“Do I really need to learn Snare D...
Originally posted on DrumChattr.com on March 29, 2011. The short answer is YES!! The 40 Standard American Drum Rudiments are a set of short patterns that are essential in building technique. Rudiments on snare drum are like scales on marimba. Over the past couple of months, I have been thinking a lot about how to incorporate rudiments into the college curriculum. It is almost assumed that by the time a percussionist gets to college, they already know their rudiments, but I have been finding that most students don’t know their rudiments as well as they should. I...
Open your Mouth
“Music to me is like breathing—I don’t get tired of breathing, I don’t get tired of music.”- Ray Charles At the end of last semester, I had an “ah ha” moment during the final lessons with a couple of my students. You never know when you are going to have one of these moments and I want to share it with you and get your thoughts. Have you ever sat in an audience in a recital and started to feel uncomfortable about the performance on stage? Other than the occasional memory slip or stick drop, I think we have all experienced this moment (some more than others). We all know,...
How Do You FInd New Music?
For most college students, it is the beginning of the Spring semester. (Only 4 months until summer!!!) It is also time for a lot of recitals. One question I get a lot during this time is “where do I find a solo/chamber piece for my recital?” I have a lot of suggestions that I give my students, but I would like to also find out where the DrumChattr community finds new music or repertoire. Check out my resources below and then add a comment in the Chattr Section and let me know if I missed anything. 1) Colleagues and Teachers – When ever I am looking for new repertoire, I...
NAMM Report #4: Sticks, Mallets and Head...
It is sunny and warm in Southern California and today is the last day of the NAMM show. It has been a great show full of new products. In this final post, I will talk about some products from Vic Firth, Remo and Innovative Percussion. I realize that I have only begun to scratch the surface of all of the releases at NAMM. If you have anything to add, please leave your reviews in the Chattr Section. REMO The big news from Remo was the introduction of the Powerstroke Pro Bass Drumhead. With all of the noise on the showroom floor, it was difficult to hear the true sound of...NAMM Report #3: Electronic Percussion
Originally posted on DrumChattr.com on January 16, 2011. One of the most interesting electronic percussion products that was announced at NAMM 2011 was the inHEAD acoustic/electronic hybrid drumhead by Miditronix and Aquarian Drumheads. The drum head allows the drummer “the ability to have the best of both worlds- great sounding acoustic drums and the power and the control that comes with triggering electronic drum sound modules.” Miditronix.com says, “You play your drums your way; no sacrificing your technique or adjusting your playing style to...NAMM Report #2: What is your Cymbal?
Originally posted on DrumChattr.com on January 15, 2011. There were a lot of cymbals released at NAMM, including cymbals from Paiste, Zildjian, and Sabian. In yesterday’s post, I talked about the new Gen16 cymbals by Zildjian. I really think these cymbals were one of the top announcements at NAMM and I look forward to hearing your thoughts once people start using them. Today, I want to introduce the new lines by Paiste and Sabian. SABIAN Let’s start off with Sabian. They added three new cymbals to their inventory: 1) AAX OMNI This cymbal was developed with the...DrumChattr’s 2011 NAMM Report #1
Originally posted on DrumChattr.com on January 14, 2011. Yesterday, I attended the 2011 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show in Anaheim, CA. It was good to catch up with friends and see some of the new products in the percussion world. While I didn’t get to see everything on the show floor, there are a couple of products I would like to review for our community. If you were at the NAMM show or heard any new about any other products, please leave a comment in the Chattr Section and let us about the new products. In my opinion, the biggest percussion...Published Music
I am happy to announce that four of my new percussion works have been published by Andrew Beall and Bachovich Music Publications. The four works that Bachovich published are: Steel Drum Orchestra PanSon Baila Alegre Multi-Percussion Drum Duo Tribute Marimba Quartet Quartet in F major (2nd mvt). Arrangement of Ravel’s String Quartet. These pieces will be debuted at PASIC 2010 in Indianapolis. Be sure to stop by the booth and say hi to Andrew.Ensemble Rehearsal Considerations
Ten Things I Wish I Knew Going into my First Ensemble Rehearsal (better known as “Ten Things All My Students Better Know At Their First Ensemble Rehearsal”) During the past couple of weeks, school ensembles have been performing their first concerts of the academic year. As percussionists, we are required to know how to play a vast array of instruments as well as the techniques that are associated with them. Young percussion students who are studying with a private instructor usually study marimba, snare drum, drum set or timpani. Ensemble playing techniques...Gear I Love
IronWorks CD
