Percussion Fundamentals 101

PERCUSSION FUNDAMENTALS 101 & PRACTICE TIPS

by Steve Seitz

We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.  ~ Aristotle

Setting goals… accomplishing goals.  Have long and short term goals.  Have a 30-day, 90-day, 180-day, 1-year, 3-year, and a 5-year goal.  Try to stay focused on your goals daily.  Go for small and consistent degrees of progress.  Chip away a little piece each day as opposed to practicing a lot 3 days a week.  You will find it is easier to achieve your goals with daily practicing.

Smart practice is the key.  Stay focused on your goals.  Do not spend a lot of time on things you can already play.  Work on your weaknesses.  Always work on developing a stronger foundation.  These practice tips will get you to a new level.

Motivation.  Identify what makes you feel good and motivated in your playing Identify why you play drums; what is your motive?  What are you trying to say on your instrument?  What is it that you are receiving from a great performance or a good practice session?  Here are a few ways I stay motivated:

Ø      Going to see other people perform and not just drummers.  This is very motivating, especially if it is a great band.  It makes me want to play.

Ø      Clinics, master classes, workshops, Pasic conventions; any place I can see and talk to other musicians.

Ø      Videos, DVDs, books, method books.  There is so much material published; you can’t possibly get it all.

Ø      Trying to play for my band mates at a higher level is very motivating to me.  The better I can make them sound, the higher level of music we achieve, and the more musicians want to play with me.

Before you sit down and practice, think of what motivates you, get psyched and then play.

Grip selection.  The two most popular grips are matched and traditional grip.

Matched grip can be used in a wide variety of percussion instruments such as mallets, tympani, snare drum, and drum set.  It is a more natural feeling grip than the traditional grip and easier to learn.

Traditional grip is an older grip that was developed to play parade drums in the military when the drums just hung on by a sling.  You could not play the drum with matched grip at this angle.  You see a lot of the jazz drummers from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s use this grip.  Traditional grip is used for snare and drum set.

Today, both grips are widely used.  I play traditional because when I first started to play, many years ago, this was the legitimate grip.

Basic strokes.

Ø      Full-arm strokes are for maximum volume.  It is hard to play fast with this stroke but, if you’re after volume, this stroke will work.

Ø      Wrist stroke is middle ground.  There is a wide array of dynamics in this stroke.

Ø      Finger strokes are for refinement, speed, and softer dynamics.  This is also the stroke that is difficult for the beginning student to achieve.

All of these strokes will be taught in detail in your lessons.

Four additional strokes.

Ø      Full stroke

Ø      Down stroke

Ø      Up stroke

Ø      Tap

These will help you achieve a good sound, dynamics and accents and will also be taught in detail in your lessons.

Four fundamental rudiments to drumming.

Ø      Single stroke roll

Ø      Double stroke roll

Ø      Flams

Ø      Multiple stroke roll

What is a rudiment?  Think of it as a scale.  Everything you can think of in drumming is comprised of some form of one of these rudiments.  The rudiments should be learned to a very high level of proficiency.  They are also the vocabulary of our instrument.  They will be taught in detail in your lessons.

Practice tip:  Practice rudiments not just for speed but for sound, feel, and accuracy.  Play each rudiment consistently correct for long periods of time to really get the full benefits.

Practice tip:  When you practice, spend 70% or your time on your weaker limb and 30% on your stronger limb.

Practice tools.

Ø      2 pairs of sticks; a heavier pair (5B or 2B) wood-tip for snare and practice pad and a lighter weight for drum set.

Ø      Metronome (preferably one you can hear over your kit).

Ø      Mirrors that you can watch your self from different angles in your practice area.

Ø      Select method books (I can recommend the right ones for you).

Ø      Practice pad.

Practice tip:  Using a quarter, trace a circle in the center of your snare drum and practice pad, and aim for the bulls eye to achieve a consistent sound.