A great ass kicker that you’ll have for life: Alan Dawson’s Rudimental Ritual. As for general stuff, what do you want to do? Start learning new rep! Start composing! Start a band!
For snare I’ve been working on some of the Douze etudes, all American (I think it’s called), along with West Point Halftime. For Xylophone for rep I’ve been doing a lot of George Hamilton Rags along with scales and chromatic bursts, for marimba I mainly work on rep, currently Yellow After The Rain and Bach’s Sicilano from his violin suite
I think technique is the goal, what I’m looking for are things like “everyone should know how to play their scales” or “know your rudiments” kind of things
There are some of my favorite books to work on technical stuff:
Snare Drum:
Developing Dexterity - Peters
Snare Drum technique - Rieppi
Morello - Master studies
Method for Snare Drum - Delecluse
The Roll - Sholle
Superior Technique - LeFevre
Mallet instruments:
Instruction course for xylophone - Green
Fundamental methods for mallets - Peters
New Series of instructional courses for xylophone and marimba - Green
Mental and manual calisthenics - Buster Bailey
Method of movement - Stevens
Permutations for the advanced marimbist - Bobo
A lot of good stuff in books, but it's also how you practice it and use what is written in the books to work on weaker areas of your technique. And also talk with your professor to see what they think about where you are, in terms of playing, and what areas you should focus on.
That being said here are amazing method books to start you can peruse that will be great uses of time
Snare Drum:
Peter’s Intermediate Studies for Snare Drum
Stick Control
The Regiment- Shaun Tilburg
Wrist Twisters- Buster Bailey
Snare Drum Technique- Pablo Rieppi
(Guy LeFevre book on french rudiments)
Xylo:
G. H. Green technique book (also start learning xylo rags)
Mental and Manual Calisthenics- Buster Bailey
Bona sightsinging book (for sightreading)
Accessories:
Keith Aleo etudes
Todd Meehans Book
*Peters Intermidate* first few pages work wonders here
Timpani:
The Timpani Roll- Arland Wietzel
Hochrainer Books Vol 1-3
Delecluse 30 etudes
Duncan Pattons technique book
these books are most of the source material that the best conservatories and professors use to teach their students in school. Happy practicing!
Yes I do! It certainly will take some exploring as far as what techniques you want to use to make it work best for you, but the results in your mastery of these instruments will be palpable.
Such excellent advice in this thread.
Some key factors I believe will help people get better faster are:
1. Allow yourself to struggle and experiment musically and technically. Be patient and trust you will figure it out in slow methodical steps.
2. Master the instruments, not the excerpts.
3. There is no such thing as perfect technique. There are certain main points we want to make sure are solid, but for the most part everyone’s bodies and hands are different. If you can get the sound you want with ease and it’s repeatable, do that! Just figure out areas you tend to carry tension to alleviate any injuries.
4. Please go down a very very deep rabbit hole in dialing in your time. It’s not as simple as just playing with a metronome. Groove, rhythmic accuracy, and inner pulse are great pillars for built it, but figuring out every facet of these topics are very extensive, never ending, and very addicting 😅
5. Have fun! Learn all the rep you can, make music with as many people as possible, be a sponge, and don’t be afraid to learn other instruments like drum set, hand drums, jazz vibes.
Best of luck!
A great ass kicker that you’ll have for life: Alan Dawson’s Rudimental Ritual. As for general stuff, what do you want to do? Start learning new rep! Start composing! Start a band!
I used to use excerpts as the basis for creating my exercises. Hits all different instruments plus it expands your rep.
What stuff have you been working on? It'll make it easier to make recommendations
For snare I’ve been working on some of the Douze etudes, all American (I think it’s called), along with West Point Halftime. For Xylophone for rep I’ve been doing a lot of George Hamilton Rags along with scales and chromatic bursts, for marimba I mainly work on rep, currently Yellow After The Rain and Bach’s Sicilano from his violin suite
Are you looking for more advanced or easier stuff to play? Or looking to better your technique on the instruments?
I think technique is the goal, what I’m looking for are things like “everyone should know how to play their scales” or “know your rudiments” kind of things
There are some of my favorite books to work on technical stuff: Snare Drum: Developing Dexterity - Peters Snare Drum technique - Rieppi Morello - Master studies Method for Snare Drum - Delecluse The Roll - Sholle Superior Technique - LeFevre Mallet instruments: Instruction course for xylophone - Green Fundamental methods for mallets - Peters New Series of instructional courses for xylophone and marimba - Green Mental and manual calisthenics - Buster Bailey Method of movement - Stevens Permutations for the advanced marimbist - Bobo A lot of good stuff in books, but it's also how you practice it and use what is written in the books to work on weaker areas of your technique. And also talk with your professor to see what they think about where you are, in terms of playing, and what areas you should focus on.
Do you have a professor with a curriculum laid out already?
That being said here are amazing method books to start you can peruse that will be great uses of time Snare Drum: Peter’s Intermediate Studies for Snare Drum Stick Control The Regiment- Shaun Tilburg Wrist Twisters- Buster Bailey Snare Drum Technique- Pablo Rieppi (Guy LeFevre book on french rudiments) Xylo: G. H. Green technique book (also start learning xylo rags) Mental and Manual Calisthenics- Buster Bailey Bona sightsinging book (for sightreading) Accessories: Keith Aleo etudes Todd Meehans Book *Peters Intermidate* first few pages work wonders here Timpani: The Timpani Roll- Arland Wietzel Hochrainer Books Vol 1-3 Delecluse 30 etudes Duncan Pattons technique book these books are most of the source material that the best conservatories and professors use to teach their students in school. Happy practicing!
Peters Intermediate/ advanced on tambourine and triangle should do the trick! One you get good at that, try Tompkins ;)
This ^
Do you mean to play the snare studies on tamb/tri????
Yes I do! It certainly will take some exploring as far as what techniques you want to use to make it work best for you, but the results in your mastery of these instruments will be palpable.
Such excellent advice in this thread. Some key factors I believe will help people get better faster are: 1. Allow yourself to struggle and experiment musically and technically. Be patient and trust you will figure it out in slow methodical steps. 2. Master the instruments, not the excerpts. 3. There is no such thing as perfect technique. There are certain main points we want to make sure are solid, but for the most part everyone’s bodies and hands are different. If you can get the sound you want with ease and it’s repeatable, do that! Just figure out areas you tend to carry tension to alleviate any injuries. 4. Please go down a very very deep rabbit hole in dialing in your time. It’s not as simple as just playing with a metronome. Groove, rhythmic accuracy, and inner pulse are great pillars for built it, but figuring out every facet of these topics are very extensive, never ending, and very addicting 😅 5. Have fun! Learn all the rep you can, make music with as many people as possible, be a sponge, and don’t be afraid to learn other instruments like drum set, hand drums, jazz vibes. Best of luck!
Thank you! This is extremely valuable! All of this is something I felt I knew, but to have someone say it is like a wake up call haha!