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Bass Drum and Cymbals Master Class

Norwin Percussion

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Introduction

Appropriate playing areasTechniques

Mallets and accessoriesInstruments

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Bass Drum

Three playing areas on the head

1. Dead Center-produces the lowest fundamental tone with the driest natural tone quality-the least amount of resonance.

2. Just off center-produces a very low tone but with more resonance or ring.

3. Near the edge-produces very little fundamental with excessive resonance. This superficial thin tone should be avoided.

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Playing area-cont. Most playing is done in the

area just off center, producing a full-sounding tone with a moderate amount of ring. A direct stroke, as played on timpani, should be used, not a glancing stroke. Dead Center is used for notes of short duration or to achieve more articulation and staccato or secco effects.

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A smooth legato stroke is appropriate for most big notes. Sometimes a crisp staccato stroke is needed.

Rolls should be played with two large bass drum mallets, not timpani mallets, in an area between the center and the edge. NEVER double stroke a roll on the bass drum.

Also, a slightly tilted drum allows for easier movement with mallets and muffling.

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Muffling External muffling techniques should include

varying amounts of finger and hand dampening on the playing head, usually after the stroke is made as for timpani.

Slight amounts of dampening may be used while striking the head if this technique produces the desired tone.

Such dampening can be accomplished by using Towel Leg Cloth Hand Arm

Video now, Glover http://www.vicfirth.com/education/bassdrum/gauger.html

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Mallet selections A basic set of concert bass

drum mallets would consist of at least one general articulation sostenuto mallet and a matched pair for rolling and fast articulate playing.

Try to stay away from double headed mallets or “carpet” like mallets.

As with any mallets/sticks you use, NEVER place them on the stand. You should always have a mallet/stick tray.

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Bass Drum in other languages

Grosse Caisse-French Grosse Trommel-German

Gran Cassa-Italian

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Interpreting Music

We as percussionists have to think like a wind player when interpreting lengths, articulations, and concepts of notes. The way we approach a half note must be different from the way we approach a quarter and eighth note.

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Music Example

Please follow the following example and note the different lengths of notes:

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Cymbals

Cymbals have many nuances and can present a great number of problems while trying to play certain passages in music.

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Proper Striking areas with Crash Cymbals

NEVER strike the cymbals to where the edges are meeting. This will create an air pocket. You MUST strike them anywhere from an inch to an inch and a half away from the edges meeting exactly

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Straps

• Do NOT put your hands through the straps…unless it is marching band.

• The thumb and index finger should hold the strap like a drumstick. It my be uncomfortable, but this allows for the most ring to occur.

• Tying a cymbal knot-demo.

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Playing Motion

• If you begin with the left cymbal edge above the right, you must crash your right cymbal down.

• If you begin with the right cymbal edge above the left, you must crash the right cymbal up.

• Also, always think of pushing into the cymbals as opposed to a glancing stroke

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Muffling:

Knowing when to muffle and when to let the cymbals ring is tricky.Always listen to what the band is playing and match what you hear.When muffling cymbals, push the cymbals into your stomach to immediately stop the sound.NEVER put the cymbals together before pushing them into your stomach area...you are only trying to stop the ringing, not create another sound.

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Commonly seen cymbal markings

• l.v.=let vibrate• Chk=choke• O over the note=crash

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Types of Crashes, sounds

Swish or zing

Ting

Plate roll

Fusion crash

Hi-hat

Sizzle crash

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Techniques

Downward crash Upward crash One hand still Both hands moving Out and up Flam-bottom first Flam-top first Warming up the cymbals-the myth

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Cymbal in many languages

Cymbales-French Becken or Tellern-German Piatti or Cinelli-Italian

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Music Example Please follow the

example starting at letter Q. (Night on Bald Mountain)

5.40 piccolo

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Suspended Cymbal

Suspended Cymbals should be “suspended” whenever possible. Try to avoid drumset cymbal stands when performing with only one suspended cymbal.

ALWAYS roll on the outermost edge of the cymbal to produce the “washy” sound.

The bell of the cymbal is only used when notated

The middle of the cymbal is reserved for drumsticks or other harder mallet

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Acceptable Mallets on the cymbal

YarnDrumstickBrushesAn occasional triangle beater

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Things to remember when playing suspended cymbal

SLOW DOWN your roll. More times than not we roll too fast.

Never double stroke a roll. Play through to the end of the roll. Think 4 e + a

1 to end the roll. Single hits should be done with both hands when

using yarn or a soft mallet. (Make sure you warm the cymbal before a loud single note…just like the gong). Only one when using a drumstick or other hard mallet.

Pace yourself on long rolls. So many people overplay crescendos and reach the peak way too early.