we start at piano and gradually increase our volume to fortissimo, what is this called? ________________________________

5. True or False: Your elbows should stay still while playing to make sure that you are turning your wrists and not moving your whole arm. (please say true)

(46)

“Dolphins at Play” checklist: ____bass: dampen each quarter rest

____both players should start at a mezzo-forte (6”) level, neither player should be louder or quieter

____measure 11 should be louder than any music before it

____snare: make sure to return to the set position immediately following beat one in measures 20, 22, and 27

____try making measures 19-27 a warm-up exercise! ____pencil in your own dynamics

____come up with another possible title ____try clapping the piece

____try stomping your foot as a way of playing the piece!!

____try having the bass drummer stomp his/her part while the snare drummer claps his/her part

(47)

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(48)

Lesson 11

Warm-up

New term – decrescendo

Decrescendo – A decrescendo means to start loud and gradually get lower in volume.

The symbol for a decrescendo is: * Think of walking down a ramp.

warm-up checklist:

____play a decrescendo that starts at ff (12”) and goes down to p (1”)

____make sure the last eighth note on each hand immediately returns to “set position” following the eighth stroke of “Eight on a Hand”

Reading

Rudiments – paradiddle

Paradiddle – A paradiddle is made up of a single stroke (R) followed by a single stroke of the

opposite hand (L) followed by a double stroke on the original hand (RR). Also, follow this pattern but play the opposite sticking. A paradiddle is a very important rudiment.

examples:

right hand paradiddle – RLRR left hand paradiddle – LRLL

alternating paradiddles – RLRR LRLL RLRR LRLL…

Why do we need Rudiments? Rudiments make up the nuts and bolts of drumming. They are the

equivalent to scales for melodic instruments. It is very important to practice all the rudiments you will be learning since you will see rudiments in all types of music. There are 26 official

rudiments and many others that are not official! You will be learning all 26 official rudiments, as well as, many unofficial yet valuable rudiments.

(49)

Creativity

1. A musical term for getting louder is_________________________ 2. A musical term for getting quieter is____________________________ 3. How many paradiddles can you find? (circle them)

RLLR RLRR RLLL LRRL RLLL LRLL

LRLR LLLL RLRL LRLL LLLL RRRL

RLLR LLRL RRLR LLLR RRLL LLRL

RRRR LRRL LRLL RLRR LLLR LRLL

4. Draw a decrescendo symbol: 5. Draw a crescendo symbol

Listening for enjoyment

Compare the moods of “Tortoises”, “Birds”, and “Fish” from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens:

The mood of “Tortoises” is_____________________________________________ The mood of “Birds” is_____________________________________________ The mood of “Fish” is_____________________________________________

Listening game

Performer plays “Eight on a Hand” using either a crescendo or decrescendo. Class writes down the performer’s name then circles either crescendo or decrescendo:

(50)

performer’s name______________________ crescendo decrescendo performer’s name______________________ crescendo decrescendo performer’s name______________________ crescendo decrescendo performer’s name______________________ crescendo decrescendo performer’s name______________________ crescendo decrescendo

review

1. Decrescendo means to_______________________________________________ 2. Crescendo means to__________________________________________________ 3. A right-handed paradiddle is: ___ ___ ___ ___

4. A left-handed paradiddle is: ___ ___ ___ ___

5. Fill-in the chains of paradiddles below: (the starting sticking is provided) L ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___ R ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___ L ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___ R ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___ L ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___ R ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___

(51)

6. Compose your own piece using only quarter notes. Include a crescendo and a decrescendo.

student composition checklist:

____include a (4/4 or C) time signature in the first measure

____include a double bar in measure 8 (to show the end of your piece) ____at least one crescendo

____at least one decrescendo

____indicate dynamics so you know how quiet or loud to get at either side of the crescendo or decrescendo

____give your new composition a title! ____play your piece for someone ____have a friend play your piece “Popcorn & Paradiddles” checklist: ____snare: play all the correct stickings

____snare: make all crescendos and decrescendos noticeable for a listener

____bass: balance the snare when crescendo (you do not want to overpower the snare)

____snare: measure 23 should be very different than the measures before it (first time the volume drops below forte or 9”)

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(53)

Lesson 12

Level one graduation

Great job!

Warm-up

warm-up checklist:

____play even crescendos or decrescendos (take all the notes to get louder or quieter) ____most crucial concept to understand in these exercises is to get low enough (height and volume) on the piano dynamics

____see how fast you can play these exercises

____play each exercise for five minutes without stopping

____find a partner, you play one exercise while your partner plays the other simultaneously

Reading

New term – Repeat previous two measure symbol

Repeat Previous Two Measures Symbol – Means just as it says repeat the two measures you

just played.

(54)

Rhythm – eighth notes

Eighth Noes – Eighth notes are twice as fast as quarter notes. So where there were four quarter

notes in a measure there are eight eighth notes.

Eighth notes are counted “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and” or “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” A single eighth note looks like:

(55)

Creativity

1. Draw single eighth notes:

2. Draw two eighth notes grouped together:

3) How would you count these measures? (Fill-in the counting)

Listening game

Soloist plays in the back of the classroom. Soloist plays four times. Soloist chooses whether to play a great sounding crescendo or a poor sounding crescendo. A great sounding crescendo starts quietly and gradually builds using every stroke to get a little bit louder. A poor sounding

crescendo doesn’t start very quiet and sound even when it gets louder. Class circles the correct answers.

Performer’s Name: ______________

Example #1 great crescendo poor crescendo Example #2 great crescendo poor crescendo Example #3 great crescendo poor crescendo Example #4 great crescendo poor crescendo

Video goal

(56)

Review

1. True or False: A crescendo and a decrescendo are the same exact thing. 2. “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and” is a way to count _______________ notes. 3. Draw the symbol for a Repeat Previous Two Measures marking:

4. So far, we know whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes, and _____________ notes. 5. Draw a quarter rest:

6. Draw a half rest: 7. Draw a whole rest: 8. Draw a whole note: 9. Draw a half note:

10. Draw two eighth notes beamed together:

(57)

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:Grand Slam Homer!" checklist:

____measures 1-8 should have the same exact volume

____snare: demonstrate control during the transition from right to left in measure 14 into 15 ____snare: play quiet buzz strokes in measure 17

____bass: make a lot of dynamic contrast in measures 13-18

____for fun: start the piece at measure 30 and go to the end then play measure 1 to 30 without stopping ____remember the repeat in measure 13

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Lesson 13

Welcome to level two

Warm-up

New term – quality of sound

Quality of Sound – Quality of sound means using your listening skills to create a consistently

great sound. A great sound is relaxed and open. Strive for a long tone (“dah” as opposed to “dit”) and be sure to maintain all the grip and stroke guidelines outlines in Lesson #2. Allowing the stick to bounce freely (rebound) will help a great deal. To get a long tone the stick should never stop its motion. “Eight on a Hand” is a study in legato strokes (the stick never stops moving – except for the last eighth note on each hand)

Copy Machine Game – Start with a great sound then simply use your ears to replicate that

sound. So think of the notes you play to be in a perfect copy machine. Every note sounds exactly as you want it to sound. In “Eight on a Hand” focus on the great sound of your first eighth note then concentrate on listening to the following seven eighth notes to sound like perfect replicas of the first note. Once you have it sounding great – don’t change a thing – in fact focus on NOT CHANGING anything with your technique!

* This is the essence of controlling your own quality of sound!

grip checklist:

____no gaps between thumb and index finger

____all fingers and thumbs are touching the sticks at all times ____elbows are about 2 inches from the sides of the body

____sticks are in line with the forearms (straight line from the tip of the stick to the elbow) ____hands are turned over (analogy: students should imagine getting a nice tan on the top part of their hands if they were outside)

set position checklist:

____tips of the sticks form the top angle of a triangle

____tips should be 1 inch apart and 1 inch above the drum head ____tips are over the center of the drum head

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warm-up checklist:

____maintain all grip and stroke guidelines ____maintain “set position” guidelines

____Copy Machine Game (strive to play 8 notes that sound precisely the same) ____be completely relaxed from head to toe when you play

____forearms should feel like loose like jelly when you play ____see how fast you can play “Eight on a Hand”

____see how slow you can play “Eight on a Hand”

Reading

Rhythm – eighth note counting review

Musicianship – andante

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Creativity

1. Fill-in the counting:

How many quarter notes are in the excerpt above?______ How many quarter rests are in the excerpt above?______ How many half rests are in the excerpt above?______ How many eighth notes are in the excerpt above?______

2. What is the musical term for a moderate tempo?______________________

Listening game

* List some artists or pieces that you like. Write down at least three adjectives to describe them ARTIST/PIECE:____________ adjectives to describe (3): ________ ________ _________ ARTIST/PIECE:____________ adjectives to describe (3): ________ ________ _________ ARTIST/PIECE:____________ adjectives to describe (3): ________ ________ _________ ARTIST/PIECE:____________ adjectives to describe (3): ________ ________ _________ * Play a recording of one of the above pieces and see if the class can come up with more adjectives that describe this music.

Review

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2) Give five positive adjectives to describe great quality of sound. _______________, _______________, _______________, _______________, _______________

3) Fill-in the counting for the excerpts found in the “Reading” section of this lesson. “Weeza” checklist:

____clap the rhythms

____begin the snare part with the left hand ____play the bass part with the left hand

____this piece only uses one dynamic (forte), strive for a consistent forte sound throughout ____write in your own dynamics

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Lesson 14

Warm-up

New term – rebound

Rebound – Rebound is allowing the stick freedom to do what it wants to do – bounce! Rebound

is similar to dribbling a basketball. Whatever speed you send the ball into the ground will be the same speed it will come up. However, when drumming your fingers are on the sticks constantly. The main dilemma in allowing the stick to rebound naturally is being able to get out of the way of the stick!

* Concentrate on doing the least amount of work for the greatest amount of quality sound. * Remember – THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAKING THE STICK REBOUND AND ALLOWING THE STICK TO REBOUND! Natural rebound will have the stick moving faster than normal. You want to use the natural rebound the stick will produce.

warm-up checklist:

____play “Eight on Hand” in the normal “set position” but keep the idea of rebound ____play at 12, 9, 6, 2, and 1 inch levels or ff, f, mf, mp, and p dynamics

____increase the tempo ____decrease the tempo

Reading

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time signature – 2/4 time

2/4 Time Signature – Two beats per measure and the quarter note gets one beat.

listening game

* Teacher plays a mix of slow and fast pieces. Student circles slow or fast. Example #1 slow fast

Example #2 slow fast Example #3 slow fast Example #4 slow fast

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Creativity

New term – notation

Notation – The act of writing musical notes on paper.

Compose your own solo by filling in the blank measures with your own combinations of quarter notes and eighth notes:

Give it a title and you’ve just composed a piece of music!

Review

1. What is the term for allowing the stick to bounce?___________

2. When you sound great, you have great quality of____________________________ 3. Do you prefer fast or slow music? Why?

4. True or False: Your forearms should feel completely relaxed when playing the drums. 5. Add dynamics to the composition you wrote. Have a pal play it.

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“Splash!” checklist:

____identify the five loudest measures in the piece ____identify the two quietest measures in the piece

____make a clear difference between dynamics (p, mp, mf, f, and ff) ____be careful to play the left hand just as loud as the right

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Lesson 15

Warm-up

New term – pianissimo

Pianissimo – Means very quiet. Let’s say we’ll play pianissimo at 1/2 inch.

The symbol for pianissimo is pp.

pp (1/2”)

warm-up checklist:

____play “Eight on a Hand” on a pillow, table, snare drum, and bass drum – notice how different the rebound feels on each surface

____maintain all grip, stroke, and set position guidelines (Lesson #13) when playing pianissimo (1”)

____lower dynamic levels are not to be played “light” or “soft” they should be played with the same stroke velocity as the higher levels, you must still adhere to the levels, example/ a

pianissimo stroke (1/2”) should only be coming back one-half an inch.

Reading

New terms – accents and taps

Accent – An accent is a symbol that when placed above a note tells us to play that note louder

than usual.

The symbol for an accent is

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Accent / Tap Dynamic Notation System – When I write phrases with accented and

unaccented notes I like to write two dynamics: one for the accented notes and one for the unaccented notes.

In the next musical excerpt, the accents are to be played at ff (12’) while the unaccented notes are to be played at mp (2”). In other words, this excerpt is 12 and 2.

Creativity

1. Draw lines connecting the following levels to their correct dynamics: 6 inches mp 1 inch f 12 inches p ½ inch mf 9 inches ff inches pp

2. When playing at pianissimo you should play without any fingers on the sticks: TRUE FALSE

(71)

Listening game

* Teacher plays four quarter notes. One of them is an accent while the others are taps. Circle the beat that has an accent:

Example #1 1 2 3 4

Example #2 1 2 3 4

Example #3 1 2 3 4

Example #4 1 2 3 4

Review

1. Unaccented notes are called________________ 2. Accented notes are called___________________ 3. If a piece of music was marked mf/pp:

The accented notes would be played at_____dynamic or____inches. The unaccented notes would be played at_____dynamic or____inch.

4. For fun: Listen to Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”______ (check mark) This piece is a good example of classical music.

How does this music make you feel?_____________________________________ What instrument is being played?_______________________

Would this music be legato or staccato?__________________ “Stick Click Mania” checklist:

____switch parts and play ____add your own dynamics

____add your own crescendos and decrescendos to make the piece more dramatic ____agree to switch parts half-way through the piece

____play the first half of the piece quickly and the second half slowly

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Lesson 16

Warm-up

warm-up checklist:

____beat one of measures one and two always starts from the set position ____control the tip of the stick immediately after it plays the “and” of beat four ____start low and get higher in height

____during beats two, three, and four of measure three both stick tips should be down in the set position

* write your own checklist reminder:

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Reading

Rudiment – flam

Flam – A flam note that has a tiny note right before it. This tiny note is called a grace note. Here

is an example of a flam:

Grace Note – A grace note is really an embellishment. It is not counted as a beat or rhythm in the

measure. A grace note is written like:

Most grace notes are played at 1 inch or lower. Naturally, the grace note will be much quieter than the note after it.

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How to Play a Great Flam – When I hear a great flam it almost sounds like someone is saying

“ba-Dup” very quickly. Try it: say “ba-Dup” one time quickly. That’s how you want your flams to sound. Or you can say the word “flam”. You didn’t say “fa-lam” did you? This would be a flam that is too wide and open (“fa-lam”). You want a nice “flam” sound”.

GOAL: Play a single flam without thinking about time keeping. single flam checklist:

RIGHT FLAM:

____tip of the left stick doesn’t go higher than 1 inch since it is the grace note

____tip of left stick should be in the “set position” before you play the flam so it is already at 1 inch off the drum, now when you play the flam just have your left stick’s tip go directly down with no up-stroke

____right stick plays a normal stroke at whatever dynamic is written for the flam

____right stick immediately returns to the “set position” ____both sticks will start and end in the “set position”

(75)

LEFT FLAM:

____ for a left flam just follow the above directions but reverse the sticking directions

auxiliary instrument – tambourine playing position checklist: (using a tambourine with a head)

____hold the tambourine with your left hand, your thumb will be on the head while your other fingers will hold the ring underneath

____hold the tambourine about chest high at a slight angle (imagine the tambourine is a mirror and you are looking at your face in that mirror)

____play the tambourine with the fingertips of your right hand ____play the tambourine 1/3 of the way from the rim to the center

(76)

Creativity

1) Draw grace notes before each of these quarter notes to make flams.

2) Compose a snare drum solo using quarter note flams, normal quarter motes, and normal eighth notes. Remember to write the stickings below the notes.

(77)

Listening fun

Performer plays four flams. (two bad, two good - in any mixed order) Class writes down the performer’s name then circles good or bad:

performer’s name______________ flam #1: good bad

flam #2: good bad

flam #3: good bad

flam #4: good bad

performer’s name______________ flam #1: good bad

flam #2: good bad

flam #3: good bad

flam #4: good bad

review

1) How is an accent different from unaccented notes?_____________________________ 2) If the left hand plays the grace note are you playing a right flam or left

flam?_______________

3) True or False: When you play a flam both sticks should hit the drum from the exact same height.

4) True or False: A Flam is a rudiment.

5) True or False: It is simply impossible to play dynamics on a tambourine.

6) Take a look at the warm-up exercise in this lesson. Are there crescendos or decrescendos in this exercise?____________________

7) Demonstrate a single quarter note flam on the right hand. Now demonstrate a flam on the left hand. Did you show off your excellent control of the tips of your sticks?

Yes No

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“March of the Soldiers” checklist:

____bass drummer: How many dampens should you perform in this piece?_____ ____snare drummer: Did you make a difference between the 12” flams and 2” taps in measures nine, ten, and eleven?

____snare drummer: Start the piece on your left hand.

____bass drummer: set two bass drums side by side and play your part with two drums ____both players: Write another eight measures and add them to this solo.

* Add your own checklist reminder: