Ultimate Percussion Method PDF

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.

2. Students learn to grip the stick

3. Set Position or Players Ready Position.

3. Play a stroke.

To the teacher
1. GOAL: Have the student play one controlled stroke.
2. Dont 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 dont get hung up on any one concept or individual. Your
students need to feel that they are achieving and accomplishing at all times.
4. Lesson 2 contains much more detailed explanations of the concepts presented in this lesson.

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!
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)

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 weve 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

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.
6. Draw a quarter rest on the chalkboard.

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.

Barline A barline is a line that separates one measure from another.

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:

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

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.

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 youve 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
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 players 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 players 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.

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.2
Reading

Auxiliary instruments concert bass drum

Standing Position

standing checklist:
____left hand resting on the rim on players 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
____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
____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.

Performer #1:___________________ 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? ___________________

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 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

BAD stick is not an extension off the
forearm

GOOD stick is a natural extension of the
forearm

BAD fingers off the sticks

GOOD fingers and thumbs on the sticks

BAD elbows are locked into the hips

GOOD about two inches of space
between the elbows and hips

c
w w w w w w
9
w w w w w
17
w w w w w
25
w w w w
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.
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, lets call it a 12 inch stroke, the symbol for
fortissimo is ff
Piano Piano means quiet, lets 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.

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

cREATIVITY

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.

Performers 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.

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? __________________________________________

Lesson 6
Warm-up

New dynamic mf which stands for mezzo-forte or medium loud, lets 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:

Our warm-up exercise above could also be written:

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 youve 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 wouldnt you be looking ahead for what was coming up
next?

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.

Performers Name:_________________

Example #1 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

6. What is it called when you are reading music that youve never seen before?

c
c
Snare
Bass
(12")

R L R L
(12")
w

R
w
p
(1")

R L R L
p
(1")
w

R
w
SD
BD
5
(12")

R R R R
(12")

L L L L

SD
BD
9
F
(6")

R L R L
F
(6")

(12")

R L R L
(12")

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
____perform this duet along with a recording of your choice
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.

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.

Performers Name:_____________________

Example #1 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
____dont forget the repeated section
____snare: try not to choke-off the sticks vibration during the stick clicks
____play it much slower and see if you can keep it under control
c
c
Snare
Bass

R L R L
w

z

z

z

z
R L R L
w

R L

R L R

SD
BD
p

R L R L
p

z

z

R L R

R L R L
w

z

z

z

z
R L R L
w
SD
BD
f

R L R L
f

z

z

R L R

R L R L

z

z

z

z
R L R L

R

MAGIC TRICK
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
to play a triangle.

Triangle Dampening Pinch the triangle with the fingers of your left hand to stop the ring.

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 (dont clip the note
off)

new term rim click

Rim Click Hit the top of the snare drum rim (12 oclock) 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?

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.

Performers Name:________________________





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.

Performers Name:_________________________

Example #1 rim click drum




review

1) Demonstrate the correct way to hold a triangle.

2) Demonstrate the correct way to dampen a triangle. Play a single note then dampen.

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

c
c
Snare
Bass
f

R L R L
f

z

z

R L R

z

z

R L R

z

z

R L R

SD
BD
5
p

R L R L
p
w

R L R
w

R L

R L R

SD
BD
9
F

z

z
R L R L
F

z

z
R L R L

R L R L
w
z

z

R L R

SD
BD
13
Rim Clicks (x)

R L R L
w

R L R L

R L R L
z

z

R L R

WATERPARK
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

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 (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

1. Demonstrate the correct playing position for playing the tambourine.

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 (dont 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
____pinch your fulcrums (thumb and index finger) for all buzz strokes

c
c
Snare
Bass

R L R L

rim clicks (x)

R L R L

R L R L
z

z

R L R
w
SD
BD
5
p

p

R
w

R L

SD
BD
9
P

R L R
P
w
z

z

R L R

R L R L

R L
SD
BD
13
F

R L R L
F

R L R L

R L R L
z

z

R L R

PIRATES
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 dont 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
Sight reading stick clicks

Creativity

1. What is the name of the instrument pictured below? ____________________________

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 players name then circle the dynamic that was played. Rotate until entire class
gets a chance to be the performer.

performers 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)

6. True or False: When sight reading it is always a good idea to look ahead.
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

c
c
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Snare
Bass

R L

R L

R L

R L R
SD
BD
7

f

R
f

R L

R L

R L

R L R L
SD
BD
15

R L
p

R L

R L

p

R R R R

p

L L L L
SD
BD
23
p

R R R R
p

R R R R

p

L L L L
p

L L L L

dolphins at play
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.
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 performers name then circles either crescendo or decrescendo:
performers 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 ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___ ___ ___

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)
____for fun: start on measure 17 and go to the end then play measure 1 to 16 without stopping

c
c
Snare
Bass
f

R L R R
f
w

L R L L
w

R

R L R

R L R R

L R L L

R L R R

L R L L

SD
BD
9

R L R
z

z

R L R

R L R R

L
w

L R L L

R L R R
w

L R L L
w
SD
BD
17

R L R L

R L

R L R

R L

R L

p

R R R R
f

R R R R
f
w
SD
BD
25
p

L L L L
f

L L L L
f
w
p

R L R R
p

f

L
f

p

L R L L
p

f

R
f

POPCORN & PARADIDDLES
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.

The symbol looks like this:

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:

Two eighth notes are grouped like this:

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 doesnt start very quiet and sound even when it gets louder. Class circles the
correct answers.

Performers Name: ______________

Example #1 great crescendo poor crescendo




Video goal

Perform Grand Slam Homer for a video camera.

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:

11. Compose you own solo for triangle using whole notes, half notes, whole rests, and half rests.

c
c
Snare
Bass
f

R R R R
f

L L L L

R L R

R L R

SD
BD
7

R L R R

L R L L

R L R L
w
z

z

R L R

z

z

R L R

z

z

R L R

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
SD
BD
13
p

R R R R

R R R R

L L L L
w

L L L L
w
p

z

z
R L R L

SD
BD
19

R L
P

R L

L R L

R L

GRAND SLAM HOMER!

graduation piece - excellent job!
SD
BD
25
F

R L R L
F
w
z

z

z

z
R L R L

R
w

w

w
SD
BD
30
stick clicks

F
w

w

2

SD
BD
34

2
w

SD
BD
39
f

R L R L
f
w

R L R L
w
z

z

z

z
R L R L
w
z

z

z

z
R L R L
w
z

z

z

z
R L R L
w
z

z

z

z
R L R L

R
w
: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
____add at least two more repeated sections and perform the entire piece
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 dont 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
____maintain the grip guidelines listed above

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

Andante Moderate Tempo, also known as the walking tempo, not too fast and not too slow.

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): ________ ________ _________




* 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

1) Describe in your own words what the copy machine game is all about:

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
____experiment by playing the top line with a tambourine and the bottom line with a triangle

c
c
Snare
Bass
f
Andante q
84-104

R L R L
f

R L R L R

R L R L

R R L R

SD
BD
5

R L R L

R L R R L

R L R L

R L R

SD
BD
9

R L R L
w

R L R L R
w

R L R L R

R L R L

SD
BD
13

R L R L

R L R R L

R L R R L

R R L R

WEeza
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

Sight reading quarters and eighths

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




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 youve 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.

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
____for fun play this piece as a duet for cowbells

c
c
Snare
Bass
P
Andante q 76-84

R L R L
P

R L R L R L

R L R L

R L R L R
SD
BD
5
f

R L R L R
f
w

R L R L R
w

R L R L

R R L R

SD
BD
9

R L R R L

R L R R L
w

R L R L R

R L R
SD
BD
13
p

R L R L R L
p

R L R L R L

F

R L R L R L
F

R L R L R

SPLASH!
Lesson 15
Warm-up

New term pianissimo

Pianissimo Means very quiet. Lets say well 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

Tap Tap is a slang for unaccented notes in a phrase that has accents.

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

inch mf

9 inches ff

inches pp

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

TRUE FALSE
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 Beethovens 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
____memorize this piece and perform it while walking down the aisle of an audience

c
c
#1
#2
Andante

#1
#2
5

#1
#2
9

#1
#2
13

#1
#2
17

STICK CLICK MANIA
Players 1 & 2: Stick Clicks Throughout
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.

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. Thats how you want your flams
to sound. Or you can say the word flam. You didnt 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 doesnt 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 sticks 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

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

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.

Listening fun

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

performers name______________ flam #1: good bad
flam #2: good bad
flam #3: good bad
flam #4: good bad

performers 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

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:
____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

c
c
Snare
Bass
j
Andante
>

R
w
>
j

>

R
w
>
j

>

j

>

R R
>

>
j

>

R
w
>
SD
BD
5
j

>

L
w
>
j

>

L
w
>
j

>

j

>

L L
>

>
j

>

L
>

>
SD
BD
9
j
ff/mp
>

R R L
ff/mp
>

j

>

R R L
>

j

>

R R L
>

j

>

R
w
>
SD
BD
13
j
>

j

>

R L
>

>
j

>

j

>

R L
>

>
j

>

j

>

R L
>

>
j

>

>

>

R L R
>

>

>

SD
BD
17
j

>

R

>

j

>

L

>
j

>

j

>

R L
>

>
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>

R
w
>
MARCH OF THE SOLDIERS
Lesson 17
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____in measures 3 and 4: what are the low and high levels for the crescendos?
____strive for even crescendos (take 8 eighth notes to build the volume)
____measure 2: the and of beat four on the left hand should return immediately to the set
position
____allow the sticks to rebound freely in measures 1 and 2
____entire class plays 4 measures then a solo player plays 4 measures (continue loop)

Reading

Time signature 3/4 time signature

Time Signature 4/4 time is counted in four while is counted in three.
Counting in will be 1 2 3, 1 2 3.
time means that there are three beats in a measure and the quarter note gets one beat.

Rhythm dotted half note

Dotted Notes - Dotted notes add half the value of the note.

Dotted Half Note One half note is worth two beats. So if we put a dot after the half note it is
now worth three beats.

Auxiliary instrument sleigh bells

Sleigh Bells Sleigh bells are a specialty instrument. They are prominently found in Christmas
pieces. Sleigh bells can provide an effective change of timbre. As we cover more and more
auxiliary and world percussion instruments it will become increasingly more important for you to
find your own way of manipulating these instruments. Nothing is more disturbing to a conductor
or audience as extra jingle sounds created by a performer who is just putting the instrument down
after playing. Take care to be silent with an instrument that jingles or rattles until you play your
actual part.
The sleigh bells can be played a few different ways:

sight reading quarter notes, quarter rests, and dotted
half rests in 3/4 time

Creativity

1. Explain a dotted note in your own words:_________________________________

2. A dotted half note in Common Time would be worth_____beats.

3. What is the name of an auxiliary instrument that reminds you of Christmas music?

4. time signature tells us there are_________ beats in every measure and the
_________________ note gets one beat.

5. Compose a tambourine solo in the measures provided:

Listening fun

Performer plays 3 crescendos and 3 decrescendos (8 eighth notes on either hand). Lets say two of
the three are purposely not smooth and one is smooth. Class completes the fill-ins:

CRESCENDOS:
performers name______________ crescendo #1 smooth not smooth

DECRESCENDOS:
performers name______________ decrescendo #1 smooth not smooth

review
1. What is the normal playing area on a tambourine? (circle the answer)

center of head rim 1/3 way from edge

on the jingles underneath the head
2. If 4/4 time signature has 4 beats per measure, then time signature has ______ beats per
measure.
3. Listen to Ludwig van Beethovens Symphony Number 5 in C Minor, Opus 67, Movement 1:
True or False: Beethovens Symphony Number 5 is jazz music.
True or False: Beethoven is currently living in Connecticut.
Beethoven was born in what year?_________
6. My favorite two drummers are:
_________________________ and ______________________________.

Two Playing in Three checklist:
____snare drummer: reverse all stickings and perform
____bass drummer: play entire part on left hand
____find a partner and perform for a tape recorder, listen to the tape and talk about what was
good and what could be improved
____compose your own version of Two Playing in Three and perform it for your teacher
____include stickings and dynamics in your composition

4
3
4
3
Snare
Bass
P
Andante

104

R L R
P
.

L R L
.

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.

L
.
SD
BD
5
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.
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P

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.
SD
BD
9
f

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f
.

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.

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BD
13
F

R L R
F

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.

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>

two playing in three
Lesson 18
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____What are the dynamic levels for the decrescendos? ___inches to ___inch.
____beat one of measure 3 should be the same volume and height as measures 1 and 2
____play the first 17 eighth notes with an identical quality of sound (remember the copy
machine game play one note then make exact copies of that note)

Reading

Mallets introduction to mallet technique

Mallet Instruments:

Bells

Vibraphone

Xylophone

Marimba

Mallet Technique:
Select a pair of medium hard yarn mallets.

Mallet Grip Guidelines:
____fulcrum is now between the meat of the thumb and the index fingers joint that is closest to
your fingertip, remember that the fulcrum for snare technique uses the meat of the thumb and the
index fingers joint that is in the middle of your finger, the biggest reason for the technique
difference is the size of a drumstick shaft is larger than a mallet shaft

Mallet Fulcrum

Snare Drum Fulcrum

____grip the mallets at the point that is one-third the way up from the bottom end of the mallet
since this is your balance point
____make sure your hands are turned over (remember the get a suntan on the top part of your
hands analogy)

Mallet Set Position and Stroke Guidelines:
____stand at the xylophone with your feet shoulder-length apart, your stomach should be 3 or 4
inches away from the instrument
____grip your mallets and position the heads of the mallets so they form a V above any note
you choose on the xylophone just like you were going to play snare drum, aim for the center of
the bar, check your grip carefully (hands turned over, new fulcrum), it is very important to strike
the same part of the bar with each mallet, striking different areas on the bar creates different
sounds

CORRECT

INCORRECT

____turn your wrists back to 12 inches now you are in the up position, in mallets we start in the
up position so all we need to do is play a pivot stroke, the only motion of the pivot stroke is
down/up, there is no prep stroke from the up position, all strokes return to the up position
* Mallet players start in the up position for accuracy and economy of motion.

mallets checklist:
____maintain all mallet grip, set position, and stroke guidelines listed above
____no prep stroke only motion is down/up stroke, all strokes must return to the up position
____play the same dynamic levels as snare drum (ff = 12 inches)
____BE RELAXED!
____play this same excerpt at all the levels you know (ff = 12, f = 9, mf = 6, mp = 2, p = 1,
pp = inch), whatever dynamic you are playing determines for far up your set position will be,
example: if you are going to play a note at mp you need to set your mallets 2 above the note
* Naturally, you will not be able to be so detailed in many playing situations.
____play Eight on a Hand on any note on the xylophone, start and end in the up position

Rudiments paradiddles (eighth notes)

World percussion maracas

Maracas Maracas are common instruments in many forms of latin music. They are played in
pairs one for each hand. Maracas are filled with beads, beans, or other things that rattle when
shaken.

Creativity

1. Draw a line connecting the terms with their pictures:

sleigh bells, triangle, maracas, snare drum, tambourine, bass drum, shaker, bells

Listening fun

Performer plays (behind the class) one measure of eighth notes in either alternating sticking or
paradiddle sticking. Class writes in the performers name and circles whether the performer
played alternating or paradiddle sticking.

performers name___________________ alternating paradiddles

review
1. What is a popular instrument used in latin music?

________________

2. Explain in your own words how the fulcrum for mallets is different than the fulcrum for snare
drum. _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3. What is one good reason why we start in the up set position in mallets?

_____________________________________________________________________

4. What are the names of two metal keyboard instruments?

________________ ___________________

5. What is the name of a wooden keyboard instrument?_______________________

6. Compose a snare drum solo. Include eighth note paradiddles and a few quarter note flams.

Amazon Waltz checklist:
____memorize and perform outside
____rewrite the piece backwards and perform
____clap the piece
____play the piece as a tambourine duet
____play the piece as fast as you can
____play the piece as slow as you can
____try an experiment for fun: for every quarter note say pie and every eighth note groupings
of two say a-pple

4
3
4
3
#1
#2
p
Andante

p
#1
#2
5
P

P
#1
#2
9
F

F
#1
#2
13
f
#1
#2
17
>

>

>

>
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>

>

>

AMAZON WALTZ
Players #1 & #2: Stick Clicks Throughout
Lesson 19
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____first four measures are to be played: accents = ff (12), non-accents or taps = mp (2)
____measures five and six are to be played at 12
____for the accent / tap measures: try to get the and count of one down immediately to 2, to do
this you must grip the stick a little firmer on the accent so you stop the tip of the stick in the down
position
____try this exercise starting on your left hand
____try playing this exercise in a round (a round is when one player starts at the beginning and
additional players layer on top)
example: (3 players in a round)
Player A play the exercise as written
Player B rest two measures then start at the beginning
Player C rest four measures then start at the beginning

Reading
musicianship right on left effect
Right on Left Effect This is a fun special effect sound. Press the tip of your left stick into the
head and elevate the butt end of the stick four inches off the head. Strike the shoulder of the right
stick into the shoulder of the left stick.

Time signatures changing meters

Changing Meters Changing Meters is exactly what it says. You start in one time signature and
suddenly move into another. It isnt a big deal you just need to figure out how the counting
changes and count away!

World percussion introduction to conga

Conga Drum The conga drum is a large drum played with the hands. Congas are used in many
styles of world music including rumba, son, and salsa.

Playing Position We will begin with one drum. Most players play congas while seated. The
head of the drum should be level with the bottom of your rib cage. The drum is angled slightly
away from the player.

Closed Tone Turn your right hand palm up. Notice the padded area located at the base of your
fingers. This area along with your fingers will strike the head. In a closed tone there is no
rebound.

Try these closed tone excerpts:

Open Tone Open tones are played exactly like closed tones only open tones rebound. The
fingers and base of the fingers strike the head and rebound off the head immediately. A full
resonant sound is the goal. Try to create the same sound whether you play the left or right.

Here are some combination exercises. Demonstrate your ability to create the longest and shortest
sounds on the conga. Remain relaxed and tension-free throughout. A good syllable for an open
tone is doo while a good syllable for a closed tone is dit.

Sight reading triangle duet in 3/4

Creativity
1. Fill-in the stickings to create paradiddles:

2. Compose a snare solo using a few R on L effect shots.

Listening games

1. Performer plays (from behind the class) either Right on Left Effect or a normal stroke on the
head of a snare drum. Class writes down the performers name and circles the technique played.

performers name_________________ R on L normal stroke on head





2. Performer plays either an open tone or closed tone on a conga drum. (from behind the class)
Class writes down the performers name and circles open or closed.

performers name_________________ open closed





review
1) Demonstrate a R on L effect shot.
2) What happens when we change meters within a piece of music?
______________________________________________________________________
3) True or False: A closed tone is a long sound.
4) True or False: An open tone is a long sound.
5) The most common way to play a conga is:
A. standing B. seated C. on your back D. with your feet
6) When playing an open or closed tone, which part of your hand should strike the drum head?
A. back of hand B. side of hand C. elbows D. fingers and base of fingers

Sharks Fin checklist:
____snare: keep the motion of your sticks continuous through measure 1
____bass: two different drastically dynamic levels in measure 3
____for fun: start the piece on measure 25, play to the end, then play measure 1 through 24
____make the most out of the crescendos in measures 4, 7, and 24
____snare: show great stick control in measures 33 and 34 by getting the tip of the stick down to
2 immediately after the 12 accent on beat one

c
c
Snare
Bass
Andante
>
>
>
>
>
z
>
z
>
z
>
z
RLRL RLRL
>

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>
>
>
RLRL RLRR
>

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ff/mp
>

L R L L
ff/mp
>

p
>

RLRL R
>

P

R RL R RL

R RL R RL
R L RLRL
>

j

>
R R
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SD
BD
9

j

>
R

>

j

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L

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j

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>

P

R L R R L R

R L R L R L

R R L R R L

mf/mp
>
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RL RR L
F
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SD
BD
17
ff/mp
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ff/mp
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ff/mp
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p
>

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4
3
4
3
4
2
4
2
c
c
4
3
4
3
SD
BD
25
stick clicks
f

f
.

F
R on L shot

F

4
3
4
3
c
c
SD
BD
32

ff/mp
>

R R R R R R R R
w
>

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L L L L L L L L
w
>

R R R R L L L L
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z
z

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SHARK'S FIN
Lesson 20
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____play a different dynamic level on every repeat stating with loudest and going to quietest
(12-9-6-2-1-1/2)
____ play a different dynamic level on every repeat stating with quietest and going to loudest
(1/2-1-2-6-9-12)
____start the exercise with the left hand
____allow your sticks to rebound freely
____make it a habit to play with great quality of sound, in other words, each note should sound
exactly the same as the first note

NEW TERM ritard

Ritard A ritard means to slow down gradually.

Lets put a ritard marking in the fourth measure of the warm-up exercise of this lesson:

warm-up checklist:
____play measures one, two, and three at a moderately fast tempo, when you reach the fourth
measure take the entire measure to slow down significantly
____it should seem as if you are stretching the measure out, you must leave space between these
eighth notes to make them ritard
____perform this exercise starting on the left hand
____perform this exercise at all dynamic levels, remember: just because you get slower doesnt
mean to get quieter maintain your levels regardless of the tempos unless other dynamics are
marked

Reading
Rhythm eighth / quarter combos

New terms metronome and metronome marking

Metronome A metronome is a small device that clicks whatever tempo you want. It is a very
valuable tool to help you develop steady pulse and accurate rhythms. I recommend that you play
with a metronome every day.

Metronome Marking A metronome marking is a number that tells us how many clicks will
occur in one minute. example/ if we set our metronome at 144 the metronome will click exactly
144 times in one minute

new term allegro

Allegro Allegro is a musical term for fast or lively music.

Mallets review technique

* See Lesson 18 to review the guidelines for mallet grip and technique.

Play these warm-up exercises on any mallet instrument. Remember to begin and end in the up set
position.

sight reading Conga Solo in 3/4

Creativity

Listening fun

Performer plays Eight on a Hand at pianissimo level (pp = inch). Performer plays the
exercise three times: twice smooth and once not smooth on purpose (in any mixed order). Class
writes down performers name and circles smooth or not smooth.

performers name___________________ playing example #1: smooth not smooth

playing example #2: smooth not smooth


performers name___________________ playing example #1: smooth not smooth



video goal reminder
Next lesson you will be performing a solo piece from Lesson 17-21 for a video camera!
Write the name of the solo you wish to perform here:
Compositions Title___________________________from Lesson #_______
START PREPARING NOW!!

for a friend

review

1. What is the musical term meaning slow down gradually?
A. Crescendo B. Rebound C. Open Tone D. Andante E. Ritard

2. Why would anyone need a metronome?
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. If a metronome is set at 144, how many times will it click in one minute?___________
4.______________ is a musical term meaning fast or lively music.
5. Demonstrate your fulcrum for a snare stick then demonstrate your fulcrum for a mallet.
6. How are the two fulcrums different?
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
7. True or False: There are 22 measures in the excerpt in which you filled in barlines.
8. True or False: A ritard marking tells us to get gradually faster.
9. Listen to a recording of Miles Davis playing All Blues.
What type of music is this?____________
What instrument does Miles Davis play?____________
Can you hear the drummer playing? ____________
Do you like how the drummer is playing?___________

Suit of Armor checklist:
____snare: measures 3 and 4 should sound like 4 identical quarter notes
____bass: dampen on beat 1 of measure 3 and 4
____both: bring out the crescendo in measure 8
____play the piece at Andante then repeat it at Allegro (Bonus question: Which tempo is slower?)
____for fun: top line plays a tambourine (ignore sticking) and bottom line plays the triangle; both
players still play the dynamics written
____both players: add 6 accents somewhere into your part and play the piece

c
c
Snare
Bass
P
Allegro

120-132

R R L R L R L
P
w

R R L R L R L
w

R L R R

L R L L

R L R L R L
w

R L R L R L
w
SD
BD
7

R L R L R R L

P

>

R L R
P

>

R L
f

R L R L

R R L
SD
BD
13
P

R R L R R L
P
w

R R L R L R L
w

R R L R R L
w

R L R

f

R L R
f

R L R
SD
BD
19

R L L

P

R L R L R L R
P
w

R L R L R L R
w
F

R L R R L R
F

f
ritard
>
p

R R L R L R L
f
ritard
>

>

R
>

SUIT OF ARMOR
Lesson 21
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____demonstrate a clear understanding of accent / tap control by playing the tap (unaccented
note) after the accent at the proper low level (2)
____play this exercise extremely slow and maintain grip and stoke guidelines
____see how fast you can play this exercise, how long can you keep it up?
____make up your own accent / tap levels and play the exercise (9/2; 6/2; 6/1; 2/1)
write your own checklist reminders:
____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Reading

musicianship snare drum playing zones

Snare Drum Playing Zones There are three major playing zones on the snare drum:
CENTER - Play directly in the center of the drum head. This produces the fullest and loudest
sound.
HALF-WAY Play half-way between the rim (rim at 12 oclock) and the center. Half-way
sounds a bit dryer (slightly more articulate and muffled) than the center.
EDGE Play an inch away from the rim (rim at 12 oclock). The edge sounds even dryer than
half-way. This zone is excellent for pianissimo and delicate excerpts. It is very easy to get a quiet
buzz roll at the edge.

musicianship timbre

Timbre (pronounced tam-ber) Timbre means tone color. It is what allows us to tell the
difference between the sound of a violin and a bass drum. Timbre is the specific sound of an
instrument. Notice how the three snare drum playing zones have different tone colors or timbres.
Experiment with their different sounds.

New term 1
st
and 2
nd
endings

1
st
and 2
nd
Endings These are fancy repeat symbols. The below excerpt would be played from
the beginning to the first repeat sign (measure four) then you would repeat back to the beginning,
then you would skip the measures bracketed by a 1 and go right to where there are measures
bracketed with a 2 and play to the end. Sounds tricky but once you play through it a few times
youll be fine.

Auxiliary instrument triangle

Triangle dampening To dampen the triangle pinch the triangle with your left hand (non-playing
hand).

Drumset introduction

Playing Position When playing the drumset you should be seated comfortably on a drummers
throne. The most important element of drumset playing position is balance. You must feel the
center of your weight in the middle of your chest. The top of your thighs should angle slightly
downward. Sit up straight to prevent back problems in the future.

Chorus Soloing Hum the melody for Frere Jacques. You have just hummed one chorus of
Frere Jacques. If you hummed it three times in a row that would be three choruses of Frere
Jacques. Follow the Playing Position guidelines above and sit at the drumset. Now play an Eight
Chorus Solo of Frere Jacques on drumset. Play the tune one time on every instrument of the
drumset.

Chorus 1: Hihat
Chorus 2: Snare Drum
Chorus 3: Bass Drum (with foot pedal)
Chorus 4: Tom 1

Chorus 5: Tom 2
Chorus 6: Floor Tom
Chorus 7: Ride Cymbal
Chorus 8: Crash Cymbal

Make sure to keep the tune moving in time. DO NOT pause in between each instrument.

Creativity

1) What is a metronome? ________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2) Why should you practice with a metronome every day?_______________________

______________________________________________________________________

3) A musical term that tells us to slow down gradually is a _______________________

4) Label the three major playing zones for the snare drum:

listening game

Performer plays (behind the class) a few measures of any rhythm he / she wants. Play the rhythm
in the center, half-way, or the edge. Performer plays three times, one time at each of the three
zones in a mixed order. example/ first time performer plays at the edge, second in the center, and
third at half-way. Class completes the fill-ins and circles the correct zones.

performers name _______________ first example: edge half-way center

second example: edge half-way center

third example: edge half-way center

performers name _______________ first example: edge half-way center

second example: edge half-way center

third example: edge half-way center

video goal
Perform at least one of the following pieces for a video camera: Lesson 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Review
1. Most music written for the edge is quiet or loud?___________
2. Most music written for the half-way zone of the snare drum is medium volume or extremely
quiet?_________________
3. Explain 1
st
/ 2
nd
endings:
_______________________________________________________________________
4. One time through a tune is one____________________.
5. What musical term describes the specific sound of an instrument (or tone color):

6. When we dampen a triangle, we use:
A. left foot B. large pillow C. hand that is holding the triangle
D. hand that is striking the triangle E. nose because it tickles

Barbecue checklist:
____play this piece with a metronome playing at the same time, do not lose the beat
____snare: make a clear change in zone whenever notated
____bass: get comfortable performing quarter note dampens
____play the 1
st
/ 2
nd
Ending correctly
____both: maximize the crescendo in measures 11 and 12
____both: measure 17 should be 9/2 levels

c
c
Snare
Bass
f
Allegro

132
Play in the center if no zone is given

R L
f

R L

R L

R L R L R

R L R L

R L R L

R L R L
>

>

R L
>

>

SD
BD
9
p
edge

R L R R L R L

R L R R L R L

R L R L R L
center
>
R L R R

>

F
half-way

R L
F

R L R L

R L R L

R L R
.
.
.
.
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.
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.
SD
BD
17
f/mp
center
>
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.
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^

BARBECUE
Lesson 22
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____start with the left hand
____change the dynamics markings and perform the exercise
____perform at a much slower tempo
____perform at a much faster tempo
____play as a duet (each player plays one measure)
____perform this exercise with a ritard in measure 6
____perform piece by playing measures 5 and 6 first then play measures 1 through 4, keep the
last measure the same

Reading
Auxiliary instrument suspended cymbal

Suspended Cymbal Suspended cymbal is a common auxiliary instrument found in all types of
music including rock , jazz, and classical.

Suspended Cymbal Roll:
- select a pair of soft mallets, follow the mallet grip guidelines in Lesson 18, position the mallet
heads over the cymbal at 3 and 9 oclock, play alternating strokes about 2 inches from the edge of
the cymbal, strive for a continuous hum of the cymbal, you should not hear one hand louder
than the other, you shouldnt hear too much of the mallet striking the cymbal.

One-handed Suspended Cymbal Crash - Start with your right hand in the up position, play the
cymbal, and allow the mallet to quickly rebound back to the up position to draw out the sound of
the crash

Two-handed Suspended Cymbal Crash:
- repeat the procedure above for a one-handed crash but involve your left hand also, this is called
a double stop (both hands play simultaneously), strive to get both mallet heads to strike the
cymbal at the exact same time since you do not want to play a flam, hit the cymbal at the 4 and 8
oclock areas

mallets technique review

Sight reading snare drum

Creativity

1. Circle the three playing zones on the snare drum:

A. rim, center, side B. center, half-way, edge
C. underneath, half-way, side D. side, corner, 2 inches away from center

2. Make your own movie soundtrack! Watch a movie or television show that shows someone
jumping into water. Play a loud suspended cymbal crash at the instant the person enters the
water. Try this with any action in a film.

3. Perform the three sight reading excerpts as a 3 movement piece. In between movements, tell
a short story describing what is happening in the music.

4. Improvise (make up) a suspended cymbal piece. Position all your suspended cymbals so they
are spread out in an auditorium. Each player takes turns entering with a suspended cymbal roll.
Alter dynamics and leave silence too! Have a musical conversation with the other players.

Listening game
Performer plays long rolls on the suspended cymbal with soft mallets. Performer purposely plays
one smoothly and the other not so smoothly in any mixed order. Class writes down the
performers name and circles the description of the cymbal roll.

performers name _______________ example #1 smooth not smooth

example #2 smooth not smooth

performers name _______________ example #1 smooth not smooth

example #2 smooth not smooth

review

1) True or False: Suspended cymbals are commonly used in rock, classical, and jazz music.

2) True or False: When playing a suspended cymbal roll, your right hand should be much louder
than the left.

3) Two reasons for beginning and ending in the up set position on mallets are:

A. look cool, be daring B. more fun, look smart C. accuracy and conservation of
energy D. look weird, be funny

4) Matching:

Andante gradually get slower

Allegro gradually get louder

Ritard fast and lively tempo

Crescendo walking tempo, moderate

5) Draw a line from the playing zone term to its exact location on the snare drum diagram:

Edge

Half-way

Center

Snorklin checklist:
____snare: control the taps in measures 1 through 4
____bass: perform clean dampens on the downbeat of every rest
____both: make it clear to the audience that measures 5 and 6 contain crescendos
____snare: concentrate so you can keep the motion of your sticks the same in measures 9
through 12 (regardless of whether you are paying normal strokes or buzz strokes your sticks
should move in the same way)
____both: in measures17 through 21: listen to each other and be careful not to clip the other
players notes off, give full value to all the notes
____snare: measure 22: control the tip of the stick after the accent on beat one so you can be
low enough to play the piano dynamic on beat 2
____both: count carefully in measures 26 and 27 so your can perform the unison ending cleanly

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SNORKLIN'
Lesson 23
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____make sure all accents sound the same
____make sure all taps sound the same
____isolate one accent with one tap: control the tip of the stick after the accent
____maximize the dynamic contrast in measures 7 and 8
____maintain tempo in beats 1 and 2 of measure 2
____play this exercise with crescendos in measures 7 and 8
____play this exercise with a crescendo in measure 7 and a decrescendo in measure 8

Reading

musicianship cap accents

Cap Accents Cap accents are played with more velocity and volume than the usual accents.

Rhythm eighth note rest

Eighth Note Rest An eighth note rest is a rest that lasts for half a beat.

NEW concept DOWNBEATS AND UPBEATS

Downbeat A downbeat is a beat that falls on the numbered counts (1,2,3,4)

Upbeat An upbeat is a beat that falls on the and counts. Upbeats are opposite downbeats.

Mallets review technique and introduce the keyboard

Review the section on mallet technique in Lesson 18.

Keyboard The keyboard is the arrangement of pitches on a piano or mallet instrument. There

are two main keys: white and black. The white keys make up the bottom row while the black keys
make up the top.

Keyboard Groupings There are two groupings on the keyboard: the two group and three
group. Look at the black keys and you will see groupings of two and three black notes. These are
the two groups and three groups.

C

Two Group

F

Three Group

How to find the pitch C: locate any two group and play the white note immediately to the left
of the two group.

How to find the pitch F: locate any three group and play the white note immediately to the left
of the three group.

There is a musical alphabet. However, in music the letters go from A up to G and then you must
start at A again.
example/ A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A

You should be able to name every white note from the bottom to the top of the instrument. TRY
IT!

When playing the following excerpts remember to start and end all your mallet strokes in the up
position.

Creativity

1) Beats that occur on the numbered counts (1,2,3,4) are_____________________.

2) Beats that occur on the and counts are___________________.

3) True or False: Cap accents are the same volume as normal accents.

4) Label either two group or three group.

_______ group _____ group

5) Name the pitches in the above diagram. Write the pitch name in each box.

Listening game

Performer plays Eight on a Hand (play for at least 20 seconds for each example) with
crescendos two times. Once smoothly and once purposely not smoothly in any mixed order.
Class writes down the performers name and circles the description of the playing.
Repeat for Eight on a Hand with decrescendos.

performers name _______________ crescendo example #1: smooth not smooth

crescendo example #2: smooth not

performers name _______________ crescendo example #1: smooth not smooth

crescendo example #2: smooth not

Review

1) A downbeat is______________________________________________________________.

2) An upbeat is______________________________________________________________.

3) A cap accent is_______________ than a normal accent.

4) Point to all the two groups on a vibraphone.

5) Point to all the three groups on a vibraphone.

6) Point to all the two groups on a piano.

7) Point to all the three groups on a piano.

8) Compose a duet similar to the downbeat / upbeat duet found in this lesson. Include quarter
notes (downbeats) and eighth notes / eighth rests (upbeats).

A Clever Trickster checklist:
____snare: play even eighth notes in measures 1 and 2
____both: listen to the other player and make the parts sound even
____snare: measure 5: play off of the bass drummers downbeats
____snare: measure 9: feel beat one played by the bass drummer
____bass: measures 14-16: play two different dynamics (12 for accents, 2 for taps)
____measure 30: beat one is a normal accent while beat three is a capped accent, the capped
accent should be louder and higher than the normal accent
____snare: measure 30: return to set position immediately after the rimshot
____snare: measure 42: strive for a great flam sound (not too open and not too closed)

17

25
33
41
Composed by:__________________
____________________________________________________
Compose a piece using triangle for the first
half and tambourine in the second half.
triangle
to tambourine
tambourine
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Lesson 24
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____measures 1-4: should be 6 for accents and 2 for taps
____measures 5-6: all 6 strokes, try to make them sound identical
____keep fulcrum closed and firm (no gaps between thumb and index finger)
____keep elbows still, this will isolate your wrist turn
____no arm movement
____elbows should be about 1 away from your sides
____perform this exercise at Allegro
____perform this exercise at Adagio
____perform this exercise at Andante
____perform this exercise to two different recordings (play-a-longs teach you to listen)_

Reading
Mallets / theory treble clef introduction
Theory - Theory is the analytical side of music. It tells us how music works.
Treble Clef Treble clef is a very common clef in music.
Here is what a treble clef looks like:

The Treble Clef is also called a G Clef because the swirling line of the symbol stops on the
second line up from the bottom which is the G line. Label the G:

The Treble Clef is made up of five lines (think of the acronym: Every Good Boy Deserves
Fudge). Label the five lines from the bottom moving upward. (E, G, B, D, F)

The Treble Clef is also made up of four spaces (think of the acronym: F-A-C-E). Label the
spaces from the bottom moving upward (F, A, C, E).

Label all the lines and spaces of this treble clef:

Helpful Tip: When reading music while playing a mallet instrument always try to keep your eyes
off the keyboard. You dont want to stare at the keys because you will not be able to watch the
music and/or conductor. Get in a good habit of using your peripheral vision when playing
mallets.

Peripheral Vision Peripheral vision is when you are looking straight ahead but you can still
see above, below, and to either side. Try this experiment: focus on something directly in front of
you and notice if you can still see your surroundings while focusing on that one object. So when
you are looking at your music notice how you can still see the outline of the keyboard in your
peripheral vision USE THIS SKILL!!!
Excerpts for Xylophone:

Excerpts for Vibraphone:

Auxiliary instrument crash cymbals

Crash Cymbals Crash Cymbals are used in marches and classical music. Many composers use
the crash cymbals to add punctuation and excitement to their music.

Orchestral Crash Orchestral crash is the term used for your most common crashes.

Flam Concept Believe it or not, of the most important skills needed in cymbal crashing is the
ability to play a flam! In order to get the maximum vibration form the cymbals we need to strike
the side closest to us slightly before striking the portion of the cymbals that is away from us. This
is the flam concept. When two cymbals are stuck straight on the sound is popped and lacking
resonance and quality.

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

Crash Choke A crash choke is a very short crash. Play a great quality crash and then dampen
the cymbal quickly in your chest.

Staccato Dot Marking A staccato dot marking is a small dot placed over a note. When a note
has this staccato marking it should be played very short and muffled if possible.

New term adagio

Adagio Adagio is a tempo marking that means slow.

Creativity

1. Which is louder: cap accent or regular accent?_____________________

2. The tempo marking Adagio is: medium slow very fast
3. Fill-in the four spaces of the treble clef:

4. Fill-in the five lines of the treble clef:

5. What is peripheral vision?
___________________________________________________________________

6. True or False: A crash choke is a short sound.

7. True or False: An orchestral crash is a short sound.

8. True or False: An orchestral crash is a long sound.

9. If a note had a staccato dot attached to it would you play a long or short
sound?_______________

Listening games

1. Performer plays four orchestral crashes (two purposely poor and two purposely great in any
mixed order). Class writes down performers name and circles the descriptions.

performers name ________________ orchestral crash #1: great poor

orchestral crash #2: great poor



2. Performer plays four crash chokes (two purposely poor and two purposely great in any
mixed order). Class writes down performers name and circles the descriptions.

performers name ________________ crash choke #1: great poor

crash choke #2: great poor



3. Performer plays four crashes (a mix of orchestral crashes and crash chokes) all should sound
great. Class writes down the name of the performer and circles either orchestral crash or crash
choke.

performers name ________________ crash #1: orchestral crash crash choke

crash #2: orchestral crash crash choke



Review

1. Compose a solo for xylophone using the pitches E,F,G in whole notes, half notes, and quarter
notes.

2. Compose a solo for bells using the pitches F,G in quarter notes and eighth notes.

3. Get some ear plugs and a pair of crash cymbals. Practice orchestral crashes in a mirror. Play
10 crashes with a 5 second rest between each crash. Rest a few minutes then practice your
crashes again. Watch your technique in the mirror and take note of the good and bad sounds
you hear. If you look correct playing it will most likely sound correct. Orchestral crashes
should sound full and resonant. Strive to perform 10 great sounding crashes in a row. Many
people cannot play great sounding crashes because they simply havent played enough
crashes.

4. Make a recording of yourself playing crash chokes for 4 minutes leaving a space of 5 seconds
between each crash choke. Listen to the recording and count the great sounding ones. Upon
your next recording session your number of great crashes should increase.

5. Compose a crash cymbal solo using orchestral crashes and crash chokes. Give it an exciting
title so your audience will be excited about your piece before they even hear it!

6. Explain the flam concept:
____________________________________________________________________________

The Chicken & the Weasel checklist:
____play the piece at two tempos (Allegro and Adagio)
____both: make a large contrast in sound between measures 1-4 and measures 5-8
____bass: execute clean dampens on all rests throughout the piece
____both: sudden change to piano at the beginning of measures 13 and 14
____compose an alternate ending in 2/4 and perform
____experiment: top line played on the dome of a suspended cymbal (ignore buzz strokes),
bottom line plays crash cymbals (all eighth notes will be crash chokes, everything else is an
orchestral crash, dampen on all rests), play at Allegro and Adagio

write your own experiment for this piece:
____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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Dedicated to the entire gang at DH2
Lesson 25
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____remain completely relaxed while playing (your arms and hands should feel like jelly)
____allow the sticks to bounce off the head with natural rebound
____concentrate on having velocity in each stroke
____play a friends order of dynamics
____play your order of dynamics with a friends order (they will be different)
____fingers and thumbs remain on the sticks throughout the strokes
____work on great quality of sound (make a replica of the first note you play, start with a great
sound and simply duplicate that sound)

Reading

New term pickup note

Pickup Note A pickup note is a note that starts on a beat other than the first beat of the
measure.

auxiliary instrument triangle

auxiliary instrument tambourine

stick control quarter notes
The goal of stick control exercises is to train your hands to sound equal. When playing the
patterns below it is important to make them sound as if they were all one sticking. You shouldnt
hear one hand over the other. Listen carefully and allow your ears to make any adjustments in
your hands. Be relaxed and smooth in your phrasing.

Sight reading mallets

Play the following excerpt on any mallet instrument you want:

Creativity

1. Circle two concepts that contribute to great cymbal crashing:

A. make your hair fly up B. flam concept C. strive for a nice air pocket sound

D. bang em good! E. prep-play-follow through

2. What is a pick-up note?_______________________________________________

3. What are the three main playing zones on tambourine?

_______________, _________________, _________________

4. Compose and perform a short piece for tambourine using a pick-up note:

5. When sight reading, it is helpful to:
A. hope B. smile C. keep eyes moving forward on the music D. phone a friend
6. True or False: The goal in stick control is to make both hands sound completely different.

Listening game
Performer plays (behind the class) any two measures of rhythms on a tambourine. The performer
plays this excerpt three times. Each of the three tambourine zones is played in any mixed order.
The class writes down the performers name and circles the zone played.
performers name ________________________________

example #1: edge 1/3 of the way from edge center



review

1. Show that you know the three zones on tambourine by playing a few notes at each zone.
2. True or False: If you have good stick control youre hands sound the same.
3. True or False: If a piece of music is marked let vibrate that means you should dampen the
instrument whenever you can.
4. Compose a piece for triangle. Use a pick-up note, use time signature, never get louder than
a mezzo-piano dynamic.

4. A note that starts a piece on a beat other than the first beat of the measure is a:
A. pop up B. fun beat C. pick-up D. mistake E. miracle
5. Listen to Duke Ellingtons Take the A Train. What type of music is it?__________
Does this piece put you in a happy or sad mood?______

Ants checklist:
____both: pay careful attention to playing the first two notes of the piece in perfect unison
____both: measure 5: express the crescendo
____snare: demonstrate three distinct playing zones in measures 10-13
____perform the piece at Allegro and Andante tempi
____bass: play your part on a tambourine
____compose a tom part to go along with the snare and bass parts

Compose a conga solo for someone close to you. Title the piece after that person. Use open and
closed tones.

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Lesson 26
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:

write your own checklist reminders:

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Reading
Multi-percussion
Multi-percussion A multi-percussion piece involves more than one percussion instrument. It is
very important to have a set-up that makes performing on more than one instrument comfortable
and practical. Many composers include a diagram of the suggested set-up.

Here is the diagram of the set-up for the multi-percussion excerpt shown above:

Musi
Music stand

Tambourine and Cowbell

Mallets / theory intervals

Interval An interval is the distance between pitches.

Half step A half step interval is the distance between adjacent pitches. Example: B up to C
Whole step A whole step interval is two half steps. Example: C to D

Sight reading - mallets

mallets technique

mallets tunes

rhythm wood block duet

Creativity
1. What is the definition of an interval?______________________________________________
2. If we start on the pitch B and move up to C, is the interval a half step or whole step?________
3. If we start on the pitch D and move up to E, is the interval a half step or whole step?________
4. If we start on the pitch E and move up to F, is the interval a half step or whole step?________
5. Compose a duet for two metal pots or pans. Use quarter notes, eighth notes, and eighth rests.

Listening game

Either the teacher or a student performs Parade for the class. The performer will omit one of
three musical elements in the performance. The three elements are dynamics, steady tempo, and
great flams. For example, the performer would play great flams and a nice steady tempo
throughout the piece but he / she would intentionally leave out all dynamics. The rest of the class
will write the performers name and fill-in the missing musical element.

performers name ____________ example #1 was missing__________

example #2 was missing__________





:
Review

1. What is a multi-percussion composition?_______________________________________
2. How many half steps equal one whole step?__________
3. Play this lessons multi-percussion excerpt four more times each with different instruments.
4. True or False: When sight reading mallet music it is very important to keep your eyes on the
music, as opposed to, the keys of the keyboard.
5. A pick-up note is_________________________________________________________

Parade checklist:
* write your own checklist reminders:

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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PARADE
Lesson 27
Warm-up

warm-up checklist:
____listen to the first note you play then play seven more that sound exactly like the first (quality
of sound)
____keep elbows still and relaxed
____allow sticks to rebound freely
____realize you are playing legato strokes (continuous motion of the sticks)
____play with a friend
____perform this exercise starting with the low dynamics and move up to the loud ones (pp p-
mp-mf)

reading

timpani introduction

Timpani Timpani play an important role in classical music. They have been used in symphonic
music since the days of Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Timpani Grips The two major timpani grips are German and French. German is like Matched
Grip on snare drum. Hands are turned over so the top part of your hands would get a nice suntan
if you were playing outside. The wrist turn is the normal snare drum wrist turn. French Grip is
quite different. A great exercise for learning the French Grip wrist turn motion is to imagine you
are holding a grapefruit in front of you with two hands. Each fingertip should be touching (thumb
to thumb, index to index, middle finger to middle finger) Now get used to the wrist turn. Your
elbows should remain still as your wrist rotates.

Standing Position Guidelines:
____stand directly behind the timpano (timpano is singular, timpani is plural)
____feet should be a normal standing position distance apart

French Grip Guidelines:
____select a pair of general purpose felt timpani mallets
____find the balance point of the mallets (about one-third of the way from the butt of the mallets)
____both hands will be identical: grip the mallet with your thumb nails facing the ceiling, the
meat of the thumbs are in contact with the stick
____your thumb, index finger, middle finger and ring finger are the fingers that come in contact
with the mallet, the pinky finger does not touch the mallet

Stroke Guidelines:
____turn both wrists back to a forte level

____play some legato strokes at forte and remember legato means the mallet never stops moving,
strive for an even and relaxed stroke
____keep elbows still while playing (for now)
____imagine you are drawing the sound out of the drum with your continuous stroke
____mallet should rebound off the head immediately after striking
____keep all fingers except your pinky on the mallets at all times during the stroke (keep your
pinky within an inch of the mallet)
____both mallet heads should strike the same approximate area of the drum head (3-4 inches from
the edge)

Playing Zone
Things to think about: When you play timpani you have to portray confidence. You need to
concentrate on DRAWING OUT THE SOUND of the drum (D.O.T.S.). For the following
excerpts it is important to get the drum to ring as much as possible. LET IT RING!

rhythm pickup notes (quarters and eighths)

world one conga

mallets - technique

Review the mallet technique guidelines described in Lesson 18.

sight reading xylophone

Creativity

1. True or False: Timpani are a new instrument to the music industry. In fact, they were just
invented last March.

2. When playing French Grip on timpani, your thumbnails should be facing:

A. the floor B. the next room C. the ceiling D. a close friend E. the drum

3. If timpano is the term for one drum, timpani is the term for_________________.

4. Which finger doesnt come in contact with the mallet when playing
timpani?___________________

5. What is the most important concept to think about when playing timpani? (hint: the initials are
D.O.T.S.)

Listening game
Performer plays a single stroke on a timpani from behind the class. Choose either the center or the
normal playing area (3-4 inches from the edge) in any mixed order. Class writes the performers
name and circles the zone played.

performers name______________ example #1: center normal playing area

example #2: center normal playing area





Review

1. Without referring back to the beginning of this lesson, list ten important things you know
about being a timpanist:

2. Perform the warm-up exercise at the beginning of this lesson three ways.
The first is on snare drum with normal snare drum technique. Both hands are turned over so
youd get a suntan on the top part of your hands if you were outside.
The second is on xylophone with appropriate mallets. Remember to change the fulcrum to
thumb and knuckle of index finger closest to fingernail. You start and end in the up position.
The third is with timpani mallets on a timpani using the thumbnails up to the ceiling technique
(French Grip). Realize the difference in technique between the three instruments!
3. Listen to any piece of classical music that shows how the timpani can be effective in an
orchestra.
4. Perform Mary had a Little Lamb and London Bridge with a friend.

5. Compose a snare drum duet starting with eighth note pickups:

Power Surge checklist:
____work together and agree upon the exact volume of the first note you play so you can play it
balanced
____both: control the last eighth note in measure one and measure three, try to have tips of your
sticks return to the set position immediately following the last note
____both: listen carefully to the spacing between your grace note and your primary note in your
flams, strive to make every flam sound the same in regards to spacing
____practice the tricky transition from measure 8 to measure 1 on the repeat
____be aware that measure 12 is a unison and should sound perfectly together
____measure 17 should be a completely new atmosphere because all the music suddenly drops
down to mp
____measure 20 should also be quite an abrupt change in volume
____concentrate on measure 25 to the end, you must always start and end a piece with your very
best playing, people remember the beginnings and ends!
____after playing the final note both players should freeze for 4-5 seconds to look professional
before relaxing

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power surge
Snare Drum Duet
Lesson 28
Warm-up

Warm-up Checklist:
____Accents / Taps: differentiate between the two heights (accents = forte or 9, taps = mezzo-
piano or 2)
____Accents / Taps: strive to play all accents the same volume and all taps the same volume
(quality of sound)
____Accents / Taps: perform as a trio
____Eights: focus only on rebound
____Eights: play the exercise with crescendos or decrescendos
____Eights: find the fastest tempo you can endure for 4 minutes without stopping

Reading
Drum set review
Drum Set Drum set is one of the most challenging percussion instruments to learn because of
the coordination needed. A requirement for all drum set players is the ability to play different
rhythms with all four limbs simultaneously.
The basic 5-piece drumset consists of a snare, bass, tom 1, tom 2, floor tom, hihat, ride cymbal,
and crash cymbal.

new term chorus

Chorus There are two major definitions for the word chorus. The first is a group of singers.
The second is one time through a song or tune.
Heres an experiment:
Hum the tune Frere Jacques.
You just hummed one chorus of Frere Jacques!
Now hum Frere Jacques three times in a row.
You guessed it you hummed three choruses of Frere Jacques.

musicianship chorus soloing

Chorus Soloing Chorus soloing is soloing by repeating a tune over and over again.
Heres another experiment:
Hum five choruses of Frere Jacques. It may help you to keep track of the five choruses by
counting them on your fingers.
Now, play one chorus of Frere Jacques on just the snare drum.

Heres the fun: Play one chorus of Frere Jacques on each of the instruments of the drum set:
snare drum, bass drum (with right foot), tom #1, tom #2, floor tom, ride cymbal, crash cymbal,
and hihat. This is an eight chorus Frere Jacques solo!

Here are some pictures demonstrating playing position on the drumset:

Hihat and Bass Drum Excerpts:

Hihat and Snare Drum Excerpts:

mallets

new terms middle C and ledger lines

Middle C Middle C is the C between the treble clef and bass clef (covered later). See if you can
locate Middle C in Ode to Joy.
Ledger Lines A ledger line is short line that helps the player keep his / her place when reading
in extreme registers. Ledger lines can be positioned above and below any staff.

stick control mixed quarter notes

Strive to create identical sounds from the left and right hands. Allow your listening to guide your
hands!

sight reading create your own piece for xylophone

Compose a solo for the xylophone using pitches in the treble clef. Quarter and half notes are your

rhythms to work with.

Creativity

1. The normal playing area on the timpani is:

on the shell dead center slightly off-center

3-4 inches away from rim on the foot pedal on the rim

2. Label the instruments of this drumset:

3. The most important concept to think about while playing stick control exercises:

A. flam concept B. cause and effect concept C. both hands sound the same concept

4. Play Ode to Joy on the drumset! Design a five chorus solo of the tune.

Chorus 1____________, Chorus 2___________, Chorus 3______________,

Chorus 4______________, Chorus 5_______________.

5. For fun: Set-up two timpani. Play the Stick Control excerpts from this lesson on the two
timpani. Low drum is on left, higher drum on right. Play the right stickings on the higher drum
and the left stickings on the low drum. Be sure to maintain proper timpani technique throughout.

Listening game

Performer plays a Frere Jacques solo on the drum set. The performer decides how many
choruses to play (no more than six). Each chorus should be on one instrument of the drum set so
the listeners can keep track of the choruses. It may help the performer to write a little outline
beforehand.
example/
1. ride cymbal
2. hihat
3. snare drum
4. bass drum
5. floor tom

The class should write down the performers name and fill-in the instruments that were played in
each chorus.

performers name________________ performers name__________________
Chorus 1:___________ Chorus 1:____________
Chorus 2:___________ Chorus 2:____________
Chorus 3:___________ Chorus 3:____________
Chorus 4:___________ Chorus 4:____________
Chorus 5:___________ Chorus 5:____________
Chorus 6:___________ Chorus 6:____________

video goal
Perform Python solo for a video camera.

Review
1. Playing a tune one time is one ______________.
2. If I played Frere Jacques on the bass drum, ride cymbal, and hihat. How
many choruses of Frere Jacques would that be?__________
3. What are the eight instruments that make up a basic 5 piece drum set?

_____________, _____________, _____________, ______________

_____________, _____________, _____________, ______________

4. What are some other tunes you could use to play chorus solos? (Example: Row, Row, Row
Your Boat; Twinkle, Twinkle; Jingle Bells etc)

5. Independence is a crucial skill in performing drumset. Find the definition of independence and
write it here:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Python Checklist:
____rim taps (played at 12 oclock on the drum rim) dont need to be played very strong, they
should just serve as a different timbre (timbre - need to look that one up?)
____snare: measure 5 marks a change from mf (6) playing to f/mp (9 and 2)
____bass drum: the accent on beat one of measure 7 should be a bit louder than the accent on
beat three of measure 6
____snare: measures 8 and 9 is a good place to show-off your skill of playing flams with
identical spacing (in other words make all three flams sound identical)
____both: measures 17-22 demand that you play with a great deal of control (notes are either
accented or non-accented nothing in between)
____both: measure 23 is played at a mp level
____snare: measure 25 to the end contains three zones and a lot of dynamic contrast, take
advantage of the fact that the drum sounds differently at each zone

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Lesson 1

GRAND SLAM HOMER!

First Time - Allegro

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