UNIVERSITYOFOKLAHOMA
GRADUATECOLLEGE
TRENDSANDDEVELOPMENTSINTHIRTYPROMINENTSNAREDRUMMETHOD
BOOKSPUBLISHEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESFROM1935TO2008WITHA
REVIEWOFSELECTEDMATERIAL
ADOCUMENT
SUBMITTEDTOTHEGRADUATEFACULTY
Inpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsforthe
Degreeof
DOCTOROFMUSICALARTS
By
JoshuaJ.Knight
Norman,Oklahoma
2014
TRENDSANDDEVELOPMENTSINTHIRTYPROMINENTSNAREDRUMMETHODBOOKSPUBLISHEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESFROM1935TO2008
WITHAREVIEWOFSELECTEDMATERIAL
ADOCUMENTAPPROVEDFORTHESCHOOLOFMUSIC
BY
_____________________________________Dr.LanceDrege,Chair
_____________________________________Dr.WilliamWakefield
_____________________________________Dr.EugeneEnrico
_____________________________________Dr.RolandBarrett
_____________________________________Dr.MaryJoWatson
iv
TABLEOFCONTENTS
CHAPTERI
Introduction ............................................................................................................................1NeedfortheStudy................................................................................................................4
PurposeoftheStudy ............................................................................................................6
LimitationsoftheStudy......................................................................................................7DesignoftheStudy................................................................................................................8
CHAPTERII
SurveyofRelatedLiterature......................................................................................... 10ThesesandDissertations ............................................................................................... 10
Books,Articles,andDataBases .................................................................................... 15ElectronicCatalogs............................................................................................................ 19
CHAPTERIII
REVIEWSOFTHIRTYPROMINENTSNAREDRUMMETHODBOOKSPUBLISHEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESFROM1935TO2008
1.RubankElementaryMethod,DrumsbyPaulYoder.......................................... 21
2.StickControlbyGeorgeLawrenceStone ............................................................ 223.DrumMethodforBandandOrchestrabyHaskellW.Harr .......................... 24
4.DrumMethod,BookIIbyHaskellW.Harr .......................................................... 255.StandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjaminPodemski ................................. 26
6.DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon....................................................................... 28
7.ModernSchoolforSnareDrum:CombinedwithaGuideBookfortheArtistPercussionistbyMorrisGoldenberg ........................................... 29
8.TheMoellerBook:TheArtofSnareDrummingbySanfordMoeller.........309.TheRollbyEmilSholle................................................................................................ 33
10.Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle............................................................................. 34
11.AccentsandReboundsbyGeorgeStone ............................................................ 35
v
12.ElementaryDrumMethodbyRoyBurns.............................................................37
13.IntermediateDrumMethodbyRoyBurns ........................................................ 3814.SnareDrumMethod,BookI,ElementarybyVicFirth.................................. 40
15.SnareDrumMethod:BookII,IntermediatebyVicFirth............................. 4116.DevelopingDexteritybyMitchellPeters ........................................................... 42
17.MethodforSnareDrumbyJacquesDelécluse ................................................ 43
18.OddMeterCalisthenicsbyMitchellPeters ....................................................... 4419.TheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeI,byPhilPerkins ............45
20.PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaley.......................... 46
21.Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookI,byDaveBlackandSandyFeldstein....... 4722.Alfred’sDrumMethod,Book2,byDaveBlackandSandyFeldstein....... 48
23.AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels.............................. 4924.ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum,byTomMorgan ... 51
25.MasteringtheRudiments,byAlanKeown......................................................... 53
26.SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKennanWylie................. 5427.SavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavage................................................ 55
28.RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman...................................................................... 56
29.SnareDrumTechniquebyPabloRieppi ............................................................ 5830.RudimentalArithmeticbyBobBecker................................................................ 60
CHAPTERIVTRENDSANDDEVELOPMENTSOFSELECTEDMATERIALS
1.Set‐UpandMaintenance ............................................................................................. 63
2.NoteReadingandMusicFundamentals............................................................... 663.Grip....................................................................................................................................... 69
4.Stroke ................................................................................................................................. 745.Rudimental........................................................................................................................ 82
6.Exercises ........................................................................................................................... 91
7.Etudes,Solos,andExcerpts .....................................................................................101
vi
8.Organization..................................................................................................................110
CHAPTERVIntroduction .......................................................................................................................121
Recommendations...........................................................................................................122NeedforFurtherStudy...................................................................................................127
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................129
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................131
APPENDIXA
CurrentlyPublishedSnareDrumMethodBooks...............................................134
APPENDIXBTop‐SellingSnareDrumMethodBooks..................................................................147
APPENDIXCSnareDrumMethodBookComparisonChart.....................................................149
vii
ABSTRACT
Thisdocumentexaminesthirtyprominentsnaredrummethodbooks
publishedbetween1935and2008intheUnitedStates.Areviewofeach
methodbookisprovided,followedbyadiscussionoftrendsand
developmentsinindividualcomponentsincludingset‐upandmaintenance,
notereadingandmusicfundamentals,grip,stroke,rudimentalinstruction,
exercises,etudesandsolos,andorganization.Byexhibitingdevelopments
andtrendsthisstudyinformssnaredrumpedagogyandprovidesvaluable
comprehensiveeducationalmaterialforstudentsandeducators.Thestudy
alsoallowsperformerstoefficientlyfilterthroughvariousapproachesto
techniqueandservesasaguideforeffectivemusicalcontextualization.
1
CHAPTERI
Introduction
TheproliferationofsnaredrummethodbookspublishedintheUnited
Statesduringthetwentiethcenturynecessitatesanexaminationaswellasan
analysisoftrendsanddevelopmentsinthesepublications.Inconsistent
instructioninsnaredrummethodbooksisapparentasearlyasthenineteenth
century.CharlesAshworthandSamuelPotter,authorsoftwoearlynineteenth‐
centurysnaredrummethodbooks,presentdifferentexplanationsof
fundamentaltechniques.Forexample,Ashworth(1812)writes,“Theupper,or
left‐handstickmustbefirmlyheldbetweenthethumbandtwomiddlefingers
andrestonthethirdfinger.Thelower,orrightstickmustbeheldfastbetween
thelittlefinger...asamanmayuseastickinfencing.”1Potter(1815)suggests
thattherighthandshouldbecomparedtoholdingaswordandthelefthandlike
holdingapen.2Hewrites,“Therighthandstickistobegrasp’dwiththewhole
handabouttwoinchesandahalffromthetop.Theleftistobeheldbetweenthe
1CharlesStewartAshworth,ANewUsefulAndCompleteSystemofDrumBeating.WashingtonD.C,1812.quotedinJamesA.Strain,“EvolutionofSnareDrumGrips,”PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.2SamuelPotter.TheArtofBeatingTheDrum.London:HenryPotter,1815.quotedinJamesA.Strain,“EvolutionofSnareDrumGrips.”PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.
2
thumbandforefingerofthelefthandclosetothehollow....”3Subsequent
methodstowardthemiddleofthenineteenthcenturygoontopresentdifferent
analogiesandconflictingdescriptionsofgrip.However,thegripisonlyonefacet
ofsnaredrumpedagogywherechangeisapparent.Becauseofthetransitionof
snaredrumperformancefrommilitarysignalingtoaninstrumentusedfor
accompanimentandthematicrolesinvariousmusicalensembles,other
instructionalcontentchangedaswell.
RudimentaldrummingintheUnitedStatesofficiallybeganduringthe
RevolutionaryWar,andalthoughtheendoftheCivilWarmarkedthelastyear
drumswereusedinbattle,thepopularityofrudimentaldrummingcontinuedto
grow.Asaresult,snaredrummethodbookspublishedintothetwentieth
centurycontinuedfocusingontherudimentalormilitarystyleofplaying.4Inthe
timebetweenWorldWarIandWorldWarII,competitionsbetweendrummers
increased,supplyingevenmoredemandforqualitymethodbooks.5The
rudimentalstyleofteachingandplayingwassoprominentthatin1933agroup
ofdrummersattheAmericanLegionconvention,includingWilliamF.Ludwig
3Strain,60.4DonaldGilbert,“RudimentalDrummingintheUnitedStates,1860‐1900”PASWebsite–ThePercussionist5KenMazur,“ThePerfectionists:TheHistoryofRudimentalSnareDrummingFromMilitaryCodetoFieldCompetition,”PercussiveNotes(April2005):10.
3
andGeorgeStone,organizedthestandardlistof26rudiments.6These26
rudimentsconsistedofthosepatternsmostcommonlyusedinmilitarysignaling.
Thegroupofdrummersadoptedthetitle:NationalAssociationofRudimental
Drummers(N.A.R.D.),andwereamajorproponentofsnaredrumeducation.7
SoonaftertheN.A.R.D.wasformed,thenumberofpublishedsnaredrummethod
booksincreasedbecauseofthestandardizationofthe26rudimentsandthe
needfortechnicaladviceonhowtoexecutethem.Influentialsnaredrum
methodbookspublishedatthistimeincludedthosebyHaskellHarr(1935),
BenjaminPodemski(1940),WilliamLudwig(1942),CharleyWilcoxon(1944),
andothers.Theseearlytwentieth‐centurypublicationsseemlimitedinscope
whencomparedwiththoseavailabletoday.Themajoritywerepurely
rudimentalguidesthatlistedthestandard26rudimentsandofferedetudeswith
whichtoexecutethem.8Eventhoughsomeofthesemethodbookswere
publishedoverseventy‐fiveyearsago,manystudentscontinuetorelyonthem.
6WilliamF.Ludwig,“TheDevelopmentofDrumRudiments,“TheLudwigDrummer5,no.1(spring1965):16,quotedinJohnAndrewWooton,“ASurveyofRudimentalSnareDrumManualsandArticlesfrom1930to1993WithaResultantTextWhichAddressesContemporarySnareDrummingTechniques”(doctoralessay,TheUniversityofIowa,1994),2.7JohnAndrewWooton,“ASurveyofRudimentalSnareDrumManualsandArticlesfrom1930to1993WithaResultantTextWhichAddressesContemporarySnareDrummingTechniques”(doctoralessay,TheUniversityofIowa,1994),2.8Ibid,4.
4
Theseearlypublicationsdonotaccuratelyrepresentthepresent‐day
approachtotechniqueormethodology.Descriptionofgripandstrokechanged
significantlybythemiddlepartofthetwentiethcentury.In1942BuddyRich’s
ModernInterpretationofSnareDrumRudimentsbyBuddyRichandHenryAdler
becameoneofthefirsttosuggestplayingmatchedgripasopposedtothe
traditionalgripnormallyillustrated.9Matchedgripnowpredominatesin
private,scholastic,andcollegiateinstructionandinsnaredrummethodbooks.
Duringthemiddlepartofthetwentiethcenturysnaredrumperformance
wasbecomingmorepopularinbandandorchestrasettingsaswell.Thisrisein
thepopularityoftheinstrumentcontributedtosnaredrummethodbooksthat
showedapolarizedapproachtoplaying,offeringbothrudimentalandconcert
styles.10Thesedevelopmentscreatedawidespectrumofavailablemethod
booksthatwouldincreaseduringthefiftiesandsixties.Today,snaredrum
methodbooksexhibitmoredepth,imagination,musicality,andversatility.
NeedfortheStudy
Percussioneducatorsandstudentshavemanypublishedsnaredrum
methodbooksfromwhichtochoose,eachfocusingonanarrayoftechniques
andstyles.Itisdifficultforeducatorstouseandunderstandalloftheavailable
9Strain,66.10Ibid,63.
5
resourcesbecauselittleinformationexistsregardingthecontentsofthese
materials.Theresultisthatstudentsoftenengageinaparticularbookthat,
althoughwell‐suitedforsomesituations,doesnotofferthemethodologyand
technicalinstructionneeded.Instructorsneedamethodbookthatnotonly
providesetudesandexercisesbutalsosupplementsthemusicalmaterialwith
instructionaltextforfacilitatingcomprehensionofbeginningtoadvanced
techniques.Otherinstructorsprefertooffermoreguidancetothestudentand
donotneedafullexplanationofgrip,posture,handposition,andstroke.
Instead,asetofprogressiveexercisesfromwhichthestudentmaygainmastery
overaspecificskillsetisneeded.Somestudentsbenefitfromamethodbook
thatcouldbeusedwithoutaninstructortoguideandcontextualizeexercisesfor
them.Witheachstudentandeducatorrequiringadifferentapproachtovarious
objectives,aguidetosnaredrummethodbooksisvitaltoefficientsnaredrum
studyandinstruction.Theresourcewouldalsoenablestudentsandeducators
tomakeinformeddecisionsandtakeadvantageofdifferingapproachesto
learningandteaching.
Modernsnaredrummethodbookspresentmaterialthatcontrastswith
thatofearlytwentieth‐centurypublications.Exercisesandetudesdesignedto
facilitatenewtechniquesandapplytheauthor’srecommendationshavebecome
morein‐depthandcreative.Theevolutionofthecriticalcontentinmethod
6
books,whichincludesphysiologicalchangesinthewaythesticksareheldand
howstrokesareexecuted,furthernecessitatestheneedforanexaminationof
pedagogicalmaterial.
Overthreehundredsnaredrummethodbooksarecurrentlyavailable,
mostofwhichwerepublishedduringthetwentiethcentury.Duetoincreased
publications,choosingamethodbookisadifficulttask.Thisstudyaddressesthe
needforaresourcethataidsinfilteringandcategorizingsnaredrummethod
books.
Discussingimportantdevelopmentsandtrendsthroughoutthisseventy‐
threeyearperiodwillrevealthedirectionofsnaredrumpedagogyintheUnited
Statesandmayserveasafoundationforfurtherdevelopmentandstudy.
Opinionsconcerningthestatusofsnaredruminstructionhavesurfacedin
articlesandessays,butnoscholarlystudyexiststhatevaluatessnaredrum
methodbookswithanobjectiveviewexists.
PurposeoftheStudy
Thepurposeofthedocumentistodiscoveranddiscusstrendsand
developmentsinsnaredrumpedagogythroughthirtyleadingsnaredrum
methodbookspublishedintheUnitedStatesfrom1935to2008,andtoexamine
7
andreviewselectedmaterial.Thedocumentallowsstudentsandeducatorsto
betterunderstandsnaredrumpedagogyintheUnitedStates.
Areviewofleadingmethodbookswascreatedsothatstudentsand
educatorscanbetterselectappropriatematerialsforuseandstudy.Inaddition
tocreatingaresourceforbetterutilizationofavailablematerials,thisdocument
providesinsightregardingthehistoryofsnaredrumpedagogy.Such
information,prevalentinotherinstrumentalfields,isparamounttoproper
snaredruminstructionandvitaltotheadvancingstudent.
LimitationsoftheStudy
Thisresearchwaslimitedtoonlythosepublishedmaterialswiththe
specificgoalofprovidingatechnicalmethodforthesnaredrum.Althoughsolo
materialdoesinherentlyeducatethestudent,thisresearchomitscollectionsof
solos,duets,andetudesthatarecommonlypublishedundertheheadingof
“methodbook.”ThisstudywaslimitedtothosematerialsavailableintheUnited
StatesutilizingtheEnglishlanguage.Althoughobjectivereviewingistheoverall
goalofthisresearch,thereisaneedforqualitativeassessment.Qualityisbased
onwhethertheauthorpresentsstrongtechnicalideas,ascomparedtoother
8
leadingpublications,andiftheideasandphilosophiesoftheauthorareadhered
toandeffectivelydemonstrated.11
DesignoftheStudy
Apreliminarylistof314snaredrummethodbookswasacquiredthrough
publishers,libraries,andpersonalcollections.Theresearcherthenfilteredout
allsolo,duet,andetudebooksthatdonotadheretothedefinitionofamethod.12
Theremainingmethodbookswerenarrowedtorepresentthemost
prominent.Thiswasaccomplishedbycontactingmusicdistributorsandusing
onlineresourcestodiscoversalesinformation.13Alistof30leadingsnaredrum
methodbookswasthencollectedandreviewed.Thebooksfallintooneor
severalcategoriesbasedontheinformationgatheredfromthereview,whichis
exhibitedthroughacomparisonchart.Thecategoriesincludebutarenot
limitedtorudiments,stroke,grip,illustrations,reading,useofmedia,andothers.
Forstylisticcategories,rudimentalandconcert,anapproximatepercentageof
11MarshaChusmir,“AnAnnotatedBibliographyandReviewofCurrentHeterogeneousStringMethodBooks”(MastersThesisFloridaStateUniversity,1973),11.12Method‐Asystematicprocedure,technique,ormodeofinquiryemployedbyorpropertoaparticulardisciplineorart:asystematicplanfollowedinpresentingmaterialforinstruction...away,technique,orprocessoforfordoingsomething:abodyofskillsortechniques.13Threeleadingdistributorsofsnaredrummethodbookswerecontacted,ortheirwebsitesutilized,tocreatealistofapproximatelytwenty‐fivebestsellingmethodbooks.Theselistswerecross‐referencedtocreatealistofthetwenty‐sevenmostprominentmethodbooks.SeeAppendixB.
9
whichstyleisfeaturedinthatmethodbookisprovided.Placementina
particularcategorywasdeterminedbywhatpercentageofthemethodbook’s
exercisesandinstructionfocusoneachcategory.Thiswasaccomplishedby
dividingthenumberofexercisesfocusingonaparticulartechniquebythetotal
numberofexercisesinaparticularmethodbook.Theuseofspecificcategories
willprovideaplatformfororganizationandastatisticforfurtherstudyby
revealingwhichtechniquesarepredominantinthemostpopularsnaredrum
methodbooks.
Inchapterthreeeachsnaredrummethodbookispresentedindividuallyin
chronologicalorderaccordingtothedateeachmethodbookwaspublished.A
briefreviewofthecriticalcontentcontainedineachmethodbook,appropriate
categorization,andabriefqualityassessmentisgiven.Chapterfourfeaturesa
comparativeanalysisofreviewedmaterialanddiscussionofthesimilarities,
differences,trends,developments,andevolutionofalltheelementseachmethod
bookincorporatesintoitsdesignandmethodology.Recommendationsfor
furtherstudyaswellasadditionalinformationgatheredfromexaminationofthe
methodbooksconcludesthestudy.
10
CHAPTERII
ReviewOfRelatedLiterature
Whilethereisnocomprehensiveexaminationofsnaredrummethod
booksavailable,thereareafewarticles,theses,dissertations,publishedbooks,
andelectronicdatabasesthatofferrelatedinformation.Thelimitedinformation
availableregardingsnaredrummethodbooksonlysupportstheneedfora
thoroughexamination,andnecessitateslookingatsimilarstudiesinother
instrumentalfields.
ThesesandDissertations
Severalthesesanddissertationsconcerningthereviewofmethodsinother
fieldsareavailable.MarshaL.Chusmir(1973)writes:
Onemustevaluatealargebodyofavailablematerialsinordertointelligentlychoosethetextsthataremostappropriate.Knowledgeofwhatisavailableinthefieldenhancestheteacher’sutilizationoftheresourcesonhandandbroadenshisscopeofprofessionalunderstanding.14
Chusmirdividesstringmethodbooksintothreebroadcategories.Thefirst
includesearlymethodbooksthatavoidanypre‐notationaltextonhowto
executeaspecifictechnique,onlyprovidingexercisesforthestudent.15These
14MarshaChusmir,“AnAnnotatedBibliographyandReviewofCurrentHeterogeneousStringMethodBooks”(MastersThesisFloridaStateUniversity,1973),4.15Chusmir,1.
11
aresimilartoearlysnaredrummethodsthat,althoughtheyprovidealistof
rudimentsandexercises,donotprovidetextonhowtoexecutethem.The
secondcategoryincludesmethodsmorecommonlyusedinconservatoryand
privateteaching,includingtechniquesspecifictotheinstrument.16Thethird
categoryrepresentsthelatesttrend,whichistodevelopthenecessaryskills
separatefromlearningrepertoire.17Authorsthatusethistypeofmethodology
agreethatthisapproachallowsstudentstoconcentrateonaspecificskill,
isolatingnewtechniquesastheyareapproachedinliterature.18The
polarizationofthosewhobelieveskillsshouldbetaughtthroughrepertoireand
thosethatbelievethetechniqueshouldbemasteredfirstexistsinpercussion
pedagogy,andisprevalentinmanyarticlesonthesubject.Mostsnaredrum
methods,includingthosepublishedintheearlytwentieth‐centurybyHaskell
Harr,CharlesWilcoxonandothers,incorporatethe“techniquefirst”approach.
However,rarelydotwomethodbookspresenttechniquesinthesameorder.
Withdisagreementsandinconsistenciesamongmethods,whatisthedesired
approach?Chusmiragreesthatinstructorsneedtohaveinformationavailablein
ordertoquicklyseethedesignofamethodbookanddecidewhetheritisthe
16Chusmir,1.17Ibid,1.18Ibid,2.
12
bestchoiceforthatsituation.Aswithstringpedagogy,manydifferentwaysto
approachthesameobjectiveexistinsnaredrumpedagogy.
Chusmiralsodiscussesproblemsassociatedwithrelyingonjournalsto
publishreviews.Shefindsthatalthoughtherearereviewsofcurrentliterature
foundinseveraljournals,includingtheInstrumentalistandTheMusicTeacher,
relyingonpublicationsthatarenotsolelyconcernedwithreviewingstring
methodspresentscertainproblems.19Theseincludenotknowingwhen
periodicalswillpublishreviews,havingnostandardcriteriaforevaluation,anda
lackofcomprehensivereviews.20“Informationregardingstringmethodbooksis
difficulttoutilizebecausesourcesareeitheroutdated,inconsistent,non‐
comprehensive,orinaccessible.”21Similarly,reviewsofpercussionmethod
booksaredifficulttoaccessandutilize.Becauseofout‐dated,inconsistent,non‐
comprehensive,orinaccessiblereviews,thereexistsaneedforareviewof
currentsnaredrummethods.
Inkeyboardpedagogy,athesisbyDebraBrubaker(1996)titledAHistory
andCriticalAnalysisofPianoMethodsPublishedinTheUnitedStatesfrom1796
1995takesahistoricallookatpianopedagogybyreviewingacross‐sectionof
methodbooks.AlthoughthescopeofBrubaker’sdocumentexceedsthe
19Chusmir,5.20Ibid,5.21Ibid,7.
13
objectiveofthisdocument,itpresentsasimilarneedandpurposeforstudy.
Brubakerwrites:
Thepurposeofthisthesisistoanalyzeinnovative,influential,andrepresentativepianomethodspublishedintheUnitedStates…Effortwasmadetolocateasmanyaspossibleofwhatappearedtobethebetter‐knownmethodbooks...theinvestigationisnotexhaustive,butrepresentsarealisticcross‐sectionofpianoteachingmethodswhichrepresentsignificantsocial,cultural,andhistoricaltrendsinAmerica.22
Reviewsofpianomethodbooksareorganizedchronologicallytotracethe
historyofpianopedagogy.Likewise,thehistoryofsnaredrumpedagogycanbe
tracedthroughachronologicalannotationofselectedmaterials.Brubaker’s
thesisalsodiscussesthehistoricalandculturalcontextinwhichaspecific
methodologyexists.Thisisimportanttotheeducatorandstudentwhen
studyingselectedmethods.Aresourceenablinganunderstandingofthecontext
andstateofinstrumentalpedagogyatthetimeamethodwaspublishedisas
importantforthefieldofpercussion.Brubakerwrites:
TodatenosinglesourceattemptstodocumentallofthelandmarkpianomethodsinthecontextoftheUnitedStates’twohundredyearhistory,nortoprovideanextensivelistingofcurrentandout‐of‐printAmericanpianomethods.23
Inthefieldofpercussion,JohnWooton’sdoctoralessay,featuringasurvey
ofsnaredrummanualsandarticlesfrom1930to1993,revealsavoidthatexists
22DebraBrubaker,“AHistoryandCriticalAnalysisofPianoMethodsPublishedintheUnitedStatesfrom1796to1999”DoctoralThesisUniversityofMinnesota,1996),ix.23Brubaker,1.
14
inrudimentalsnaredrummingmanuals.Hisresearchseekstocreateatextthat
betterexplainstheinherenttechnicalissuesoneencounterswhenlearning
snaredrumrudiments.24Theauthorreviewsoveronehundredmanualsforhis
research.Thatdoctoralessayisthoroughandrevealstheinconsistenciesamong
prominentrudimentalsnaredrummanuals
CaryDactyl’sresearchrevealstheimportanceofsnaredruminstructionto
non‐percussioniststhroughpercussionmethodclasses.InTheStatusofSnare
DrumInstructioninPercussionMethodsProgramsofSelectedUniversitiesand
CollegesinOhioandContiguousStates,Dactylconcludesthatsnaredrum
instructionisonecommonalitybetweenallmethodsclasses,andsnaredrum
proficiencyisusuallytheprimaryobjective.25
Sixty‐fourpercentoftheinstitutionsstudiedspent50‐100%ofthetimeinclassstudyingsnaredrum.26Ninety‐onepercentofinstructorsteachmatchedgriporacombinationofmatchedandtraditionalgrip...andtheypreferredteachingtheconcertstyleratherthanrudimentalbutmostmajorrudimentswerecovered.27
24JohnAndrewWooton,“ASurveyofRudimentalSnareDrumManualsandArticlesfrom1930to1993WithaResultantTextWhichAddressesContemporarySnareDrummingTechniques”(doctoralessay,TheUniversityofIowa,1994)2.25CaryDachtyl,“TheStatusofSnareDrumInstructionInPercussionMethodsProgramsofSelectedUniversitiesandCollegesinOhioandContiguousStates,”(DoctoralDissertationTheOhioStateUniversity,1992),56.26Ibid.,56.27Ibid.,56.
15
Books,Articles,andDatabases
Onlyonepublishedbookcontainingreviewsandbibliographicinformation
aboutsnaredrummethodsexists.Percussion:AnAnnotatedBibliographywith
specialemphasisoncontemporarynotationandperformancebyDieterBajzek
featuresacomprehensivebibliographycoveringeverypercussioninstrument
includingsnaredrum.28Thebookcoversmanypercussioninstrumentsand
includesseveralmethodsbooksforeach.Italsocoversinstrumentmaintenance,
musictheory,percussionhistory,percussioninjazz,andresearch/technology.
However,regardingsnaredrumpedagogyandperformanceonlyanarrowspan
of20yearsiscovered.Althoughthisbibliographyprovidesvaluable
information,itdoesnotvoidtheneedforabibliographyofsnaredrummethod
bookswithdiscussionaboutsnaredrumpedagogyandtrends.
Therearemanyarticlesthatsupporttheneedforareviewofsnaredrum
methods.TheEvolutionofSnareDrumGripsbyJamesA.Strainexplainshow
snaredrumgripevolvedsincethelatenineteenthcentury.Earlyinstruction
books,suchasthe1815publicationbyPotter,describeagripthatwenowcall
“traditionalgrip.”29Ashworth’spublicationin1812issimilar,butbothofthese,
28DieterBajzek,Percussion:AnAnnotatedBibliographywithSpecialEmphasisonContemporaryNotationandPerformance.Metuchen,N.J.,&London:TheScarecrowPress,Inc.,1988.
29JamesA.Strain,“TheEvolutionofSnareDrumGrips,”PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.
16
amongthefirstsnaredrummethodbookspublishedintheU.S,areinconsistent
intheirdescriptionofhowtogripthesticks.30Differencesinopinionalso
existedregardingtherighthandgrip.Ashworth(1812)writesthatthe“little
fingeristheprimaryfinger.”31Amethodpublishedin1861byEliasHowe
describestheright‐handgripdifferently,statingthat“thelittlefingershouldbe
closedlooselyaroundthestick,”andimpliesthattheforefingeristheprimary
pointofcontrol.32Strain’sarticlelocateseightsnaredrummethodsinthe
nineteenth‐centuryalonethatpresentsconflictinginformation.Snaredrum
methodbooksdisagreeingonapproachtogripcontinuestoday.Throughoutthe
nineteenthandwellintothetwentieth‐century,instructorshavedisagreedon
technique.However,descriptionoftechniqueinsnaredrummethodbookshas
undeniablyevolvedovertime,andourexplanationthroughtheuseofpictorials
hasenhancedourawareness.BytheearlytwentiethcenturyGardner(1919)
begantoexplaindifferentgripsdependingonthestyle(e.g.,rudimental,concert,
swing).33Becauseofincreasinglyconciseinstructionprovidedbysnaredrum
methodbooksasthetwentiethcenturyprogressed,educatorsandperformers30Strain,60.31CharlesStewardAshworth.ANewUsefulandCompleteSystemofDrumBeating.WashingtonD.C.:1812.quotedinJamesA.Strain,“TheEvolutionofSnareDrumGrips,“PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.32EliasHowe.Howe’sUnitedStatesRegulationDrumandFifeInstructor,fortheUseoftheArmyandNavy,Boston:1861.quotedinJamesA.Strain,“TheEvolutionofSnareDrumGrips,“PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.33Strain,63.
17
begantorelyonnumerousbooksinordertofilltherequirementsof
contemporarysnaredrumperformance.Aresourcetoeffectivelysortthrough
manyofthesemethodswillbeinvaluable.Thedevelopmentandtrendsthat
Strainpointsoutinhisarticleaswellashisinformationregardingthe
disagreementofsnaredrumtechniqueamongpopularmethodbooksis
important.However,thissubjectneedsfurtherstudyandfocus.Theutilization
ofthisdocumentwillallowtheacquisitionofinformationregardingthe
differencesintechniquescitedinthesemethodbooks,allowingperformersand
educatorstomakemoreinformeddecisions.
InanarticlebyMichaelMamminga(1967),sixmethodbooksreceive
reviewsbyprovidingnotonlysubjectivecommentaryontheeffectivenessor
valueofthemethodbutalsosubstantialobjectivedescriptionsofeachmethod
book’scontent.Foreachofthesixmethods,rudiments/techniquesthatare
learnedarelistedaswellasabasicreviewofeachmethod.Hisessayrevealsa
numberofinconsistenciesanddifferencesamongjustthesesixbeginning
methods.Forexample,Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle(1999)discussesthetap
andstrokedifferentlythanHaskellHarr’spublicationin1937.34Somegive
introductionsandobjectives,whereasothersmoverightintotechnical
34MichaelMamminga,“ATreatiseonSnareDrumPerformanceandPedagogyandanAnalysisofSixBeginningMethods,”(paperprintedatNorthTexasStateUniversity,January11,1967):22
18
exercises.35Themethodsdiscussedaresomeofthemostexemplarymethodsof
theearlyandmidtwentieth‐century.However,severaldifferencesareapparent
andcouldbefurtherexplored.
ThePerfectionists:TheHistoryofRudimentalSnareDrummingfromMilitary
CodetoFieldCompetitionbyKenMazurdescribesthefascinatinghistoryof
rudimentalsnaredrummingfromthelatenineteenth‐centurytomidtwentieth‐
century.EmbeddedinMazur’stellingofthehistoryofrudimentalsnare
drummingaremanypedagogicalinconsistenciesamongearlypublications.His
articlestates:“GusMoeller’sstudentsweretaughttheright‐handpinkyfulcrum
describedinCharlesAshworth’smethodfrom1812.”36However,“EarlSturtze’s
studentswereachievinggreaterspeedwithlessarmmotionandaslightly
differentfulcrum”37Hisarticlementionsmanychangesinthegripthat
happenedintheearlypartofthetwentiethcenturyasplayersandinstruments
evolvedfromtheoldnineteenth‐centurymodel.Mr.Mazur’sarticledoesnot
speakofthemethodbooksthemselvesbutinsteadfocusesontheinstructorsof
thetime.Thisleadsonetoinferthatthemethodswrittenbytheseprominent
instructorspresentconflictinginformation.Theneedforclarificationthrough
reviewsofthesemethodsisimportant.35Ibid,22.36KenMazur,“ThePerfectionists:TheHistoryofRudimentalSnareDrummingfromMilitaryCodetoFieldCompetition,”PercussiveNotes(April2005):13.37Mazur,14.
19
ElectronicCatalogs
Catalogsofprintedmusic,includingsnaredrummethods,provideperhaps
themostcomprehensiveresourceforpercussionists.Virtuallyanywell‐known
musicdistributerwillhavealistofsnaredrummethodsavailablewithincluded
descriptions.SteveWeissMusicisapercussioninstrumentandmusic
distributerthatprovidesashortdescriptionofsnaredrummethodbooks
throughitsonlinecatalog.38Foroveradecademanystudentsandeducators
haveusedthisonlinelistasareference.Theauthorsofmethodsarelisted
alphabeticallytofacilitatebrowsingthroughthelistofmethods.However,
utilizingSteveWeissMusicasasourceforreviewsofmethodbooksis
problematic.Amorethoroughlistofpopularsnaredrummethodsisneeded
whichwillenableeducatorsandstudentstomakeinformeddecisionswhen
purchasingamethodbook.
Thereisamplesupportforabibliographyandreviewofpopularsnare
drummethodbooks,aswellasadiscussionofthetrendsanddevelopments
present.Similarstudiesarefoundinseveralotherinstrumentalfields.However,
intheareaofpercussionthereisnoresourcethatadequatelyprovidesthis
essentialinformation.Notonlywillalistofselectedsnaredrummethodbooks
beusefulinguidingstudentsandeducatorstothepropermaterials,itwillalso
38SteveWeissMusic.“SnareDrumMethods.”http://www.steveweissmusic.com/category/snare‐drum‐methods
20
serveasagreatresourceformusicstudentsastheypreparetoespouse
knowledgeoftheleadingmethodbookstotheirfuturestudents.Likewise,the
follow‐updiscussionregardingtrendsanddevelopmentswillgivethe
percussioncommunityknowledgeconcerningthetrajectoryofsnaredrum
pedagogyintheUnitedStates,andasolidplatformfromwhichtoeffectively
instructandlearn.
21
CHAPTERIII
ReviewsofThirtyProminentSnareDrumBooksPublishedintheUnitedStatesfrom1935to2008
Eachreviewisfeaturedinchronologicalorderbelowandbeginswiththe
titleandauthorfollowedbyatableexhibitingthedateofpublication,publisher,
andpagecountintheleftcolumn,withstylepercentagesandnumberof
exercises,etudes,andsolosintherightcolumn.
RubankElementaryMethod,DrumsbyPaulYoder
Date‐1935 Rudimental–64%Publisher–RubankInc.Pages‐40
Concert/General–35%Exercises‐244
RubankElementaryMethodisageneralguidetosnaredrummingthat
balancesrudimentalteachingwithbasicrhythmicandmusicalinstruction.
Yoder’sbookpresentsessentialmaterialthatwasnecessaryatthetimebecause
ofanincreaseinthenumberofpercussionistsandthedevelopmentoftheirrole
inbandsandorchestrasintheearlytwentiethcentury.Adistinguished
bandmasterandconductor,Yoder’sbookalsoservesasaguidetoexecutionof
contemporarybandliterature,literaturethatYoderhimselfwascomposingat
thetime.ObstaclesinachievingYoder’sobjectiveincludelittleinstructionon
gripandstroke.However,manyhigh‐qualityfacets,includingsyllablesandbeat
numbersbelowthestaffthatcontinuallyreinforcethepulsewhileincreasing
22
understandingoftherhythm,existaswell.Additionally,aslowprogressionin
thedifficultyofrhythmsincreasesreadingability.Yoder’smethodbook,first
publishedin1935,hasmanycomponentsthattoday’sstudentsandeducators
mayfindoutdatedandinsufficient.Forexample,theuseof“da”ratherthan“e”
or“ti”indescribingthesecondsixteenthnoteofabeat,andvaguedrawingsof
gripwithoutexplanatorytext.Also,thebandrepertoireandadditional
instrumentsbreakupthecontinuityofsnaredrumstudy.Althoughslightly
outdated,thismethodbookcombinesmusicandsnaredrumfundamentalswith
effectiveexercisesandstudies,providingvaluablematerialfortoday’s
percussionists.
StickControlbyGeorgeLawrenceStone
Date‐1935 Rudimental–56%Publisher–GeorgeB.Stone&Son Concert/General–44%Pages‐46 Exercises‐748
StickControlprovidesrigorousmaterialnotfoundinthelimitedlibraryof
snaredrumrepertoireavailablein1935andfeaturesanabundanceofbeginning
toadvancedexercisesthatmakepracticingsnaredrummoreinterestingand
productive.39Stonewrites,“...ifpracticedregularlyandintelligentlywill
enableonetoacquirecontrol,speed,flexibility,touch,rhythm,lightness,
39GeorgeLawrenceStone,StickControl(Randolph,MA:GeorgeB.Stone&SonInc.,1935),3.
23
delicacy,power,endurance,precisenessofexecution,andmuscularco‐
ordinationtoadegreefarinexcessofhispresentability.”40Basicsticking
patternsmakeupthemajorityofStone’sbook.Theseexercisesaretimelessand
effectiveforbuildingstrengthandendurance.AspresidentoftheNational
AssociationofRudimentalDrummers,Stonevaluedtherudimentsandtheir
potentialforhandstrengthening.Asaresult,severalrudimentsaswellasbuzz
rollsarefeaturedthroughoutthemethodbook.Thebuzzandopen‐strokeroll
exercisesthoroughlyreinforcerollsubdivisionsinmultiplemeters,acomponent
notfoundinmanymethodbooks.Theabsenceofguidanceontempoand
techniquecancauseyoungstudentstobeoverwhelmedwiththenumberof
exercisesavailable.StickControlrequirespatienceandself‐motivationwitha
conscientiousexperientiallearningapproach.However,thecollectionof
exercisesisthoroughandversatile,providingatechnicalworkoutthatis
practicalforpercussionistsofalllevels.
40Ibid,3.
24
DrumMethodforBandandOrchestrabyHaskellW.Harr
Date‐1937 Rudimental–10%Publisher–M.M.ColePublishingCo. Concert/General–90%Pages–58(snaredrumonly) Exercises‐49
HaskellHarr’sDrumMethodforBandandOrchestraprovidesgeneral
instructionforthebeginningsnaredrummerincludingset‐up,maintenance,
grip,andreadingfundamentals.Thegoalofthismethodbookistopreparethe
youngstudentinaschoolbandandorchestrafordrumpartshemayencounter;
therefore,onlyrudimentsthatHarrbelievesarenecessaryfortheaveragedrum
partareincluded.41Clearpictorialsguidethebeginningstudentthroughthe
processofstickgripfollowedbysimplehand‐to‐handexercisesusinglarge
strokemotions.Fiftylessons,eachonepageinlength,slowlyprogressthrough
basictechniques,note‐values,andmore.Alsoincludedarecountsabovethe
staff,anoccasionalbassdrumpartwritteninconjunctionwiththesnarepart,
andstickingsuggestions.Textualcontentbeforeeachexerciseprovidestipsfor
executionofnewtechniques,andanexplanationofnewsymbolsandtime
signatures.Harr’sbookisanexcellentbeginningmethodbookthatcreatesa
soundfoundationthroughbasicelements.However,instructionofthesebasic
elementsshouldbefollowedbyDrumMethodBookTwo,whichprovides
41HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),1.
25
opportunitiesforfurtherstudyanddevelopmentbyintroducingintermediateto
advancetechniquesandrudiments.
DrumMethod,BookTwobyHaskellW.Harr
Date‐1938 Rudimental–90%Publisher–M.M.ColePublishingCo. Concert/General–10%Pages‐128 EtudesandSolos‐36
DrumMethod,BookTwo,byHaskellHarrisdevotedtothe“explanationand
execution”ofthestandard26drumrudiments.42Instructionofeachrudimentis
enhancedthroughtext,illustrations,exercises,andanetude.Byorganizingthe
instructionintoindividuallessons,onepageinlength,Harrremainsconsistent
withtheorganizationfeaturedinbookone,withtheadditionofa
comprehensiveapproachtoallofthedrumrudiments.Uniqueandadvanced
componentsofthisbookincludetheincorporationofcompoundstrokes,
commoncombinationpatternsfoundinsolopieces,andinterpretationof
contemporarydrummusicthroughtheadditionofembellishmentsand
rudimentalstickingpatternstobasicnotation.Harrcallsthis“judgmentin
applyingtherudiments”43,anditisparticularlyhelpfulinexplaininghowthe
rudimentscanbeusedwhenexecutingadrumpartthatdoesnotprovide
42HaskellHarr,DrumMethod,bookII(Chicago:M.M.ColePublishingCompany,1938),65.43Ibid.,100.
26
sticking.Thelasttwenty‐threepagesofthemethodbookaredevotedto
rudimentaletudesandprovidecontestsolospopularintheearlytwentieth
centurysuchasTheDownfallofParis.Harreffectivelycreatesasystematicand
logicalapproachthatincludestheuseofshortexercisesembeddedintothe
explanationofnewrudiments,lengthieretudesfocusingononeparticular
rudiment,comprehensiveetudes,andseveralsolopieces.Thismethodbook,
coupledwiththefoundationalknowledgethathispreviousmethodbook
provides,createsoneofthemostthorough,precise,andeffectivesnaredrum
methodologiesavailable.
StandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjaminPodemski
Date‐1940 Rudimental–25%Publisher–MillsMusicInc. Concert/General–75%Pages–87(snaredrum) Exercises‐76 EtudesandSolos―63
Inhisforwardtothebook,Podemskiwrites,
Thismethodbookwillgivestudentsthebasicfundamentalsnecessaryforthemasteryoftherudimentsandtechniqueofdrummingplusageneralknowledgeofmusicreading,aswellasorchestraandconcertbanddrumming44.
StandardSnareDrumMethodisinspiredbyMr.Podemski’sexperienceas
anorchestralpercussionist.Whilefocusingonreading,syncopation,and
44BenjaminPodemski,StandardSnareDrumMethod(Miami,MillsMusicInc.,1940),2.
27
embellishments,thismethodbookalsoincludesseveralexcerptsforbandand
orchestraaswellasbasicrudimentalinstruction.Podemski’smethodbook
beginswithpictorialsofstickgripfeaturinganopenhand,spacebetweenthe
stickandpalm,enablingalightertouchinboththerighthandandtraditionalleft
hand.Thisgivesimmediateinsightintotheapproachandobjectiveofthe
methodbookandPodemski’svalues.Heprovidesthestudentwithseveral
pagesofintermediatetoadvancedpreliminaryinformationsuchassyncopation,
oddnotegroupings,four‐strokeruffs,advancedrudiments,andabbreviated
values.Onceexercisesbeginonpagetwenty‐two,quickprogressismadeto
incorporatenewnotevaluesandrests,dynamics,timesignatures,and
rudiments.Thefifty‐threeexercises,mostonepageinlength,areextremely
valuable,rangingfrombeginninglevelexercisesperfectforafirstyear
percussionisttocomprehensiveandmusicalexercisesgreatforthecollegiate
levelpercussionist.Manyareofequalmusicalandtechnicalqualitytothose
foundinpopularetudebooks.Theexcerptsfeaturedattheconclusionare
excellentaswell,andallowthestudenttolistentoandperformwithrecordings
ofpopularpiecessuchasCapriccioEspangnolebyRimsky‐Korsakov.The
excerptsalsoallowforphrasingandshadingofrhythmsandlinesnotapparent
whenpracticinganexerciseoretudeinisolation.Aglossaryofmusicalterms
andtranslationsofcommonItalianmusicaltextprovidesthestudentwitha
28
senseofbothtechnicalandmusicalmastery.Podemski’sbooksuccessfully
balancesfundamentalsnaredrumtechniqueswithanorchestralsensibility.
DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon
Date‐1944 Rudimental–69%Publisher–C.S.Wilcoxon General/Swing–31%Pages‐96 EtudesandSolos‐89
DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxonprovidesinstructionandstudiesforthe
beginningtointermediatepercussionist.Primarilyarudimentalguide,the
methodbookalsoincorporatesdrum‐setexercisesaswellassnaredrumstudies
andsolos.Ashortintroductionfallsshortofclarifyinganobjectiveorproviding
suggestionsbeforetheinitialexercises.Basicnotationandtherelationship
betweencommonnotevaluesisdemonstratedthroughproseandillustrations;
anuncommonformat.Low‐qualitydrawingsillustratethetraditionalgrip,and
strokeexplanationislimitedtousingacontrolledrebound,stoppingthestickat
threeinches.Theremainingportionofthemethodbookisseparatedinto
lessons,witheachpagebeginninganewlesson,ninety‐twointotal.Lessonsone
throughthirtyfeaturesimplerhythmswithaccentsaswellasseveralexercises
fordrum‐set.Withinthissection,thelessonsoftenfeatureoneortwomeasure
exercises,butoccasionallypresentthestudentwithfull‐pagesolosandetudes.
The26standardrudimentspredominateinstructionfromlessonthirty‐oneto
theendofthemethodbook.Theselessonsprogressthroughtherudimentsand
29
utilizevarioustimesignaturesandnotevalues.Thepenultimatelesson,asolo,
incorporatesall26rudiments,providingavaluablecontextualizationforthe
studentthatisalsomusicalandfun.AlthoughDrumMethodprovidesinstruction
forthedrum‐setplayer,rudimentstudycombinedwithageneralsnaredrum
focusthroughexercisesandetudesprovidesaneffectiveandcreative
instructionalmethodforsnaredrummersaswell.
ModernSchoolforSnareDrum:CombinedwithaGuideBookfortheArtistPercussionistbyMorrisGoldenberg
Date‐1955 Rudimental–10%Publisher–ChappellMusicCompany Concert/General–90%Pages–184(snaredrum) Exercises–26
Etudes–22
Goldenberg’smethodbookprovidesstudentswithpersonalinsightand
knowledgegainedthroughyearsoforchestralplaying.Technicalinstruction
suchasstickgripandstrokearepurposefullyomitted,providingthefreedomto
producequalitysoundswithoutstrugglingwithaspecificstyle.Therefore,
rudimentalinstructionhaslargelybeenomittedbecauseofthestylisticnatureof
learningthem.However,basicembellishmentssuchastheflam,ruff,androlls
areregularlyfeatured.Rhythmicnotationinstructionisalsoomitted.However,
aslowprogressionofdifficulty,beginningwithexercisesfeaturingquarternotes
andrests,allowsthestudenttounderstandanddevelophisorherreading
ability.Duetsarefeaturedthroughoutthemethodbookthatcorrelatetothe
30
exercises.Bothduetsandmusicaletudesprogresstoanadvancedlevelthat
featuressixteenthnotesyncopationinmanymetersincluding3/8,5/8,6/8,9/8,
and12/8.Thisisfollowedwithexcellentmusicalsuggestions,additional
performancetechniques,andsuggestedfixestocommonproblemssuchas
decidingwhatsizesnaredrumtouse,andunderstandinghowtheinstrument
operates.Goldenbergincludessixteenorchestralexcerptsforthesnaredrum.
Thesearewonderfullynotatedintheiroriginalformatwithtextualguidance
providedforeach.Thetextrangesfromtipsonwhattolistenforinthe
orchestraforbalanceandtogetherness,tosuggestionsontechnicalexecution
andideasformusicalphrasing.ModernSchoolforSnareDrumremainsan
excellentresourceforstudentsandeducatorsbecauseofitshigh‐qualitymusical
etudes,popularexcerpts,andprofessionalguidance.
TheMoellerBook:TheArtofSnareDrummingbySanfordMoeller
Date‐1956 Rudimental–83%Publisher–LudwigDrumCo. Concert/General–17%Pages‐95 Exercises–154
EtudesandSolos‐67
Ahistoricaltreatiseonthesnaredrumaswellasexcellentmethodbook,
TheMoellerBookattemptstorevivetheteachingsofBruce(1862)inhismethod
31
fortheU.S.Army;Moellerwritesthatthismethodis,“foundedentirelyonthat
school.”45
Oldblackandwhitepictorials,somewhatclear,illustratehowtoholdthe
sticksusingatraditionallefthand.Thelefthandisshownopen,withspace
betweenthethumbandfirstfinger,andthestickrestingfurtherdownbetween
themiddleandringfingers,touchingtheringfingeratthemiddlejoint.Moeller
explainsthat,“therightstickisheldalmostentirelywiththelittlefinger.”46The
firstlessonissimplytostrikethedrumwitheachhandseparately.Amoving
picture,orsequenceofseveralframestakenathighspeedcapturingthemotion
ofthestrokes,actsasaguidethatsupportsthetext,showntotheleftofthe
strokeexplanation.Becauseoftheuseofatilteddrum,therighthandmotionin
particularisquitedifferent.Moellerusestheterm,“fanlike”todescribetheright
handmotionandencouragesarotatingoftheforearmtoaccomplishthis.The
preliminaryexercisesfeaturesimplerepetitivestrokes,fouronahand,threeon
ahand,two,etc.Theupanddownstemsdelineaterightfromlefthandstrokes.
Allofthestandard26rudimentsarepresentedinthemethodbook.Eachoneis
presentedasalesson,withtextexplainingtherudiment,notationthat
representshowtherudimentsounds,andnotationcommonlyusedinmusic.
45SanfordMoeller,TheMoellerBook(Cleveland,LudwigDrumCompany,1956),2.46Ibid,2.
32
AlsofeaturedarerudimentsnotstandardizedbytheN.A.R.D,suchasthefour‐
strokeruff‐single‐paradiddle,andthefour‐strokeruff‐double‐paradiddle.
Contentthenshiftstothe“rudimentsofmusic.”Trebleclefstaffnotation,atable
ofnoteandrestvaluerelationships,andlistofcommonsignsandotherstafftext
areprovided.Thesearefollowedbysimpleexercisesforreadingrhythms.
Moellerencouragescountingtheeighthnotewhileplayingseveralexercisesthat
featurearangeofnotevaluesfromhalfnotestodottedeighthnotesand
sixteenthnotes.Particularlyinsightfulisakeytounderstandingrolls,showing
howmanystrokesthestudentshouldplaydependingonthenotevalue,stashes,
etc.Thefinalsectionofthemethodbookistitled,“Theapplicationofrudiments
andreading,”andisessentiallyacompilationoftraditionalquicksteps,cadences,
andothermilitarymarchesanddrumbeatswiththefifepartoftenprovided.
TheseincludethecompletecampdutyoftheUnitedStatesArmy,ThreeCamps,
andfamoussolossuchastheDownfallofParisaswellasmanyothers.Although
poororganizationanduncommongripexplanationaremajordrawbacks,
Moeller’smethodbookprovidespercussionistswithawindowintothepastas
wellasextremelyvaluablerudimentalinstruction,exercises,etudes,andsolos.
33
TheRollbyEmilSholle
Date‐1957 Rudimental–50%Publisher–BrookPublishingCo. Concert/General–50%Pages‐26 Exercises‐83
Inhisprefacetothebook,Shollewrites,“...thereisascarcityofmaterial
whichgivesusexerciseswrittenforthedefinitepurposeofdevelopingagood
roll.”Attemptingtofillavoidleftbymanyothermethodbooks,Sholledevelops
arigoroussetofexercisesspecificallyforthedevelopmentofahigh‐qualityroll.
Sholledoesnotdistinguishwhethertouseabuzzrolloropenroll,andinstead
insiststhatthenumberofbounceseachstickcreatesisuptothestudentaslong
astheyareequal.However,throughoutthebookrollsarenotedusingslashes,
whichcanbeconfusingandopentosomeinterpretation.Eighthnotesaregiven
twoslashes,andsixteenthnotesgivenoneslash.Thisnotationiscommonly
interpretedasanopenroll;thatis,twobouncesperstick.However,quarter
notesandlargernotevaluesaregiventhreeslashes,commonlyinterpretedasa
closedorbuzzroll.Theexercisesaredividedintosections,witheachsection
focusingonaparticularskill.Theuseofeighthnoteandsixteenthnotetriplets,
alongwithvariousothercombinationsofnotevalues,requiresanintermediate
toadvancedlevelofreading.Thevolumeofthesetechnique‐specificexercisesis
effectiveandvaluable.However,thebeginningstudent,withoutaninstructor,is
severelydisadvantaged.Additionally,thelackofspecificrollinstructioncould
34
leadtomisinterpretationandconfusion.TheRollprovidesawealthofroll
exercisesthat,ifpracticedproperly,canbevaluabletothedeveloping
percussionistandprofessionalalike.
Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle
Date‐1960 Rudimental–51%Publisher–BrookPublishingCo. Concert/General–49%Pages‐38 Exercises‐139 Etudes‐1
Ageneralbeginningsnaredrummethodbook,Here’stheDrumbeginswith
pictorialsandtextualcontentregardingtheleftandrighthandstickgrip.Thisis
quicklyfollowedwithexercisesusingquarternotesandrests.Atableshowing
notevaluerelationships,commonamongotherbeginningmethodbooks,isnot
provided.However,Shollegivesstickingbelowthestaff,andtherhythmic
countsabovethestaff.Rhythmicacquisitionisfurtheraidedbytextabovethe
staffthatsays,forexample,wholenoteequalsfourcounts.Thenextten
exercises,eachonepageinlength,progressindifficultyandslowlyincorporate
eighthnotesandrests,sixteenthnotesandrests,accents,andtiednotesusing
4/4,3/4,and2/4timesignatures.Thissectionconcludeswithatwo‐pageetude
incorporatingthetechniquesacquiredthroughoutthefirstsection.The
remainingportionofthebookemphasizesbasicrudiments.Theseincludethe
flamandtheruff,aswellasfive,seven,nine,thirteen,andseventeenstrokerolls.
35
Allarewellpresentedwithtextualcontentexplainingthedesiredsound,and
illustrationsshowingvariousnotationaloptionsandsticking.Thisisfollowedby
musicaletude‐likeexercisesthatcombinemultiplenotevaluesandtechniques
butalsoremainfocusedandthorough.Here’stheDrumprovidesthebeginning
snaredrummerwithwonderfulexercisesandetudesthatprogressslowlyand
coverbasictechniquesandrudiments.However,studentsandeducatorsmay
needsupplementalmaterialforgripandstokeinstruction.
AccentsandReboundsbyGeorgeStone
Date‐1961 Rudimental–46%Publisher–G.B.Stone&Son Concert/General–54%Pages‐47 Exercises‐594
AccentsandReboundsisintendedasafollow‐uptoStickControl.It
presentsmanyadditionalhand‐conditioningexercisesthatStonewriteswill
“furthertwo‐handeddexterityanddevelopnotonlythecontrolbutthefinesse
tomeettoday’smostexactingrequirements.”47Thisisachievedthrougha
varietyofaccentpatternsandrhythmsaswellasmultipleexercisesfeaturing
openandclosedrolls.Rudimentsarenotheavilyemphasizedinthepatterns
presentedinthismethodbook.However,manyoftheexercisesfeature
rudimentalsticking,forexample,inthefirstsectioneighthnotesarepresented
47GeorgeStone,AccentsandRebounds(Randolph,Mass:G.B.Stone&Son,1961),3.
36
withanumberofdifferentdouble‐strokeandparadiddlestickingcombinations.
Ninety‐sixexercisesfocusonreboundcontrolandthesecondarybouncein
particular;bothtechniquesarerudimentalinnature.Multipleexercisesalso
addressthefinesserequiredforlighterexecutionofvarioussinglestroke
rhythms,buzzrolls,andfour‐strokeruffs.The“special”48rollsectionfeatures
textualcontentexplainingthebuzzrollandcomparesitwithwhatStonecallsa
two‐beatroll.Thisalsoillustratesthateachstickbouncesmanytimesforthe
buzzrollpernote,andtwicepernotewhenexecutingthetwo‐beatroll:358
exercisesaredevotedtothedevelopmentofbothtypesofrolls.Theexercisesin
AccentsandReboundsareprogressivelymoredifficult,beginningwithsimple
eighthnotestickingpatternsandendingwithdoublestrokerollsusingodd‐note
subdivisionssuchasfiveandseven.However,accentpatternsarevery
challenging,andbasicstrokeexecutionshouldbemasteredpriortoattempting
AccentsandRebounds.FailuretouseStones’previouspublication,StickControl,
aswellasabeginningmethodbeforestudyingAccentsandReboundswould
resultinfrustrationfromtheonsetofthemethodbook.Inotherwords,the
methodbookisorganizedsothattheeasierpatternsarepresentedfirstbut
wouldprovetobemuchtoodifficultforthebeginnerwhohasnotmastered
elementaryrhythmsandsimplehand‐to‐handcoordination.Accentsand
48Stone,3.
37
ReboundsissimilartoStickControlinthatitisaninvaluableresourcefor
beginnersandprofessionalsbecauseofthepreponderanceofhand
strengtheningexercisesthatareapplicabletoanystyleofdrumming.
ElementaryDrumMethodbyRoyBurns
Date‐1962 Rudimental–30%Publisher–HenryAdlerInc. Concert/General–70%Pages‐81 Exercises‐157 Etudes‐14
Burns’ElementaryMethodisaneffectiveself‐educatorthatfeaturesamix
ofrudimentalandconcert‐styleinstruction,servingasapracticalguideforthe
beginningsnaredrummerinaschoolbandororchestra.Alsoincludedare
significantsectionsonreadingfundamentalsthatincludeunderstandingthe
trebleandbassclefs,comprehensionofstafftext,bar‐linetypes,timesignatures,
anddynamicsaswellasinstrumentmaintenance.Otherpercussion
instrumentsincludingbassdrum,cymbals,triangle,tambourine,andwoodblock
receiveinstructionthroughtextandexercisesaswell.All26rudiments,
standardatthetime,arelistedimmediatelyaftergripandstrokeinstruction.No
rudimentalinstructionisprovidedalthoughtheyarepresentedinvarious
formats.Accentsarealsoincorporated,necessitatingtheuseofstrokessuchas
thedown‐stroke.However,specificinstructiononhowtoexecuteadown‐
strokeorotherstrokesisnotprovided.Themajorityofthemethodbook
38
providesinformationfortheconcertpercussionist.Theopeningsectionfeatures
illustrationsforreadingbothrhythmsandnotesonthestaff.Theinclusionof
this,inadditiontothevariousbar‐linesanddynamics,introducesthestudentto
symbolsandtextcommoninwindbandmusic.Eachnewnotevalueis
introducedslowlyandpresentedthroughafullpageofexercises.Exercisesfor
buzzrollsarenotpresented,althoughtextualcontentisusedtoinstructthe
studentonrolltechnique.Rhythmicreadingabilityisincreasedthroughthe
utilizationofavarietyoftimesignatures,althoughnooddtimesignaturesare
used.Laterexercisesutilizesyncopationandacombinationofcommonnote
valuesincludingtripletswithatotalof157exercisesprovided.Themodest
quantityofexercises,approximatelytenpercomponent,makesthemidealfor
thebeginningsnaredrummerbystrikingabalancebetweenqualityand
quantityandarevaluablewhenplayedinisolation.However,theresulting
etudes,ormarches,seemtoineffectivelyincorporateskillslearnedinprevious
sectionsandinsteadattempttocontinuallypresentthestudentwithapractical
applicationorrealisticscenariothatmayfallshortofchallengingthestudent
withacomprehensivemusicalexperience.
39
IntermediateDrumMethodbyRoyBurns
Date‐1967 Rudimental–40%Publisher–BelwinMillsPublishingCorp. Concert/General–60%Pages‐80 Exercises‐72 Etudes‐31
Thisintermediatesnaredrummethodbookismeantto“providethe
student,aswellasteacher,withamorecomprehensiveandenjoyablesecondary
steponthewaytobecomingapercussionist.”49Themethodnaturallyskips
sections,suchasdrummaintenance,grip,stroke,andmusicreading,andinstead
beginswithareviewofrhythmicnotationfollowedbysingle‐strokesand
rudiments.However,theexercisesthataccompanyeachrudimentaremore
thoroughandversatile,providingthestudentwithmorechallengingmusical
material.Theintermediatemethodbookalsoofferssignificantinstructionon
accentpatternsandsyncopation,althoughthetextualcontentmaybe
inadequateformanystudents.Manyetudesor“studies”areprovidedthatare
oneormorepagesinlength.Thesearesoloistic,unlikethoseintheelementary
book,andcombineseveralrudimentsandtechniquesthatchallengethe
intermediatesnaredrummer.Theintermediatemethodbookcontinuesthe
snaredrumstudybeganintheelementarybook,providingcomparable
organizationandformattingwithincreasedcomplexityandthoroughnessas
wellasmusicalcontextualizationthroughqualityetudes.49RoyBurns,IntermediateDrumMethod(Miami,Fla.:BelwinMillsPublishingCorp.,1967),2.
40
SnareDrumMethod,BookI,ElementarybyVicFirth
Date‐1967 Rudimental–38%Publisher–CarlFischerInc. Concert/General–62%Pages‐32 Exercises‐145 EtudesandSolos‐14
AccordingtoFirth,SnareDrumMethod,BookI,ismeantto“developamusical
snaredrummerintheclassicalandtraditionalsenseoftheword...thesnare
drummermustdevelopasenseofrhythmicphrasing,interpretation,and
conceptofsound.Hemustunderstandtoneproductionandsoundprojection..
.”50Thebookbeginswithachartofbinaryandternarynotevaluerelationships.
Restvalues,pitchesonthetrebleandbassclefstaff,andacompletelistofterms
relatingtodynamicsandtempi,time,meter,andvariousbarlinesareincluded.
Thevariouspartsoftheinstrumentanddrumheadcareisincludedjustbefore
severalup‐closeimagesoftherightandlefthandusingtraditionalandmatched
grips.Textualcontentthenguidesthestudentthroughtheexecutionofsingle‐
strokesusingtraditionalgrip.26lessonsareincludedinBookI.Theseslowly
increaseindifficultyandincorporateadditionalrudiments,timesignatures,and
notevalues.Rudimentalstudyisnotaprimaryemphasisofthemethodbook.
However,eightrudimentsincludingtheflam,flamacue,andvariousroll
rudimentsareincluded.Firthpresentsathoroughmethodbookwithexercises
andetudesthatprogressatapacethatisoptimalforthebeginningstudent,50VicFirth,SnareDrumMethod:BookIElementary(NewYork:CarlFischerInc.,1937),3
41
utilizingtechniquesandemphasizingmusicalideasparamountforastrong
musicalandtechnicalfoundation.
SnareDrumMethod:BookII,IntermediatebyVicFirth
Date‐1968 Rudimental–99%Publisher–CarlFischerInc. General/Concert–99%Pages‐32 Exercises–87 EtudesandSolos‐22
BookIIisacontinuationofBookIthatintroducesadditionalmeters,works
extensivelywithflams,ruffs,theopenroll,triplets,andsyncopation,andalso
liststhe26rudiments.51Theobjective,todevelopamusicalsnaredrummer,is
unchangedfromBookI.Bassdrumandcymbaltechniqueisdiscussedinthe
openingpageswithpicturesandillustrationsaswellasthreeshortetudes
provided.Lessononecontinuesappropriatelybyutilizingonlythosetechniques
studiedinbookone.Additionaltechniquesincludefour,fiveand,sevennote
“ruffs”orgracenotesthatareillustratedandtaughtthroughexercisesanda
singleetude.Finallessonsfeatureetudesatanintermediatetoadvancedlevel
andincludedotedrhythms,triplets,shortrolls,andpreviousmaterialincluding
gracenotecombinations.Thefinalpageofthemethodbookliststhe26
standardrudimentsbutdoesnotofferrudimentalinstruction.BookIIis
especiallyeffectiveisusedinconjunctionwithBookI.51VicFirth,SnareDrumMethod:BookIIIntermediate(NewYork:CarlFischerInc.,1968),2.
42
DevelopingDexteritybyMitchellPeters
Date–1968 Rudimental–50%Publisher–MitchellPetersPages‐48
Concert/General–50%Exercises‐781
DevelopingDexterityfeaturesnumerousexercisesthatemphasizebasic
techniquessuchassinglestrokes,doublestrokes,buzzrolls,accents,andflams.
SimilartoStickControlandAccentsandRebounds,DevelopingDexteritydoesnot
offerinstructionongrip,stroke,orreading,requiringasupplementalmethodfor
acquisitionofthosebasicskills.However,thesequentialnatureofthematerial,
fromsimplequarter‐notesingle‐strokestodiddlepatternsinoddmeters,
necessarilyincreasesthestudent’sabilitytoexecuteproperfundamentals.Each
section,delineatedbyaspecificrudimentortechnique,featuresnumerous
exercises,usuallyonetofourmeasuresinlength.Noinstructionisprovided
throughtextualcontentexceptoccasionalone‐linersatthebottomofthepage
withtips;forexample,“Practicetheabovepageinsequenceaswellas
individually.”52Theintermediatetoadvancedexercises,towardtheendofthe
methodbook,includeflams,tripletpatterns,paradiddlecombinations,rebound
controlpatterns,fingerstrokepatterns,andnotegroupingsofthree,four,five,
andnine.Eachistreatedequally,withmanyversatileexercisesthateffectively
52MitchellPeters,DevelopingDexterity(LosAngeles:MitchellPeters,1968),13.
43
explorevariousstickingoptionsandrhythmsthatincreaseshandstrength,
control,anddexterity.
MethodforSnareDrumbyJacquesDelécluse
Date–1969 Rudimental–10%Publisher–AlphonseLuducPages‐45
Concert/General–90%Exercises–149Etudes‐25
MethodforSnareDrumprovidesinstructionfortheintermediateto
advancedlevelsnaredrummer.Althoughillustrationsofgripandtextual
explanationsofwristmovementaretypicalofabeginningmethod,theexercises
andetudesarebeyondthecapacityoftheaveragebeginningstudent.Gripand
strokeinstructionareabbreviated,withsimpledrawingsillustratingtraditional
gripwithashortdescriptionofrelaxedand“supple”wristmovement.The
instructionsaretranslatedfromFrench;therefore,theEnglishlanguage
instructionslackclarity.Forexample,Deléclusewrites,“Becareful,toplayloud
doesnotmeanliftingthewristtothemaximum,asitisevidentthatthenearer
wearetotheskin,themorerapidthecadence.”53Instructiononhowtoread
rhythmicnotationisnotincluded.However,single‐strokes,variousdouble‐
strokes,buzzrolls,flams,andruffsareallfeatured.Theexercisesarethorough
andpresentavarietyofrhythmsandtimesignatures.Alternatingsingle‐stroke
53JacquesDelécluse,MethodforSnareDrum(Paris:AlphonseLeduc,1969),5.
44
exercisesincorporateadvancedrhythmssuchasthirty‐secondnotetriplets,
sixty‐fourthnotes,andsyncopatedaccentspatterns.Aftereachnewtechniquea
seriesofetudesfollows.Eachembellishmentpresentedreceivesadequate
explanationandexercisesbeforedifficultandinclusiveetudes.
OddMeterCalisthenicsbyMitchellPeters
Date–1973 Rudimental–70%Publisher–MitchellPeters Concert/General–30%Pages–79 Exercises–1,136
OddMeterCalisthenicsfocusesonseveralfacetsofsnaredrumming
throughodd‐meteredexercisesthatincorporatevarioustechniques.Nota
generalmethodbookthatcanbeusedasaself‐educator,itfeaturesseventy‐nine
pagesofexercises.Petersintroduceseachsection,delineatedbytheadditionof
anewtechniquesuchasarollorflam,withsimpleinstructionsregardingwhat
stickingshouldbeusedandsomesuggestionsonexecution.Timesignatures
incorporatedintotheexercisesinclude5/8,7/8,7/16,11/16,2/8,5/4,7/4,
10/8,7/16,9/8,3/8,11/8,15/8,3/4,4/4,7/4,5/4,2/4,and7/4.Theexercises
arenotlimitedtosinglestrokes,butratherincorporaterudimentsincluding
openrolls,buzzrolls,flams,three‐strokerolls,flamaccents,Swissarmytriplets,
flamtaps,singleparadiddles,anddoubleparadiddles.Allexercisesarelayered
overanodd‐meteredpulsewithvarioussyncopatedaccentpatterns.OddMeter
Calisthenicsprovidesaddressadifficultfacetofpercussionperformancethrough
45
uniqueandeffectiveoddmeteredexercises.Althoughothermethodbooks
featuresimilarmaterial,thismethodbookisolatesmanypatternsandtime
signaturesthroughoveronethousandexercises,creatingamethodbookwith
unmatchedbreadthandversatility.
TheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeIbyPhilPerkins
Date‐1978 Rudimental–1%Publisher–BoiesPhilipPerkins Concert/General–99%Pages‐86 Exercises‐392 EtudesandSolos‐5
TheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeI,isaself‐educatorthat
utilizesauniquerhythmiccomprehensionsystem.Themethodbookbegins
withcareandmaintenanceofthesnaredrum,playingheight,andstep‐by‐step
instructionsformatchedgrip,traditionalgrip,andstrikingthedrum.
Introductiontonotationisprovidedwithspecialemphasisonthe“rhythmic
alphabetsystem”,asystemdesignedbyPerkinswithtwenty‐onerhythms
derivedbybreakingdownaquarternoteintoasmanydifferentsounding
rhythmsaspossible.Theideaisthattheserhythmsarethensimplyrepeatedor
rearrangedineachmusicalcomposition.54Earlylessonsusestafftext,providing
thebeatsandsticking.Othermusicsymbolsandmarkingsarecovered
54PhilPerkins,TheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrum:VolumeI(Cincinnati:BoiesPhilipPerkins,1978),13.
46
thoroughlyaswell,withalldynamicsandexpressionssuchascrescendoandde‐
crescendoreceivingmultipleexercisesandinstruction.Additionalinformation
suchastheutilizationofdifferentplayingareastoachievethedynamics,howto
conductcommonpatterns,andaglossaryofmusicalterms,helpstocreatea
comprehensiveguidetomusicalperformance.
PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaley
Date‐1980 Rudimental–50%Publisher–MeredithMusicPublications Concert/General–50%Pages‐47 Exercises‐84 Duets‐8
PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumprovidesthestudentwithcreative
projectsandpracticalstudies.55Thefeaturedpartsincluderudiments,
repetitionstudies,note‐reading,duets,studentcompositionassignments,
multipledrumstudies,andpracticecharts.Theimportanceandobjectiveof
eachsectionofthetextiswellarticulatedinthepreface.Matchedand
traditionalgripinstructionisabbreviatedthroughdrawingsandtext.Forty‐
threepagesoflessonsfeaturingacombinationoftheabove‐mentionedmusical
andtechnicalideasfollow.Themajorityofthelessonsfeaturearudiment,
repetitionstudy,andtworeadingexercises.Thesearebrokenupwitheight
evenlyplacedsectionsfeaturingacompositionassignment,duet,andmultiple55GarwoodWhaley,PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum(Ft.Lauderdale,Fla.:MeredithMusicPublications,1980),2.
47
drumstudy.Countsandsyllablesappearregularlyandprovideproficient
instructiononrhythmicreading.Thestandard26rudimentsarecoveredaswell
asadditionalrudimentssuchasthemultiplebounceroll,four‐strokeruff,
pataflafla,andothers.Studentsareencouragedtorecordtheirpracticetimeat
thebottomofeachpage,andcreativityisregularlyencouragedthrough
compositionexercises,uniqueinclusionsthatmakePrimaryHandbookforSnare
Drumagreatmethodbookforbeginningstudents.
Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookIbyDaveBlackandSandyFeldstein
Date‐1987 Rudimental–23%Publisher–AlfredPublishingCo. Concert/General–77%Pages–80 Exercises–293
Book1providesthestudentwithawealthoffoundationalknowledge.The
elementsofmusic,gripandstroke,aswellascareandmaintenanceofthe
instrumentprecludesanymusicalmaterial.Pairingthisknowledgewiththe
exercises,etudes,andsolosfeaturedthroughoutthemethodbook“willgivehim
orherasoundmusicalbackgroundwhileprovidingforthehighestdegreeof
interestandmotivation”.56Themethodbookusesclearimagespairedwithtext
forexplainingandillustratingthegrip,traditionalandmatched,andstroke.
FeldsteinandBlacksimplyreferto“thestroke”anddonotdelineatebetween
56SandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack,Alfred’sDrumMethod:bookI.(AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.1987),6.
48
up‐stroke,down‐stroke,etc.However,phrasessuchas‘returntotheimmediate
position”and“reboundstoapproximatelytwoinches”implytwodifferent
strokes.57Musicalelementsareclearlyillustratedthroughanotecomparison
chart,andexplanationsofvariousbarlines,timesignatures,metronome
markings,andtempi.Exercises,studies,andsolosalongwithapplicablenew
termsareorganizedneatlyintothirty‐ninelessons.Eachlessonfocusesona
particularnote/restvalue,arudiment,oratimesignature.Laterexercisesand
solossynthesizematerialfromearlierlessonsbutremainfocusedonthenew
techniqueormusicalidea.Lessonsdevotedtosyncopationandtiednotes
completethestudyfollowedwithasoloanarrangementofthepercussionpart
extractedfromTheStarsandStripesForever.
Alfred’sDrumMethod,Book2byDaveBlackandSandyFeldstein
Date‐1987 Rudimental–50%Publisher–AlfredPublishingCo. Concert/General–50%Pages‐80 Exercises‐145 EtudesandSolos‐60
Alfred’sDrumMethod,Book2,beginswithareviewofmaterialfrombook
oneincludingrolls,flamrudiments,thedrag,andfour‐strokeruff.However,the
lessonsarenowsupplementedwithacorrespondingsolothatcombinesthe
techniquesintoamoreintermediatelevelexperiencethatismusicaland57SandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack,Alfred’sDrumMethod:bookI.(AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.1987),6.
49
challenging.Theremaininglessons,fivethroughthirty‐three,includearangeof
topicsfromadditionalrudimentstotimesignatures,musicalforms,and
syncopation.Eachindividuallesson,althoughunique,typicallycombines
exercisesandsubstantialsolomaterialwithsometextualcontentand
illustrationsforguidance.Thefinalsectionofthemethodbookisextremely
versatile,offeringafinalrudimentalsolo,orchestralsolo,multi‐percussionsolo,
twoduetsandacompletelistoftheP.A.S.drumrudimentsalongwithunique
exercisesthatexploitvarioustimbresandplayingareas.
AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels
Date–1994 Rudimental–40%Publisher–MarkWesselsPublications Concert/General–60%Pages–83 Exercises‐18059Etudes‐3361
Thepurposeofthisbookistoprovidethebeginningpercussionstudentwithafoundationofbasicplayingtechniques,rudimentalskills,readingabilityandmusicianshipthatisrequiredtoplaythesnaredrumandmostofthecommonpercussioninstruments.I’veprovidedacourseofstudythatincludesstep‐by‐stepinstructionsandsuggestionsregardingpracticehabits,stickingandstrokestylesthatcanbeutilizedbythebanddirector
59Numberofexercisesisapproximate.Thisnumberrepresentsexercisesfeaturedintheappendixandthosenumberedbytheauthor.Additionalshortillustrationsofrudimentsandstroketypes,alongwithwritingassignmentsforthepurposeofnote‐readingandlearningmusicaltermscouldbeinterpretedasexercises.61Etudesincludeallsectionslabeledassuchbytheauthoraswellassectionsofsubstantialmusicalqualityandquantitythatarenotnecessarilymarkedasanetude.Manyareshort,oneortwolinesinlength,andmaynotagreewiththedefinitionofanetude.
50
orinstructorwhomaybeapprehensiveaboutteachingmanyofthetechniquesdemonstratedinthisbook.62
Wessels’bookbeginswithpreliminaryinformationthatincludeslabeling
thevariousparts,maintaining,andtuningthesnaredrum.Matchedand
traditionalgripinstructionisprovidedthroughclearimagesandsupportingtext.
Themethodbookisorganizedintotwentylessons,manyofwhicharemulti‐
faceted.Forexample,anindividuallessonmayincludeanewstroketype,short
exercises,rudiments,andrudimentaletudes;eachetudeisalsoavailableonthe
includedCDforlistening.Coordinationetudes,andetudesfortwodrumsare
alsoincludedandfeaturequarternotesinonehandwhilesubdividingvarious
rhythmswiththeotherhand.Fifteenofthetwentylessonsincludelearninga
newrudiment.Theappendixprovidesthestudentwithadditionalhalf‐pageand
full‐pageexercisesassupplementalpracticematerialthatcanaccompanythe
lessons.Additionaltechniqueworkoutexercisesthenfocusonarangeof
techniquesfromstickcontroltoflampatternsandtriplettiming.Alsoincluded
atthebackisanintroductiontothetechniquesofotherinstrumentssuchasbass
drum,cymbals,andtambourineamongothers,aswellasalistof26essential
rudimentsforcontinuedpracticeandreference.AFreshApproachtotheSnare
Drumprovidesnotonlyclearandthoroughfoundationalinstructionsuchasgrip
62Wessels,Mark.AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Plano:MarkWesselsPublications,2001),1.
51
andstroke,butalsodevelopsnewtechniquesbyprovidingasequenceof
exercisesandetudeswithinexcellentlyorganizedlessons.
ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrumbyTomMorgan
Date‐1996 Rudimental–99.5%Publisher–GoodMusicPublications Concert/General‐.5%Pages‐121 Exercises‐175 Solos‐64
Thisrudimentalmethodbookprovidesstudentswitha“streamlinedand
systematicapproachthatwillnotonlygivethestudentagoodunderstandingof
thetraditionalrudimentalstyle(withoutcreatingadrumcorpsfanatic)but,
moreimportantly,willalsogoalongwaytowardprovidinganexcellent
foundationalsnaredrumtechnique.”63Morgannotesdifferencesbetweenthe
rudimentalsnaredrummerandconcertsnaredrummerbutpromisesthatthis
streamlinedstudyoftherudimentswillenableallsnaredrummerstodevelop
thestrengthandcontrolneededtoexecutetheirrespectiverepertoire.
Intermediatestudentsarethefocus,aviewfurthersupportedbytheabsenceof
anygripornotationinstruction.Instead,initialinstructionthoroughly
introducesdifferentstroketypestothestudentandutilizestermssuchas
63TomMorgan,ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum(Topeka:GoodMusicPublications,1996),2.
52
“tap/down”,“stroke/up”,“tap‐up”,and“stroke/down.”64Eachoftheseis
accompaniedbysufficientexplanationofthemotionandwhyitisnecessary.
Thisisfollowedbyexercisesdesignedtohelpexecutethevariousstroketypes,
presentedwithsimpleeighthnoterhythmswithstickingprovided.However,
exactlywhichstrokethestudentshoulduseisnotprovided.Forexample,an
accentfollowedbyatapwouldindicatethatastroke/downmotionbeused,but
thisisnotspecified.Stickingsystems,absentinmanymethodbooks,receive
adequateattentionwithasignificantamountofexercisesandexplanationonthe
topic;bothright‐hand‐lead,andalternatingsystemsexplained.Aprogressionof
rudimentsfollowswithaformatthatpresentstherudimentinexercisesfirst,
thensolos.Eachnewlyintroducedrudimentalsoreceivesexplanationthrough
easytounderstandtextthatactsasbothaphysicalandauralguideforthe
student.Certainexercisescatertotheconcertsnaredrummersuchasthebuzz
roll,anddynamics.Overall,ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrumisa
focusedrudimentalinstructorandaversatileintermediatelevelmethodbook
withclearinstruction.
64TomMorgan,ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum(Topeka:GoodMusicPublications,1996),2.
53
MasteringtheRudimentsbyAlanKeown
Date‐1997 Rudimental–100%Publisher–MatrixPublishingCo. Exercises‐272Pages‐56
MasteringtheRudimentsoffersamethodoflearningtherudimentsthat
focusesondailyincreasesintempoandisolatingtherudimentswhilepresenting
thestudentwithbasichandstrengtheningexercises.Abeginningto
intermediatemusicreadingabilityandanunderstandingofbasicstrokesand
gripareessentialprerequisitestoKeown’smethodbook.Themethodical
approach,presentedobjectivelytothestudent,allowsthestudenttomasteronly
seventeenofthe40P.A.Srudiments.However,acompleterudimentlistis
providedattheconclusionofthemethod.Themethodbookisorganizedby
week,ratherthanlessonorstep,withtwenty‐eightweeksofinstruction
provided.Eachweek,oneormorenewrudimentsareintroducedaswellassix
exercises,whicharerepeatedforoneminuteeach.Thisisfollowedbyan
isolatedrudimentstudywherethenewrudimentisintroducedandashort
musicalexercisethatincorporatesnewandpreviouslystudiedrudiments.
MasteringtheRudimentsoffersauniqueapproachbystructuringthelearningof
therudimentsintolessonswithaspecifictimeframeforcompletion.Keeping
theprogressionatasteadypaceisanideathatpermeateseveryexercise,and
organizesthemethodbookinaneffectiveandefficientwaywhilepresenting
soundrudimentalinstruction.
54
SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKennanWylie
Date–2001 Rudimental–40%Publisher–K.WyliePublications Concert/General–60%Pages‐74 Exercises‐276 Etudes‐15
Atraditionalself‐educatorinmanyways,KeenanWylie’sbookfeaturesset‐
up,tuning,andmaintenanceinformationalongwithdrumheight,stance,grip
(matchedandtraditional),andfundamentalstroketypes.Atwenty‐fivestep
processofinstructionforthedevelopmentofrhythmicandtechnicalskills
follows.65Eachlogicalstepintheprocessshouldtakeapproximatelyone
week.66Checkpointsarefeaturedeveryfourorfivesteps,consistingofreviewed
materialaswellasadditionalexercises.Theindividuallessonsor“steps”
combinetechnical,rhythmical,andmusicalconceptsthroughout,andalso
featuretipsandsuggestionsthougheasytounderstandtext.Attheconclusion
ofthemethodbookadditionalexercises,noteandrestratiocharts,awarm‐up
sequencechartwithtempoacquisitions,musicvocabulary,andcomprehensive
etudesprovidethestudentwithavaluableresourceforfurtherlearningand
correctuseofthemethodbook.
65KennanWylie,SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming(FlowerMound,TX:K.WyliePublications,2001),iii.66Ibid,iii.
55
SavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavage
Date–2001 Rudimental–100%Publisher–WarnerBros.Publications Exercises–428Pages–160 Solos‐42
TheSavageRudimentalWorkshopisdesignedforusebyalllevelsofpercussionists.Thebeginningstudentwilldiscoverthebasicworkingsoftheessentialrudiments;theintermediatestudentwillapplytherudimentsinmorecomplexways;andtheadvancedstudentwillbeabletotaketherudimentstohigherlevelsofunderstanding,composition,andperformance.67
ThemethodbookisseparatedintothreelargesectionsthatSavagecalls
components.Thefirstcomponentfeaturesrudimentalexercises,thesecond
rudimentalsolos,andthethirdincorporatestheincludedcompactdiscs.Thisis
oneofonlyafewpopularmethodbooksthatusemediaandactuallydirectthe
studentonhowtoutilizethem.Attentionisalsogiven,throughtheuseoftext
andqualityimages,onthestroketypes;thenaturalstroke,downstroke,up
stroke,andtapstroke.Exactstickpositionanddirectiononhowtoexecuteeach
oneisgiven.However,specificphysicaldescriptionofstickgripisnotincluded.
Additionally,instructionsforexecutingarimshot,rimclick,stickclick,andstick
shotareprovided.Textualcontentisgiventhroughout,andrudimentsthat
requireacombinationofstrokesarethoroughlynotated;thedifferentstroke
typesnecessaryforexecutionoftherudimentarehighlighted.Thismethodis67MattSavage,SavageRudimentalWorkshop(Miami:WarnerBros.Publications,2001),1.
56
thorough,treatingeachofthe40rudimentsequally,creatingamethodthat
flowswellandprovidesvariationthroughcreativeetudes.Additionally,each
exerciseandsubsequentetudehasacorrespondingtrackontheincluded
compactdiscs.Theuseoftext,media,andpictorialsfurtherenhancethe
experience.However,abasicunderstandingofrhythmicnotationisnecessary
beforeattemptingthismethodbecauseofthelackofrhythmicreading
instruction.
RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman
Date–20063 Rudimental–100%Publisher–Row‐loffPublications Exercises–94Pages–104
RudimentalLogicfeaturesasystematicapproachtolearningthe40P.A.S.
rudimentsaswellashybridrudiments.Rudimentinstructionisprefacedwith
excellentinstructionthatincludesgrip,properpractice,stroketypes,qualityof
sound,dynamics,rhythm,andtiming.Explanationsofbothmatchedand
traditionalgripsaresupportedwithasignificantamountoftextandclearphotos
fromvariousanglesandpositions.Bachmanwrites,“Gripthestickbetweenthe
padofthethumbandthefirstknuckleofthefirstfinger.Withyourwrist
relativelyflat,thethumbshouldbetuckedinwithnogaponthesideofthestick.
57
..”68Explanationoftraditiongripissummarizedas,“thestickshouldbeplaced
inbetweenthebaseofthumbandthehandataboutafortydegreeanglein
relationtotheforearm.Thisisthestick’sfulcrum...oneshouldbeabletoplay
fullstrokesusingjustthewristandthumbofthetraditionallefthandaspictures
below.Underneaththefulcrumthestickshouldrestonthethirdfinger’s
fingernailnexttothefleshypartofthefinger.Thepinkiefingerplaysnopartin
thegripandshouldstayinlinewiththethirdfinger.”69Thiswonderfully
detaileddescriptionalsoincludesadditionalinformationregardingarmposition,
reasonsforusingonegriportheother,stickangles,andmore.Instructionofthe
40P.A.Srudimentsbeginsinchaptereightandcontinuesthroughchapter
eleven;eachchapterdelineatingarudimentfamily,forexample,rollrudiments,
diddlerudiments,etc.Eachrudimentispresentedthoroughlythroughtextual
content,exercises,andanelementthatBachmancalls“builderexercises”.The
builderexerciseshelpstudentsacquirethestickingandfeelofeachrudimentby
slowlybuildingitfromasimplepattern,andoccasionallylargernotevalues,toa
completerudimentwithproperstickingandcommonpresentation.Also,
Bachmanencouragesalltherudimentsbeperformedopen‐closed‐open,calleda
breakdown,byprovidinganillustrationthatshowsaoneminuteperformance
withachangeintechniqueeveryfifteenseconds.Thechangeintechnique
68BillBachman,RudimentalLogic(Row‐LoffPublications,2006),5.69Bachman,7.
58
includesutilizationofdifferentmusclegroupsandtipsonwhattolistenfor.
Afterthe40P.A.Srudimentsarecovered,Bachmanintroducesnewerrudiments,
usingthesameformat,andthenlistsadditionalhybridrudimentsandinversions
ofrudiments.Thetextconcludeswithseveraladditionalexercisesforfurther
rudimentalmastery.
SnareDrumTechniquebyPabloRieppi
Date‐2007 Rudimental–34%Publisher–BachovichMusicPublications Concert/General–66%Pages‐27 Exercises‐102
Primarilyconsistingofexercisesfortechniquebuilding,SnareDrum
Techniqueisnotatraditionalself‐educatorforthebeginningstudent.However,
theopeningsectionfeatureshelpfulguidanceonhandposition,balancepointor
fulcrum,posture,strokes,metronomeusage,notesonexercises,andother
generaltips.NotesonExercises,themosthelpfulportionofthissection,features
solutionstogeneralproblemssuchastensionandalsoclarifiesspecificexercise
tempi,musicalsymbols,andtipsforexecution.Theexercisescoverasmall
rangeofrudimentsthatincludethesingle‐strokeroll,double‐strokeroll,triple‐
strokeroll,flam,flamparadiddle,drag,andfour‐strokeruff.Eachnewrudiment
isthoroughlypresentedthroughnumerousexercisesutilizingvariousnotational
possibilities,accents,dynamics,andtextualguidance.Therhythmspresented,
beginningwiththesingle‐strokerollexercises,areadvanced.Thisnecessitates
59
theuseofsupplementalmaterial,ifattemptedbythebeginningtointermediate
levelstudent,becausesuchstudyisnotofferedintheprecedingsectionsofthe
methodbook.Eighthnotes,eighthnotetriplets,sixteenthnotes,sixteenthnote
triplets,sixteenthnotefivelets,sixteenthnotesevenlets,andthirty‐secondnotes
areallfeaturedinthefirstpageofexercises.Stickingisprovidedthroughout,
withseveralstickingoptionsbeingofferedattimes.Thefinalsectionfocuseson
polyrhythmandfeaturesseveralexercisesforcommonandnot‐so‐common
polyrhythm.Theseinclude3:2,3:4,4:3,5:4,5:3,5:2,6:5,7:2,7:3,7:4,7:5,7:6,
9:2,and10:3.Eachpolyrhythmispresentedidenticallywithonetofourlinesof
exercisesthatfeaturetwostaves;thebottomstaffshowsthepulseorquarter
note,andistobeplayedwiththemetronome,tappingofthefoot,ortheother
handwhenpossible.Thetopstafffeaturesadiversemixoftriplets,sixteenth
notes,fivelets,half‐notetriplets,etc.Rieppi’smethodbookfeaturesexcellent
exercisesforenhancingtechniquesandoffersathoroughapproachtolearning
polyrhythm.Intermediateandadvancedlevelplayerscanbefitfromthiscontent
butwillneedtheguidanceofaninstructorfortechnicalproblemsthatariseas
wellassupplementalmaterialthatutilizesthesetechniquesinamusicalcontext.
60
RudimentalArithmeticbyBobBecker
Date–2008 Rudimental–90%Publisher‐KPP Concert/General–10%Pages–190 Etudes‐8Exercises‐81(approx.270additionalplayableillustrations)
Theaimofthisstudyistodescribeandexplaintheseconcepts(variation,ratio,density,permutation,combination,partition)thoroughlyandaccuratelywhilestillremaininginthecontextofsnaredrumrudimentsandrudimentalpractice.…RudimentalArithmeticisbothaconceptualapproachtoplayingthesnaredrumandapracticalmethodforcreatingmusicforit.…RudimentalArithmeticprovidesusefultoolsforimprovisation,interpretation,andcompositioninallformsofrhythmicmusic.…Rudimentaldrummingisfundamentallymetric,andsothisstudybeginswithanattempttoclarifyandproperlydefinebasicaspectsofmeterandrhythmicgrouping.70
Theinformativeandthoroughintroductionissummarizedabove.
However,additionalobjectivesincludetheclarificationofterminologysuchas
multi‐meter,poly‐meter,andpolyrhythm,aswellascitationofcommon
problemsthatsnaredrummersencounter.Themethodbookisnotintendedfor
thebeginningsnaredrummer.However,itcanbeaself‐educatorforan
advancedstudentwhoispreparedformorecomplexconceptsofrhythm,meter,
andothertermsdescribedinthetext.Nointroductiontogrip,stroke,reading,
musicaltextorsymbolsisprovided.Partonebeginswithadiscussionofmeter.
Thisisbothinformativeastotheproperdefinitionandlabelingofvarious
metersandpossibleratioscreatedbycommonbeat/metercombinations;
70BobBecker,RudimentalArithmetic(AshburyPark,NJ:KeyboardPercussionPublications,2008),2.
61
playingexercisesareplacedthroughoutthetextualcontent.Parttwoistitled
rudimentsbutfocusesexclusivelyonrollrudimentsfrom2‐stroketo15‐stroke
rolls,dragrudiments,anddiddlerudiments.Themaincomponentofthese
sectionsrelatestothepossibledensitiesthatcanbeexecutedwitheachrolland
drag,aswellasresultantsectionsdemonstratingtheapplicationsofthevarious
rhythmicvalues.RudimentsfeaturedarenotlimitedtotheP.A.Slistof40;
additionalroll,drag,anddiddlepatternsareincluded.Partthree,permutations,
introducesaformulaforcalculatingallpossiblestickingcombinationsand
featuresexercisesforapplicationofvariouspermutations.Applicationofthe
permutationstogroupsofpatternsisalsofeaturedalongwithtablesthat
illustratethenotegroupings,usingtheintegerstwoandthree,thatarepossible
withfivetosixteenelements.71Othernotegroupingsusingprimenumbersand
oddnumbersarealsodiscussedandillustrated.Thissectionutilizesflams,rolls,
accentpatterns,anddiddlepatterns.Partitionsofnumbersarethefocusofpart
four.“Apartitionofanumberisdefinedasawaytoarriveatthatnumberby
addingpositiveintegerstogether.”72Forexample,theresultofthreecanbe
obtainedbyadding1+2,1+1+1,or3alone.73Thesepartitionsofnumbersare
thenappliedaspossiblestickingpattersforaspecificnumberofpulsesornotes.
71Beckerreferstonumberofstrokesinagivenpatternas“elements.”72Becker,3.73Ibid,3.
62
Severalexercisesandtablesarealsousedtoillustrateanddiscusspossibleways
ofalteringandutilizingthisconcept.Partfivebreaksdownseveraltypes,or
families,ofpolyrhythms.Thefirsttype,cross‐rhythms,isthemostfamiliarasit
involvestwodifferentgroupshappeningsimultaneously,asintwooverthree.
However,advancedandcreativecross‐rhythmsareexploredthroughexercises,
mathematicalequivalence,andtextualexplanation.Severalpagesofadvanced
polyrhythmexercisesarefeaturedinpartfive;appendicesareprovidedthat
exhibitthevariousmathematicalformulasforconstructingpolyrhythmand
permutations.Thelastpartfeaturesseventy‐twopagesofexercisesandetudes
thatsynthesizealloftheconceptsdiscussedthroughoutthemethodbook.These
areequallyaschallengingastheconceptsthemselves,utilizingadvanced
rhythms,rudiments,andmusicalconcepts.RudimentalArithmeticapplies
mathematicalconceptstoadvancedrudimentaldrumminginordertobetter
understandrelationshipsbetweenrhythmandmeter.Theseconceptsare
enhancedthroughexcellentexercisesandtext,thencontextualizedwithcreative
etudes.
63
CHAPTERIV
TrendsandDevelopmentsinSelectedMaterials
Theproliferationofsnaredrummethodbooksfrom1935to2008warrants
athoroughreviewofthematerialaswellasananalysisofthechangesthat
occurredandtrendsthatdevelopedthroughoutthetimeperiod.Inorderto
highlighttrendsanddevelopments,separatecomponentsofthereviewed
methodbooksmustbecloselyexamined.Throughaclearunderstandingofthe
consistenciesandinconsistenciesthatexistamongthemostprominentsnare
drummethodbooks,educatorsandstudentsmaybegintostudyandteachthe
snaredrumwithgreaterinsightandknowledge.
Set‐UpandMaintenance
Eightsnaredrummethodbooksinthestudyprovidethenecessary
informationregardingset‐upandmaintenance.Chronologically,DrumMethod,
BookOnebyHaskellHarr,TheMoellerBookbySanfordMoeller,Elementary
DrumMethodbyRoyBurns,LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeIbyPhil
Perkins,Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookIbyFeldsteinandBlack,AFreshApproach
totheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnare
DrummingbyKeenanWylieeachpresentssuchpreliminaryinformationpriorto
musicalandtechnicalinstruction.Coincidentally,thislistrepresentsacross‐
sectionofallmethodbooksinthestudy,withpublicationdatesfromthe1930s,
64
’50s,’60s,’70,’80s,and’90s.Unfortunatelymanyauthorsofourmost
prominentmethodbooksavoidtopicssuchasset‐up,maintenance,andtuning.
Firstpublishedin1937,DrumMethodbyHaskellHarristheearliest
publicationinthestudytofeatureinformationregardingset‐up,maintenance,
andotherpreliminaryinformation.Harrnotonlyprovidesspecificinformation
aboutthesnaredrum,healsodiscussesotherpercussioninstrumentsand
includesanabbreviatedhistoryofthesnaredrum,fromatoolusedto
communicateancienttribalcodetomodernorchestralinstrument.
Recommendationsregardingwhatdrumsizesarebestusedinspecific
ensembles,alongwithanimageshowingvariouslabeledpartsofthedrum,
followthebriefhistory.Harralsorecommendscertainsizesofsticksforvarious
applications,andprovidesastep‐by‐stepguidetotensioningthedrumhead.A
testamenttotheearlypublicationdateofDrumMethod,Harrincludespictorials
ofhowtoholdthedrumusingastrapovertheshoulderandonastand,bothat
anangle.Althoughstudentsmaynotplaythedruminthisway,becauseof
matchedgrip,valuableinformationregardingcorrectdrumheightandarelaxed
standingpositionwithfeetplacedashoulders’widthapartcanbeinferred.
Othermethodbooksinthestudygivemoredetailedinformationabout
tuningsystems,oftenincludingasequenceorpatternforadjustingthetension
rods.ElementaryDrumMethodbyRoyBurns,publishedin1962,providestwo
65
methodsoftensioning.Burns’methodalsoprovidescleaningtips,snare‐
tensioningtips,anddrumhead(calfskin)carewithheadtuckinginstructions;
thelastrarelyutilizedtoday.Inregardtotuning,Harrsaystosimply“proceed
aroundthedrum”74,turningtherodsclockwise.Burns’methodbook,thenext
chronologicallyinthesub‐list,suggestsclockwisetuningaswellascross‐tension
tuninginwhichtherodsoppositeofeachotheraretightened.Alfred’sDrum
Method,FreshApproach,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingeach
presentssimilardiagramsforcross‐tensioning.Burnsalsosuggestslisteningto
thedrum,payingcloseattentiontotemperaturechangesandhowthesoundof
thedrum,ortensionofthehead,canchange.Amajorfacetoftuningthesnare
drumisadjustmentofthesnares.Fiveofthesemethodbooksmentionadjusting
thesnaresbutincludevaguesuggestionsforperceivingsoundquality.For
example,AFreshApproachtoSnareDrumbyMarkWessels,althougharecent
publication,saysto“tightenthesnaretensionadjustmentscrewuntilyoureach
thedesiredsound.Snaresthataretootightproduceachokedsound,tooloose
andyouwillhearthesnaresrattle.”75Thistext,unfortunately,isrepresentative
ofthewholegroupwithregardtotuningthesnares,orcreatingadesirable
74HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),5.75MarkWessels,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Plano:MarkWesslesPublications,2001),3.
66
sound.Cleardescriptionsofhowtocreatevarioustimbresbyadjustingthe
snares,andrecommendedsolutionsforparticularissuesthatmayarisewithan
ill‐tuneddrum,shouldbeincludedinacomprehensivesnaredrummethodbook.
Onlyfiveofthesevensnaredrummethodbooksmentionedaboveprovide
animageofasnaredrumwiththevariouspartsofthedrumlabeled.Theresult
isthatmanystudentsbeginplayingthesnaredrumwithouttheknowledgeof
howtoadjust,fix,tune,ormaintaintheinstrument.
Onlytwobooksinthestudyadequatelyprovidethispreliminarymaterial,
AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels,andDrumMethod,Book
OnebyHaskellHarr.Theyincludemaintenance,partsoftheinstrument,
drumheadreplacement,tuning,heightofthedrum,andcareofthedrum.
However,noteveryfacetofthiscomponentreceivesthoroughattention,as
mentionedabove,andstudentsaswellaseducatorswouldbenefitfrom
additionalspecificinformationregardingthecareandmaintenanceaswellas
tuning,adjusting,andsettingupthesnaredrum.
NoteReadingandMusicFundamentals
Signalingbattlemovementsanddailycampactivitiesdidnotrequire
advancednote‐readingabilityormusicfundamentalssuchasdynamics,bar‐
lines,tempomarkings,etc.However,bytheearlytwentiethcenturythenumber
67
ofschoolbandsandorchestrasintheUnitedStatesbeganincreasingrapidly.
Demandforyoungmusicalpercussionistswhodisplayedthenecessary
techniqueforevennessofsoundonthedrumandcouldalsoreadcontemporary
bandliteraturewashigherthanever.
Reflectingthisevolution,earlypublicationsinthestudyprovideadequate
instructiononnote‐readingandothermusicfundamentals.Forexample,
ElementaryMethodbyPaulYoder,publishedin1935,providesatablethat
comparesrhythmicnotevaluesandcorrespondingrestvalues,aswellasvarious
timesignatures,countswrittenbelowthestaff,andasequentialapproachtothe
acquisitionofrhythmiccomprehensionthatcultivatesproficientsight‐reading.
Althoughdynamicsandothermusicalconceptsarenotfurtherexplored,the
importanceofacquiringnote‐readingproficiencyisevident.
Tenmethodbooksinthestudyincludeinstructionofmusicfundamentals
andnote‐reading.Chronologically,theyareElementaryMethodbyPaulYoder,
DrumMethod,BookOnebyHaskellHarr,Podemski’sStandardSnareDrum
MethodbyBenjaminPodemski,DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon,SnareDrum
Method,BookIbyVicFirth,LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeIbyPhil
Perkins,Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookIbyFeldsteinandBlack,PrimaryHandbook
forSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaley,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumby
MarkWessels,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKennanWylie.
68
Certainmethodbooksabovefeaturebetterinstructionthroughagreater
quantityofinformationthanothers,andnotwoauthorsapproachthis
componentinexactlythesameway.Theuseofanoteratiochart,orcomparable
tableshowingcommonnotevaluesinrelationshiptoeachother,isacommon
trendamongallofthesemethodbooks.However,thatistheextentof
agreementamongauthors.Thisauthorbelievesthemostthoroughapproachis
achievedbyWessels.Musicfundamentalsfromnewnotevaluesandtime
signaturestodynamicsandotherstafftext,suchaspocoapoco,aregradually
incorporatedintolessonsasaseparatefacet;theyarethencontextualized
throughetudes.Wesselsisnottheonlyauthortousethisapproach,norwashe
thefirst.HaskellHarr’smethodbook,organizedsimilarlytoWessels’,also
presentsmusicalsymbolsandexpressionsinindividuallessons.VicFirth
choosesamuchdifferentapproachinhismethodbook.Heprovidesall
necessaryterms,dynamics,noteandresttables,andtimesignatureinformation
onlittlemorethanapage.Althoughtheall‐at‐oncepresentationofthematerial
thatFirthutilizesseemslesspedagogicallysound,providingasinglepagefor
constantreferencehasitsbenefitsaswell.Interestingly,Firth’ssnaredrum
methodistheonlyonethatillustratespitchesonatrebleclefstaff.Firth,
Wessels,Wylie,Harr,FeldsteinandBlack,andPodemski,allpresentnote‐
69
readingandmusicfundamentalsclearlyandthoroughly,whiletheotherfour
methodbooksinthisgrouppresentadequateinstructionofthesetopics.
Onlyasmallpercentageofthemostprominentmethodbookscovernote‐
readingandmusicfundamentals.Noobvioustrendwithregardtothecontentof
informationexists.Thisauthorbelievesthatasequentialapproach,asinDrum
Method,BookOnebyHaskellHarr,andAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumby
MarkWessels,isthemosteffective.Byisolatingdifferentmusicalideas,time
signatures,etc.,studentsretaintheinformationandaremorelikelytoutilizethe
newskillsrapidly.Althoughbothauthorsexhibitaneffectiveapproach,an
increaseinthequantityofmaterialaswellasopportunitiesforcontextualization
ispossible.
Grip
Themethodbywhichsnaredrumsticksaregrippedisparamountto
effectiveperformanceatanylevel.Analysisofthemostprominentsnaredrum
methodbooksrevealscommonalitiesanddifferencesintechnique,presentation,
andthoroughnessofinstruction.Awarenessofthesimilaritiesanddifferences
canbeobservedthroughacomparisonoftheavailablemethodbooks.Inorder
tobetterunderstandthecontinuumofapproaches,thisauthordividedgrip
instructionamongthestudiedmethodbooksintofourcategories.Highlighting
fourmethodbooksthatexhibitinstructionthatmatchesthesecategorical
70
descriptionsprovidesabetteropportunitytodevelopaclearperspectiveonthis
facetofinstruction.
Categoryoneencompassesmethodbooksthatprovideinadequate
instructionthroughimagesand/ortextualcontent,andagriptechniquethat
manyoftoday’sstudentsandeducatorswillfindoutdatedoruncommon.
ElementaryMethodbyPaulYoderisrepresentativeofbooksinthestudythat
illustratestickgripprimarilythroughimagesordrawingsthatlackvisualclarity,
offervaguedescriptionsregardinghowthegripfeels,andprovideinadequateor
nodescriptionsofwherethestickmakescontactwiththehand.InYoder’s
methodbook,nogripinstructionexists,andstudentshaveonlythesketchesto
guidethem;thegriphastobeinferredfromthesketches.Moreover,the
sketchesshowaright‐handgripinwhichthethumbisnotincontactwiththe
stick,noristheindexfinger,andanimageofaleft‐handgripthatinadequately
exhibitsanyexactcontactpointsorshapeofthehand.Othermethodbooksthat
havesimilarinadequaciesintheareaofstickgripincludeDrumMethodby
CharleyWilcoxon,Podemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjamin
Podemski,TheMoellerBookbySanfordA.Moeller,ElementaryDrumMethodby
RoyBurns,Here’sTheDrumbyEmilSholle,andPrimaryHandbookforSnare
DrumbyGarwoodWhaley.Althoughthesemethodbooksprovideimagesand
attempttodescribethestickgrip,theyareequallyunclear,imprecise,and
71
outdated.Unfortunatelythiscategoryencompassesthegreatestpercentageof
methodbooksinthestudy.
Thesecondcategorycontainsthosemethodbooksthatprovideexcellent
instructionthroughimagesandtext.However,theyoffertechnicalinstruction
thatmanystudentsandeducatorsmayfindoutdatedanduncommontoday.
RepresentativeofthisgroupisDrumMethod,BookOne,byHaskellHarr,
publishedinthe1930’s.Harr’smethodbookthoroughlyillustratesstickgrip
throughclearimagesfromvariousangles,andexplainsthegripthrough
sufficienttextualexplanation.However,thismethodbook,andotherearly
publications,providesoutdatedgripinstruction.Forexample,imagesoftheleft
handgripshowthethumbcurledaroundthetopofthestickratherthanloosely
restingonthestick,asshowninmorerecentpublications.Thetipsofthethird
andfourthfingersarecurled,nearlymakingcontactwiththepalmofthehand.
Thisresultsinthestickrestingonthemiddlejointsofbothfingers.Intheright
hand,thestickisplaceddiagonallyacrossthehandwiththestickinastraight
linewiththearm.Thissubsequentlyresultsinthebackfingersmakinglittle
contactwiththestick,andsevereulnardeviation.76TheLogicalApproachto
SnareDrumbyPhilPerkinsexhibitsanearlyidenticalapproach.
76Ulnardeviation,orflexion,occurswhenthewristbendstowardthelittlefingerorulnarbone.
72
Thethirdcategoryencompassesmethodbooksthatprovideanupdated
pedagogicalapproachtogriptechniquebutnoclearanddetailedtexttoguide
thestudenttowardanunderstandingofcontactpoints,looseness,andother
specificinformation.Althoughothermethodbooksoutsideofthescopeofthe
studycertainlyexhibitthistrend,onlyonemethodbook,SnareDrumMethod,
BookI,byVicFirth,clearlyfallsintothisthirdcategory.Firthoffersvarious
imagesofboththerightandlefthand(traditional)grip.Theleft‐handgrip
utilizescontactpointssimilartothefirstcategorybutwitharelaxedthumband
naturallycurvedringandpinkyfingers.Also,initialinstructionfeaturedhere,
suchasholdingthestickonlyinthecrookofthethumbwiththehand
perpendiculartothedrum,isreminiscentofmanymodernmethodbooks.The
imageshowsarelaxedfirstfingerthatislooselycurledaroundthestick,with
theotherfingersmakingcompletecontact.Moreover,ratherthanthestick
fittingintothecreaseofthepalm,creatingthenoncontactamongbackfingers
andseverewristpronation,Firthsuggeststhatthestickrestacrossthehandso
thatwhenturnedoverthebuttofthestickisvisible.Theauthorbelievesthis
representsamodernapproachcommontoday.However,thisinstructionis
inadequatebecauseitlacksqualitytextualguidance.
Thefinalcategoryofmethodbooksoffersexcellentall‐aroundgrip
instruction.Eachofthemprovidesclearimages,informativetextualcontent,
73
andanup‐to‐dateapproachtogripmostcommontoday.Representativeofthis
groupisAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels,mostrecently
publishedin2002.Wesselsoffersthemostcomprehensivegripinstruction.
Bothright‐handandleft‐handstickgripisexhibitedthroughmultipleimages,
andsupportingtextthoroughlyintroducesstudentstogrippingthesticks.The
high‐qualityimages,fromvariousangles,clearlyshowthehandsproperly
grippingthesticksaswellasvariousstagesinvolvedwithformingthegrip.
Excellentinstructionisgiventhroughtheimagesalone.However,correlating
textfurtherenhancesthestep‐by‐stepprocess.Unlikeolderpublications,the
right‐handgripisshownwithaloosebutclosedgripthatrequiresallfingersto
touchthestickandthepalmtofacedownward,inthecaseofmatchedgrip.Left‐
handgripisshownwiththehandinacomfortableposition,thumbrestingon
thestickratherthancurledaroundthestick,withringandpinkyfingers
providingsupportunderneath,makingcontactapproximatelyonequarterofan
inchfromthetipoftheringfinger.Likewise,thetraditionallefthandgripis
illustratedthroughastep‐by‐stepprocessthatutilizesimagesandtext.Wessels
providesclarityandthoroughnessaswellasanapproachtogripthatiscommon
today.Othermethodbooksthatprovideexcellentgripinstructioncomparable
toAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumareAlfred’sDrumMethod,BookIby
FeldsteinandBlack,RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman,SavageRudimental
74
WorkshopbyMattSavage,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingby
KeenanWylie.
Stroke
Snaredrumstrokereferstothemethodbywhichthestickstrikesthe
drumhead.Executionofvariousstrokes,suchasallowingnaturalreboundoffof
thedrumheadandstoppingthestickclosetothedrumhead,arenecessaryfor
accuratetechnicalexecution.Basicstrokesarethefoundationofanystyleof
snaredrumming,andstrokeacquisitionisanecessarycomponentofsnaredrum
instruction.However,manyprominentmethodbookseitheromitthis
instructionorofferscantinformationonthesubject.Unfortunately,authorsthat
includethisinstructionpresentavarietyofdescriptionsandterminologies.The
juxtaposingofthetwelvemethodbooksthatfeaturestrokeinstructionreveals
inadequaciesaswellasexcellentmethodologiesregardingsnaredrumstroke.
Aswithgrip,methodbookswitholderpublicationdatesoftenpresent
strokeinstructionthatisoutdatedanddifficulttounderstandbecauseofvague
analogiesandunnaturaldescriptionsofthemotion.Forexample,HaskellHarr
writes,“Raisethearmuntilthehandisonalevelwiththechin,atthesametime
turnthewristoutward,causingthebeadtotravelinahalf‐circle...returnthe
sticktotheheadwithamotionsimilartocrackingawhip.”Theleft(traditional)
handisequallyinadequate,andincorporatestheanalogyof“flippingwaterfrom
75
thefingers.”77Althoughconnectingthemotionofstrikingthedrumwitha
familiarmotionineverydaylifeisvaluable,veryfewstudentshavecrackeda
whip.Likewise,flippingwaterfromthefingersmaynotbethemostaccurate
exampleoftheturningmotionusedforthelefthandstroke.Moreimportant,
Harrdoesnotofferadescriptionofhowtoexecutecontinuousstrokes,which
wouldbenecessaryforhisinitialexercise.Thedouble‐strokeandmultiple‐
bounce‐strokereceivemorehelpfuldescriptionsandanabsenceofconfusing
analogies.Harrexplainsbothstrokesas“controlledrebound”anddescribesthe
stroke:“Makethestrokewiththesamesnapusedinplayingthesinglestrokes.
Immediatelyafterthestickcontactsthehead,applypressurewiththethumbby
rollingitslightlytotheright,therebyforcingthestickbacktotheheadforthe
secondblow.”78Partsofhisdescriptionsuchasrollingthethumbandforcing
thestickbacktotheheadforasecondblowareconfusingandinaccurate.Other
publicationspresentsimilarinformation.VicFirth’sSnareDrumMethod
provideslittledescriptionofhowtoexecuteasinglestroke.However,
sequentialphotosexhibitingthemotionareprovided.Theimagesand
descriptionaregreatbutonlyshowthestickstartingatthedrum,comingtothe
“up”position,andtravelingbacktothedrum.Noexplanationofhowthestick
77HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),11.78Harr,8.
76
reboundsoffofthedrumheadisprovidedandFirthdoesnotdescribethenature
ofexecutingcontinuousstrokes.EvenmoreinadequateareElementaryDrum
MethodbyRoyBurns,andTheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrumbyPhilPerkins.
Burnsfeaturesasmallsectioncalled“strikingthedrum,”inwhichthestudentis
informedthat“thesticksshouldreboundorbounceawayfromtheheadas
quicklyaspossiblesothattheheadcanvibratefreely.”79Thisisexcellentadvice
butunfortunatelyconstitutestheonlystrokeguidanceinthemethod,otherthan
twoimagesexhibitingthe“up”positionsoftherightandlefthands.Perkins
devotestwopagesinhismethodbookto“stickmovement.”Onepagefeatures
therighthandmotionandonefeaturesthelefthandmotionwithsiximagesof
eachstepintheprocessprovided.AlthoughPerkinsdescriptionofthephysical
motioninvolvedinmovingthestickupanddownisexcellent,andhis
instructionsaretoallowthestickto“bounceawayfreely,”noexplanationofhow
thestickcomesoffoftheheadinothersituationsisgiven,noristhemethodby
whichtoexecutecontinuousstrokesthat“bounceawayfreely”provided.
Alfred’sDrumMethodbyFeldsteinandBlack,publishedin1987,providesclear
imagesofthemotion,similartoPerkins.However,FeldsteinandBlackalso
provideinadequatestrokeinformation,writing;“playthestroke(down‐up)
strikingtheheadandreturningimmediatelytotheupposition...when
79RoyBurns,ElementaryDrumMethod(NewYork:HenryAlderInc.,1962),2.
77
alternatingstrokes,therightstickstrikesthedrumandreboundstoaposition
approximatelytwoinchesabovethehead.Whentheleftstickcomesdown,the
rightstickgoesfromthelowpositiontothefullupposition.”80Althoughthis
informationishelpful,itlacksthethoroughnessandclaritynecessaryfor
pedagogicaldevelopmentofthestroke.
TheMoellerBookbySanfordMoeller,publishedearlierthanFeldsteinand
Black,Perkins,orBurns,clearlydelineatesdifferenttypesofstrokesnecessary
forexecutingpatternsorrudiments.Additionally,thebasicstroke,notyet
named,istaughtthroughtheuseofagroupofimagesina“timelapse”formatin
whichtheauthorhasslowlyexaggeratedthestrokemotionsothatthestudent
mayseeitclearlyineachframeorimage.Unfortunately,theseimagesare
coupledwithuncleartextandoutdatedinstruction.Thisisespeciallytruewith
regardtotherighthandinwhichboththeimagesandtextinstructthestudent
to“continuetorotatetheforearm...snappingawayinstantly...keepthis
fanlikemotiongoingsteadily...atfirstthewristwillbenecessarilystiff.”81
Moelleristhefirstauthorinthestudytoutilizenowfamiliarterminologysuch
asupstrokeanddownstroke.However,themethodbookdoesnotprovide
thoroughinstructionofthesestrokes,asevidencedbythequoteabove.The
80SandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack,Alfred’sDrumMethod:bookI.(AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.1987),7.81SanfordMoeller,TheMoellerBook(Cleveland,LudwigDrumCompany,1956),6.
78
absenceofaclearexplanationofthestrokes,coupledwithacleardisconnect
fromcurrentmethodologiesinregardtoexplanationofthegeneralmotions,
rendersthemethodinsufficientforstrokestudy.
Onlyfourmethodbooksinthestudyprovidecomprehensivestroke
instructionthatispedagogicallycomplete.SavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMatt
Savage,RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum
byMarkWessels,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKeenan
Wylieeachexhibitsaneffectivemethodofteachingthestudenthowtostrikethe
drum.Thesemethodbooksrepresentthemostrecentpublicationsinthestudy
aswell,theoldestbeingAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Wessels1994),
andnecessarilyrepresentthemostup‐to‐datemodeloftechnique.InAFresh
ApproachtotheSnareDrum,lessthanadecadeafterFeldsteinandBlack,the
methodbywhichtostrikethedrumreceivesmuchneededattention.Anentire
pageisdedicatedtowhatWesselscallsthe“reboundstroke.”Aidedbyclear
imagesshowingthestickpositions,heproceedstogiveclearinstructiononhow
toallowthestickto“naturallyreboundwhenitstrikesthedrumhead.”82Rather
thanimpreciseandvagueanalogies,hecomparesthisstroketoabouncing
basketball,writing:“Whenyoubounceabasketballonthefloor,itwillnaturally
82Wessels,Mark.AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Plano:MarkWesselsPublications,2001),6.
79
rebound–noenergyisrequiredotherthantheinitialtoss.”83Thisisquite
differentfromthesnappingbackthatMoellerrefersto,andencouragesamore
relaxedapproach.Wesselseffectivelyexplainshowtocreatecontinuousstrokes
byreferringtothebouncingballanddescribinghowthestickcomesbackup
naturallybeforepushingthestickbacktowardthedrum.Healsodelineatesfive
typesofstrokesthatareusedtostrikethedrumhead.LikeMoeller,heusesthe
termsrebound‐stroke,down‐strokeandup‐stroke,butalsoincludesbounce‐
strokeandtap;eachisembeddedintoindividuallessonsasnecessary.A
combinationofcleartextualguidance,supplementalphotosofthemotion,and
delineationofotherstrokemotionsnecessarytoexecutevariouspatternscreate
oneofthemostthoroughstrokemethodologiesavailable.Twoofthemethod
booksthatalsoprovideexcellentstrokeinstructionarerudimentalguides.
Understandingvariousstrokemotionsisperhapsmorevaluabletostudents
wishingtomastertherudiments,andbothMattSavageandBillBachman
understandthevalueofstrokeacquisition.Eachoftheirrespectivemethod
booksprovidesdetailedstrokeinformation.Savageusesonlyfourstroketypes:
natural‐stroke,down‐stroke,up‐stroke,andtap‐stroke.Savage’s“natural‐
stroke”isthesameasWessels’“rebound‐stroke,”perhapspromptingSavageto
placetheterms“legato‐stroke”and“rebound‐stroke”inparentheses.Like
83Ibid,6.
80
Wessels,Savageinstructsthestudentto“throwthebeaddowntotheheadand
allowittoreboundbacktotheoriginalposition.”84BothWesselsandSavage
explainthedown‐strokeasastrokewhichreboundiscontrolledbyslightly
squeezingorgrippingthestickjustaftercontact.However,Savageexplainsboth
up‐strokeandtap‐strokethoroughlywithcleartextandimagesshowingthe
beginningandendingpositions,whichWesselsdoesnotofferinAFresh
ApproachtotheSnareDrum.Theotherrudimentalguide,RudimentalLogicby
BillBachman,expandsthestudyofindividualstroketypesfurtherbyofferinga
sectionwithadditionaltextandexercisesspecificallydesignedtofacilitate
masteryofthestroketypes.BothWesselsandSavagesupplycomparablestroke
exercisesandusehigh‐qualityimages.Bachman’sexplanationofthedown‐
strokeisdifferentfromthatofWesselsorSavage.Hewrites,“Throwthewrist
downandpullthefingersintowardsthehand.”85Likewise,Bachmanusesthe
phrase“slightlyopenyourfingerstoachievetheupposition”86whenexecuting
theup‐stroke.ThedetailedapproachthatBachmanuses,bringingintoquestion
exactuseofthefingers,isparamounttothedevelopmentofproperstrokes.
Additionally,RudimentalLogicfeaturesasectionteachingtheMoellerstroke,a
strokethatMoellerexplainsinhismethodbook.However,itisnotthe“fanlike”84MattSavage,SavageRudimentalWorkshop(Miami:WarnerBros.Publications,2001),9.85BillBachman,RudimentalLogic(Row‐LoffPublications,2006),16.86BillBachman,RudimentalLogic(Row‐LoffPublications,2006),17.
81
motionexplainedbutratherutilizationofthewhippingmotionMoeller
describes.Bachmanusesinformationfrompreviousauthorswhileadding
additionalinformationforamorepreciseexplanationofthestrokes.Thefinal
methodbooktofeaturestrokemotionsisSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnare
DrummingbyKeenanWylie.Althoughalessthoroughapproachwithregardto
quantityofdescriptivetextandinformativeimages,Wylie’sstrokecomponentis
adequateandusesanapproachmostsimilartoWessels’.Wyliealsousesthe
termreboundstroke;asWesselsdoes,butinsteadofusingtheterm“down‐
stroke”Wyliecallsthetechniquea“controlled‐stroke”.Hecarefullyexplainsthe
stroke,howtoavoidtensioninthewrist,andsuggestsnotsqueezingthestick
toomuch,aslightrebuttaltopreviousexplanations.Wyliewrites,“The
controlledstrokeobviouslyrequirestheplayertoholdontothestickabitmore.
Becarefulnottosqueezethesticksotightlythatthemovementofthestickis
stifled.”87AninterestingadditiontoWylie’sstrokeinstructionisthe“twofor
onestroke.”88Thetwo‐for‐one‐strokeisadoublestrokeinwhichthesecond
strokeisaccomplishedthroughrebound.Theideaofcreatingtwonoteswith
onewriststrokeisanimportantdistinctionthathelpsclarifythephysicalityof
playingadoublestrokeroll.
87KennanWylie,SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming(FlowerMound,Texas:K.WyliePublications,2001),4.88Ibid,28.
82
Themostrecentmethodbooksinthestudyfocusagreateramountof
instructionondifferentstroketypes.AlthoughMoellerutilizestermssuchas
down‐strokeandup‐stroke,Wessels,Bachman,Savage,andWylieexpandthe
terminologyandperhapsperfecttheexplanationofthemwhileaddingspecific
exercisesthatfacilitateabetterunderstandingofthemotions.
Rudimental
Anexaminationofrudimentalpedagogyrevealscommontrendsattached
tocertaintimeframeswithinthescopeofthisstudy.Whileobservingpatterns
inpercussioneducationisbeyondthescopeofthestudy,itisnecessaryto
understandgeneralchangesthatmayaffectanauthor’sapproachtorudimental
instruction.Althoughtherudimentalstyleofdrummingwasprominentthrough
thenineteenthcentury,bythetwentiethcenturyschoolbandsandorchestras
werequicklydevelopingaroundthecountryinconjunctionwithmilitaryand
swingbands.Asaresult,theroleofthesnaredrummerincreasedand
diversified.Newlypublishedmethodbooksnecessarilyevolvedto
accommodatethemarketshift.Snaredrummethodbooksinthisstudyreveal
thatauthorschosetoeitherfocusononeparticularstyleorattempttoreacha
wideaudiencebycreatingageneralapproachthatoftencompromisesthedepth
andthoroughnessofrudimentalinstruction.
83
Prominentmethodbookspublishedearlyinthetwentiethcentury,
beginningwithElementaryDrumMethodbyYoder,exhibitanapproachthatis
applicabletodrummersofallstyleswhilemaintainingtherudimentsasa
fundamentalskill.Threesnaredrummethodbooksfromthe1930s–Yoder’s,
Harr’s,andStone’sStickControl‐exhibitthistrend.Yoderliststhestandard26
rudimentsbutonlycreatesexercisesforexecution,andetudesfor
contextualization,ofafewrudimentssuchastheflamandtheseven‐strokeroll.
Likewise,StickControlfeaturesnomorethanfiverudimentsinthehundredsof
stickingpatterns.Harr’sDrumMethod,BookOnefeaturestenrudimentsand
insteadfocusesonreading,syncopation,andexecutingbasicrudimentssuchas
therollandflamwhileusingvariousnotevaluesandmeters.Theseauthorsdo
notattempttocreateamethodbookthatispurelyarudimentalguide,and
consciouslyfocusonrhythmic‐readinganddevelopmentofotherskills
applicabletopercussionistsinaschoolbandororchestra.However,the
prominenceoftherudimentalinstructionisclear,andasubstantialamountof
exercisesfocusonrudimentalexecution.Thefirstmethodbookinthestudyto
providethoroughinstructiononallthestandardrudiments,26atthetime,is
DrumMethod,BookTwobyHaskellHarr.Allofthe26rudiments,standardized
bytheN.A.R.D.in1933,arelistedandthoroughlyexplainedthrough
illustrations,exercises,andetudes.Rudimentsarebrokendown:forexample,
84
therollrudimentsarenotatedbothwithslashesthroughnoteheadsandasa
seriesofthirty‐secondnoteswiththestickingwrittenbelow.Harroftenusesa
largernotevaluetofacilitateanunderstandingoftherhythm;forexample,
notatingaruffastwounaccentedeighthnotesfollowedbyanaccentedquarter
note,thenpresentingthefirsttwoasgrace‐notes.Theetudesandsolopieces,
eachfeaturingalistofincludedrudimentsatthetop,areexcellentinboth
combiningandcontextualizingtherudimentsaswellaspresentingthestudent
withcommonstylistictraitsofthetimewhich,althoughuncommontoday,are
importantinunderstandinghistoricaldrummingstylesandbuildinghand
strength.Theuseofgrace‐notesforthediddleportionsoffive,seven,nine,etc.,
strokerollsisanotationalobstaclecommoninearlyandmid‐century
publications.Fittingtheappropriateamountofnotesintoanapproximatespace
isuncommontodayandisonesetbackthatstudentsmayfacewhenworking
throughthisrudimentalguide.
Focusedentirelyonrudimentalacquisition,Harr’sBookTwoprovides
excellentrudimentalinstruction.Thedifferenceinapproachbetweenthetwo
volumesseemstodelineatetwodifferentstylesorcontextsinwhichsnare
drummingexists:concertandrudimental.
Twoprominentmethodbooksfromthe1940’s,DrumMethodbyCharley
WilcoxonandPodemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjaminPodemski,
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furtherexhibitinstructionthatcorrelatestothedevelopmentandincreaseinthe
roleofthesnaredrummer.Bothauthorsfocusonaparticularstylebutalso
retainrudimentalinstruction.Podemski’smethodbookfallsshortofcovering
the26standardrudiments,standardizedpriortothepublicationdate.He
includestexttoguidethestudentthrougheachnewlyintroducedrudiment.
However,thetextualcontentislimitedtohowtherudimentshouldsound,not
howtoexecutethepatternusingacombinationofstroketypes.Approximately
twenty‐fivepercentofthemethodbookemphasizesrudimentalpatterns.
Podemskiattemptstoupholdtheimportanceofrudimentalplayingbutteaches
rudimentsthroughthecontextoforchestralliterature.Theresultisafocuson
thoserudimentsmostcommontoorchestralplayingsuchasrolls,flams,and
drags,whileomittingmanyothers.Atotaloffifteenadditionalrudimentsare
incorporatedthroughtheuseofshortexercisesoutofmusicalcontext.The
absenceofadditionalnotationsoftherudiments,particularlytheuseoflarger
notevalues,specifictextualcontentforguidance,andrudimentalexercisesand
etudes,resultsinalimitedbuteffectiverudimentalmethodbook.However,
rudimentalinstructionisnotPodemski’sprimaryobjective.Hisaimisto
provideinformationfortheorchestralandbandsnaredrummerwhileproviding
86
the“fundamentalsnecessarytomasteringtherudimentsandtechniquesof
drumming.”89
DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxonalsoexhibitsaparticularemphasis
aimedatexpandingmarketswhileretainingrudimentalinstruction.Muchcan
beinferredfromthesubtitleofthebook,rudimentalandswingstyles
incorporatingmoderndrumsettechniques.AlthoughDrumMethodfeaturesa
substantialamountofmaterialfortheswingdrummer,includingbrush
techniqueandgroovestudy,itispredominantlymadeupofexercisesandetudes
forthesnaredrum.Rudimentstakeabackseat,beingintroducedinthepreface
andreturninginlessonthirty.Wilcoxonthenquicklymixesinrudimentafter
rudimentuntilall26appearinexercisesandsolos.However,onlyafew
rudimentssuchastheflam,flamacue,flamaccent,anddragreceivespecific
instructionthroughillustration,alternativenotation,andsimpleexercises.
Methodbookspublishedinthe1950sand1960snearlyomitrudimental
instructioncompletely,withsomefocusingentirelyonorchestralorconcert
snaredrumming.Theincreaseinbandsandorchestrasinschools,andthe
resultingincreaseinpercussionstudentsandinstructors,promptedMorris
GoldenbergtocreateModernSchoolforSnareDrum,publishedin1955.
Goldenbergneverusesthetermrudiment,exceptintheprefacetopartone,but
89BenjaminPodemski,StandardSnareDrumMethod(Miami,MillsMusicInc.,1940),2.
87
doesincorporateseveralrudimentsintohisexercisesandetudes.Flams,ruffs,
four‐strokeruffs,five‐strokerolls,andseven‐strokerollsarecommontoward
thelatersectionsofthetext.Nospecificguidanceisofferedforlearningthese
rudiments,whichispurposefullyomittedbytheauthor.
Onlyoneauthorofthistimeperiodattemptscomprehensiveandthorough
rudimentalinstruction.SanfordMoeller’sTheMoellerBook,publishedjustone
yearafterModernSchoolforSnareDrum,providesacomprehensiveguidetoall
26rudimentswithincludedexercisesformasteringandsolosfor
contextualizationofeachofthem.Additionalrudimentssuchasruff‐
paradiddles,full‐drags,andfour‐stroke‐ruffsarealsoincluded.Eachofthe
rudimentsislistedandexplainedindetailthroughtext,thenillustratedusing
variousnotations.Thecampdutypieces,aswellasthevariousrudimental
cadencesandsolos,areanexcellentcontextthroughwhichthestudentcanapply
therudiments.LikeHarr’sbooktwo,Moellerutilizesvariousamountsofgrace
noteswhennotatingrollsincontext.However,tolessenthefrustrationof
countinggracenotes,Moellerprovidesthenumberofgracenotes,writtenabove
thatstaff.Studentswillnonethelessencounterpassagesinthedrumandfife
excerptswithlargeamountsofgracenotes(forexample,anelevenorthirteen
strokeroll)andbecomeconfusedabouttheexactrhythmoftheroll,orspacing
afterthepreviousrelease.Althoughdrumandfifeexcerptsprovideanauthentic
88
contextinwhichtoexecuterolltypes,therarityofsuchnotationmaynecessitate
additionalguidancefromaninstructor.Moellerprovidesamethodologythatis
dichotomoustoGoldenberg’s,providingin‐depthstudyofeachrudiment,and
providingrudimentalratherthanconcertexcerpts.Interestingly,Moeller
writesthatrudimentaldrumming“isthefoundationofallsnaredrummingand
necessaryintheproperexecutionofmodernbandandorchestramusic,aswell
asthemilitarybandanddrumcorps.”90
Methodbookspublishedinthe1960sto1970scontinuethetrendof
omittingfocusedrudimentalinstruction.ThisincludesAccentsandReboundsby
GeorgeStone,Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle,SnareDrumMethodbyVicFirth,
DevelopingDexteritybyMitchellPeters,SnareDrumMethodbyJacques
Delécluse,andTheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrumbyPhilPerkins.Althoughall
ofthesemethodbooksincorporaterudimentsintoexercises,acknowledgethe
importanceoftherudiments,orprovideinstructionforalimitedamountof
rudiments,noauthorattemptscomprehensiverudimentalinstruction.Onlyone,
SnareDrumMethod,Book2IntermediatebyFirth,listsall26rudiments.
However,specificinstructionandexercisesareonlyprovidedforrolls,flams,
ruffsandfour‐strokeruffs;thoserudimentsnecessaryforconcertandorchestral
drumming.
90SanfordMoeller,TheMoellerBook(Cleveland,LudwigDrumCompany,1956),1.
89
Theonlyprominentmethodbookinthestudypublishedinthe1980s,
Alfred’sDrumMethodBook1andBook2byFeldsteinandBlack,provides
rudimentalinstruction.Althoughcomprehensiveinstructionthatincludesthe
completelistofstandardrudimentsisnotprovided,fifteenrudimentsreceive
excellentinstructionmostcomparabletothatofMoellerandHarr.The
PercussiveArtsSocietyexpandedthestandard26rudimentstoalistof40
rudimentsin1984,makingacomprehensiverudimentalmethodologymore
difficult.However,bythe1990sauthorsofprominentmethodbooksbeganto
providethoroughinstructionforeachofthestandard40andsomeadditional
hybridrudiments.MasteringtheRudimentsbyAlanKeown,SavageRudimental
WorkshopbyMattSavage,andRudimentalLogicbyBillBachmanallcoverthe
standardlistof40rudiments,andutilizeexercisesthatfocusonspecific
rudiments.However,SavageandBachmanalsoofferasequentialapproachto
developingtherudimentsbyutilizingmethodssuchaslearningeachhand
separately,orbuildingthebaserhythmfirst.Eachofthesemethodbookshasa
uniqueofferingforthestudentaswell.Forexample,RudimentalLogicillustrates
howtobreakdownarudiment(beginningslow,graduallyspeedingup,then
graduallyslowingdownagain)throughatimelinethatincludestipsfor
executionastherudimentspeedsupandslowsdown.Inaddition,Bachman
suppliesthestudentwithanabundanceofexercisematerialthatisinteresting
90
andversatile.HealsoincludesinversionsofeachP.A.S.rudimentandalistof
thirty‐twohybridrudiments.Savageincludesillustrationsandnumerous
exercises,butsupplementstheinstructionwithmediathatallowsthestudentto
hearhigh‐qualityexecutionofeveryexercise.Savagealsosuppliesmorelengthy
andmusicaletudes,orsolos,throughwhichtoexecutetherudiments;thesolos
alsohavecorrespondingaudiotracksforthestudenttouseasaresource.
Rudimentsareutilizedineveryprominentmethodbookinthestudy.
However,manyauthorsconsciouslyavoidprovidingrudimentalinstruction
whileothersattempttoprovideacomprehensiveguidetolearningallofthe
standardrudiments,andmore.Unfortunatelythelatterapproachisfarless
apparent.Intotal,onlyfiveofthemostprominentsnaredrummethodbooks
providethoroughandcomprehensiverudimentalinstruction;DrumMethod
BookTwobyHaskellHarr,TheMoellerBookbySanfordMoeller,Masteringthe
RudimentsbyAlanKeown,RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman,andSavage
RudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavage.Atimelineofeachthesemethodbooks
revealsthatfrom1935to1997onlytwomethodbooksthatfeature
comprehensiverudimentalinstructionwerepublished.However,from1997to
2001threemethodbookswithcomprehensiverudimentalinstructionwere
published,informingthatwhilerudimentalinstructiontaperedoffintheearly
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andmid‐twentiethcenturyarenewedinterestinrudimentaldrummingsince
the1990’sisevident.
Exercises
Providingqualitymaterialthatfacilitatesthelearningofindividual
techniquesandmusicalideasisparamounttoaneffectivemethodbook.
Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,FourthEditiondefinesanexerciseas
“somethingperformedorpracticedinordertodevelop,improve,ordisplaya
specificcapabilityorskill.”Whileeverymethodbookinthestudyfeatures
exercises,anin‐depthlookatexercisematerialfrom1935to2008revealsa
varietyofstyles,organization,andcontentinadditiontotrendsand
developments.
Avarietyofapproachesregardingexercisesexist,notonlybetweenoldand
newpublications,butalsoamongthosepublishedincloseproximity.
ElementaryMethod,DrumsbyPaulYoder(1935)presentsexercisesimmediately
afterrhythmicnotation.Theyarepresentedasshorttwo‐barfragments,with
stickingwrittenabovethestaffandcountswrittenbelowthestaffthroughout
themethodbook.Newrudimentsandothermusicalideasareillustratedand
explainedpriortosubsequentapplicableexercises.However,Yoder’sexercises
areoccasionallyunclearandfeatureuncommonexecution.Forexample,after
theseven‐strokerollisillustratedandexplained,Yoderplacesasticking
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combinationthatcorrespondstoallsevenstrokesoftherolldirectlyabovea
quarternotewiththreeslashesthroughthestem.Thisnotelength/slashes
combinationwouldcommonlybeplayedasanine‐strokeroll.However,the
notationdirectsthestudenttoexecutearollthatendsonthelastsixteenthnote
ofthemeasure,ratherthanplayingthroughtothenextbeat.Although
stylisticallyafewexercisesofhisareoutdated,Yoderprovidesthestudentwith
alargequantityandvarietyofshortexercises,manyofwhicharevaluableand
applicable.
StickControlbyGeorgeStone(1935)presentsoversevenhundred
exercisesfeaturingvariousstickingpatterns,rolltechniques,andrudiments,
absentofanyillustrationsorexplanations.However,hisobjectiveistopresenta
largequantityandvarietyofexercisesfordailypracticetowardthepurposeof
handstrengthening.LikeYoder’s,Stone’sexercisesareshort,slowlyprogressin
difficulty,andfeaturestickingthroughout.Thelargequantityofexercises
encouragesathoroughapproachtoeachtechniquefeatured.Forexample,192
exercisesfeatureflamsusingduplerhythms,andanadditional54exercises
featureflamtripletsanddottednotes.Manyofthemostprominentsnaredrum
methodbooks,includingStone’sAccentsandRebounds,arepredominantly
collectionsofexercisesthatdevelopspecifictechniquessimilartoStickControl.
SimilarmethodbooksincludeDevelopingDexteritybyMitchellPeters,TheRoll
93
byEmilSholle,andSnareDrumTechniquebyPabloRieppi.Eachmethodbook
featuresalargequantityofexercisesbutlacksclearexplanationandtextual
guidancenecessaryforproperexecutionofthefeaturedtechniques.
In1937Harrdevelopedanewapproachtotheincorporationofexercises
intoamethodology,drasticallychangingthewaystudentsaccesstechnical
instruction.Organizedintoindividuallessons,Harr’sbookoneandtwofeaturea
sequenceofexercisesinconjunctionwithotherinstructionsuchasrudiment,
meter,andexpression.Withexercisematerialembeddedintoseparatelessons
thatalsoprogressindifficultyandcouldbeplayedinisolation,Harrestablished
anewstandardfororganizationofthesnaredrummethodbook.LikeYoder,
Harr’sexercisesfeaturecountsandstickingtoguidethestudent.However,Harr
removesthestafftext,encouragingstudentstodeveloptheseskillsontheirown.
Harr’sforty‐sevenexercisesarethorough,andclearlynotated,whilefeaturing
techniquesthatareexplainedthroughtextandillustrations.Harr’sexercises
featurethethoroughnessandrepetitivenessofthosefoundinStickControland
DevelopingDexteritywhileofferingboththequantityanddiversitytoengagethe
beginningtointermediatestudent.DrumMethod,BookTwobyHarrusesthe
sameformatwithanewobjective,rudimentalacquisition.
Podemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethod,publishedin1940,exhibits
similaritiestoHarr’smethodbooks.However,Podemski’sapproachtoexercise
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materialisunique.Exercises,eachapproximatelyonepageinlength,constitute
themajorityofhismethodbookandbecomemorecomplexandcreative.Short
exercises,fourtoeightmeasuresinlength,comprisetherudimentalsection,
whichisfeaturedearlyinthemethodbook.Exercisesarewellorganized,with
newstrokes,notevalues,andothermusicalelementsprovidingasequential
progressionindifficulty.Theinclusionofstafftext,suchascountsandsticking,
aidsthestudentduringtheearlystagesofthemethodbook.However,exercises
thirteentofifty‐eightomitcountsandstickingwhilequicklyincreasingin
rhythmicandtechnicaldifficulty,utilizingfundamentalsstudiedinthefirst
section.Complexsyncopationisaunifyingelementthroughouttheexercises,
necessarilycultivatingastrongsenseofpulse.Podemski’sexercisesare
primarilyonepageinlengthandcombinemanyskills;theseexercisescould
easilybeconsideredetudesorstudies.Shortexercisesthatfocusonaspecific
techniqueandfeatureaslowprogressionofrhythmicdifficulty,commonin
previouspublications,arenotprominentinthismethodbook.Theexercises,or
etudes,areofgreatvalue.Theypresentacreativeandmusicalcontextualization
ofrudiments,dynamics,meters,andmore,whileprovidingasequencethat
encouragestheacquisitionofnewtechniques.
DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon,publishedin1944,featuresan
approachcomparabletoYoder’sbook:numerousshortexercisesthatslowly
95
progress,bothrhythmicallyandtechnically.Stickingandotherhelpfultext,such
aslabelingrudimentsastheyappear,arefeaturedbelowthestaffthroughoutthe
methodbook.SimilartoYoder,Wilcoxonincludesalimitedamountof
rudimentsandothermusicalconcepts.However,Wilcoxonexplainsnew
rudiments,meters,rhythms,andothermusicalideasthroughtextand
illustrationsbeforesubsequentexercisesfeaturethem.Shortandrepetitive
exercisesinWilcoxon’sDrumMethodaremoreeffectivebecauseheutilizessolos
throughoutthemethodbookthatcontextualizetheexercisematerial.Yoder
presentsonlyalimitedamountofsolomaterialattheconclusionofhismethod
book.DrumMethodexhibitstraitssimilartoHarr’sDrumMethodandStick
ControlbyStone.Exercisesaredelineatedbylessonsthatalsofeaturesome
additionalmaterialasinHarr’smethodbook,whiletheformatofindividual
exercises,two‐barandfour‐barfragmentsthatslowlypresentnewtechniquesin
alogicalsequence,aremostsimilartothosefoundinStickControl.
Thefirsttwodecadesofprominentpublicationsproducedobservable
trendsanddevelopments.Manyofthesemethodbooksprovidevaluable
exercisesforstudentsandeducators.However,themostadvantageousmethod
forstudentsmaybeacombinationoftheseapproaches:amethodbookthat
featuresthoroughandfocusedexercisesthatarealsoshort,repetitious,and
sequential.Furthermore,theseexercisesshouldbeembeddedintoinstruction
96
sothattextualguidance,illustrations,andmusicalcontextualizationsupplement
theinstructionalexercisematerial.
Twopopularmethodbooksfromthe1950s,TheMoellerBookbySanford
MoellerandModernSchoolforSnareDrumbyMorrisGoldenberg,offerexercises
thatexhibittheinfluenceofolderpublicationsandprovideuniquedevelopments
aswell.Goldenberg’sexercisesarefeaturedback‐to‐backatthebeginningofthe
methodbookwithonlyafewetudesandduetsbreakingtheexercise
progression.Noinstructionisprovidedforacquisitionofnewtechniques,and
stafftextsuchasstickingandcountsareonlyprovidedforthefirstfiveoutof
twenty‐sixexercises.However,theexercisesarelengthy,usuallyonepage,and
progressquicklythroughdifferentnotevalues,timesignatures,flams,androlls.
Eachexerciseismusicalandcreative,ratherthanshortandrepetitious,
featuringacombinationofintermediatetoadvancedrhythmsandtechniques.
Insteadofquickacquisitionofsimpleandsequentialexercisesfocusedona
specifictechnique,Goldenbergimmediatelycombinesmorematerialinhis
exercises,makingthemmoredifficultbutalsointerestingandcreative.
TheMoellerBook,publishedtheyearafterModernSchoolforSnareDrum,
showssimilaritiestoolderpublicationsbutgenerallyexhibitsauniqueapproach
toexercisesandinstructionalmaterial.Asmentioned,Moellerprovides
excellentinstructionofthestandard26rudiments.Thisisbecauseofthe
97
numerousvaluableexercisesembeddedintothetextualexplanationofeach
rudiment.Forexample,Moellerexplainstheparadiddlebothmusicallyand
technically.Hethenfeaturesashortexerciseimmediatelyunderneaththetext
usingvariousnotevaluesforenhancedcomprehensionoftherhythmandother
stafftextsuchassticking,dynamics,accents,andsymbolsthataidinproper
execution.Asimilarpatternisusedforeachoftherudiments.Moellerthen
suppliesthestudentwithseveralpagesofshortexercises,similartotheformat
usedinStone’sStickControl.Theutilizationofbothstylesofexercises,those
embeddedintotextualinstructionisolatingspecifictechniquesandthose
compiledsequentiallyforadiverseandversatileexperience,istrulyuniqueand
isoneofthemostvaluablefeaturesofTheMoellerBook.
Intheupcomingdecades,prominentmethodbooksshowsimilaritiesto
thosepreviouslydiscussed.MethodbooksbyEmilSholle(1950,59),George
Stone(1961),RoyBurns(1962,67),VicFirth(1967,68),MitchellPeters
(1968,73),JacquesDelécluse(1969),PhilPerkins(1978),andFeldstein/Black
(1987,88)eachexhibitssimilaritiestotheearlytwentieth‐centurymethodbooks
discussedearlier.However,mid‐centurypublicationsplaceenormousvalueon
exercises,indicatedbythegeneralquantityofexercisesineachmethodbook.
Burns’IntermediateDrumMethodoffersthefewestexercises,at72.Many,such
asPeters’sDevelopingDexterityandOddMeterCalisthenics,andStone’sAccents
98
andRebounds,offerhundredsofexercises.BeginningDrumMethodand
IntermediateDrumMethodbyRoyBurns,andAlfred’sDrumMethod,Book1and
Book2bySandyFeldsteinandDaveBlackeffectivelyprovideexerciseswithin
theinstruction.MethodbooksbyStone,Sholle,andPetersareessentially
collectionsofexercises.Althoughtheirrespectivemethodbooksarevaluable
andflexiblelearningtoolsaswell,theydonotprovidetheinstructionalsupport
andthoroughnessexhibitedbyBurnsandFeldsteinandBlack.
Notabledevelopmentsoccurinthe1990s.PublicationssuchasAFresh
ApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWesselsprovideeffectiveexercises
exhibitingtheinstructionalsubstanceofTheMoellerBookaswellasthe
diversityandbreadthofStickControl.Wessels’bookfeaturesshortexercises
thatcorrespondwitheachfacetoflearningtoplaythedrumfromquarternotes
toadvancedrudimentsandsyncopation.LikeMoellerandHarr,Wessels
embedsexerciseswithintextualexplanationtobetterfacilitatecorrect
execution.However,likeStoneandmanyothers,healsoincorporatesalarge
quantityofexercisesbyincludingtheminanappendixatthebackofthemethod
book.Therefore,Wesselsachievesalogicalflowbyusingonlythoseexercises
necessaryforadequatecomprehensionoftechniques.Hethensupplementsthat
materialwithmorechallenginganddiverseexercisesintheappendix.
99
RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman,publishedin2000,coversallofthe40
P.A.S.rudiments,thefirstbookinthestudytodoso,butomitsfundamentalsthat
Wesselsincorporatessuchasnotereading.RudimentalLogicfeaturesninety‐six
exercises.Allarepresentedclearlywithstickingprovidedwhennecessary.
Supplementalmaterialisneededtoacquireanintermediatetoadvancedreading
levelbeforeattemptingtheexercisesinRudimentalLogic.Exercisesarealways
organicallyattachedtotherudiments,withtheexceptionoftheexercises
featuredinchapterseven,whichfocusonrhythmandtiming.Theexercisesare
oftenembeddedintoinstructionwithtextualexplanationsandspecialstafftext
usedtofacilitateexecution.AuniquefeatureinBachman’smethodbookisthe
useofbuilderexercisesthatpresentthebasicrhythmofarudimentnotated
beforetheactualstickingisapplied.Forexample,notatingonlypartofthe
rudiment,ortherhythmofonehandonly.Althoughvariousnotationsand
exercisesthathelpconstructrudimentsortechniquesarefeaturedinother
prominentmethodbooks,Bachmanunderstandsthevalueoftheseexercises
andutilizesthemmorefrequently.Understandingthatmanystudentswanta
diversemixofexercises,Bachman,likeWessels,compilesalargequantityof
exercisesattheendofthebookforreferenceandtosupplementtheinstruction.
However,Bachman’sexerciseshavesomedrawbacks.Asmentioned,initial
exercisesbeginwithapredeterminationthatthestudentwillalreadyhavean
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intermediatelevelofrhythmicproficiency,andformanystudentsagreater
numberofsimpleexerciseswithcountsprovidedwouldbeadvantageous.
Bachmanuseslettersthatcorrespondwithfull‐stroke,down‐stroke,up‐stroke,
andotherstrokesextensively.Whiletheinstructionalpremiseisclear,the
resultantintermediatelevelexercisesarecrowdedwithstafftextthatrequires
evenadvancedsnaredrummerstopause.Usingtheseletterswithsimpler
rhythms,whichcouldalsofacilitaterhythmicunderstanding,asaprefacetohis
initialexerciseswouldbebeneficial.
Earlytwenty‐first‐centurypublicationsfeatureexcellentexercisesand
effectiveorganization.SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKeenan
Wylie,SavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavage,andRudimentalArithmetic
byBobBeckereachexhibitssimilaritiestoWessels’book,embeddingshort
exercisesintotheinstructionalongwithsomelengthierexercises.Theydonot
provideasupplementallistofexercisesattheconclusion,andinsteadutilize
etudeandsolomaterial.
Whileeffectiveexercisematerialisevidentinearlypublicationssuchas
DrumMethod,BookOnebyHarr,continualexperimentationwiththe
organizationandstyleofthismaterialisapparent.Laterpublicationsinthis
studynotonlyexhibitinfluencesfrompastauthorsbutalsoprogresstoward
greatereffectiveness.Methodbooksthateventuallyprovideshortandrepetitive
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exercisesembeddedintotextualexplanation,aswellasagreatquantityof
exerciseselsewhereinthemethodbookassupplementalmaterial,areexhibiting
acombinationofapproachesfromearlytwentieth‐centuryauthorssuchas
Stone,Harr,Podemski,andWilcoxon.Inadditiontoapparenttrends,
developmentsoccurredaswell.Diversityamongprominentmethodbooksis
evidentimmediately,withnotwoauthorsincompleteagreementregarding
exercises.Continualevolutionoftheorganizationofexercisesandthesequence
ofthematerialresultedininconsistencies.However,utilizingexercisematerial
astheprincipalinstructionalsubstanceinsnaredrummethodbooksis
commonplace.Understandingthevalueofthisfacetseemsdeeplyrootedinthe
psycheofeachauthorwhiletheuniquenessofeachmethodbookisatestament
tothediversityofsnaredruminstructionintheUnitedStates.
Etudes,Solos,andExcerpts
Utilizingexercisesandotherillustrationsisinvaluablefortheexecutionof
rudimentsandothermusicalfacetsincludedinsnaredrummethodologies.
However,musicalperformancesdonotexistinavacuuminwhichindividual
techniquescanbeisolatedandmastered.Realisticcontextualizationofthese
techniquesandmusicalideasisparamounttoadvancingmusicianshipwhile
combiningthecriticalskillsnecessaryforsuccessinasoloorensemblesetting.
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Therefore,aneffectivecomprehensivesnaredrummethodbookshouldprovide
thisexperience.
Examinationoftheselectedmaterialrevealsnotonlystylisticvarietybut
alsoinconsistenciesintheutilizationofetudes,solos,andexcerpts.Publishedin
1937and1938respectively,HaskellHarr’sbookoneandbooktwoarethefirst
snaredrummethodbooksinthestudythatincludeetudes;Harrcallsthem
studies.Harrusesmoderatelengthetudes,approximatelyonepage,throughout
bookone.Thefirststudyappearsinlessoneleven,combiningfundamental
rhythmicelements,suchasquarternotesandrests,withexpressionmarkings,
repeatsigns,andformalconcepts.Harr’sobjectiveistoprepareyoungstudents
forparticipationinschoolbandandorchestra.Therefore,eachetudeprovides
boththesnaredrumpartandasimplebassdrumaccompanimentbelow,as
commonlynotatedinbandrepertoire.Etudesareclearlynotatedand
thoroughlycontextualizetechniquesandmusicalideasbyprovidingstudents
withacomprehensivemusicalexperience.
Harr’ssecondbookpresentsthestudentwithsimilaropportunities.
However,insteadofprovidingstudiesthatcorrelatetospecificlessonsand
exercises,Harrprovidescadencesorsolosthatcombinevariousrudiments.The
cadencesandsolosareshort;usuallyeighttotwenty‐fourbarsinlength,and
providematerialforfocusonparticularrudimentsaswellasacombinationof
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rudiments.Alsoincorporatedintothemethodbookareetudes,orstudies,
similartothosefeaturedinbookone.Thefirststudyappearsonpage87ofthe
128‐pagemethodbook,andcombinesthefive‐stroke,seven‐stroke,andnine‐
strokerollsaswellasflams.Itisinthestyleofamarchandfeaturesbassdrum
accompaniment;themajorityofsolosandetudesareinthestyleofamarchor
militarycadence.Themethodbookalsoincludesseventeensolosatthe
conclusionofthetext,eachonehalftoafullpageinlength,andanensemble
pieceusingthreesnaredrums,bassdrum,andcymbals.Harralsoincludesan
arrangementofthepopularcontestsolo,TheDownfallofParis.Inaddition,he
continuouslyprovidesopportunitiesforapplicationoftherudimentsthough
thirty‐sixcombinedetudesandsolos.Throughtheembeddingofshortetudes
intotheinstructionandbyprovidingawealthofsupplementalmaterialatthe
conclusionofthetext,Harrsetsatrendthatisevidentinmanymethodbooks
throughoutthetwentiethcentury.
Podemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjaminPodemski,published
threeyearslater,isthenextsnaredrummethodbookinthestudytoexhibit
similarutilizationofetudes,excerpts,andsolomaterialasHarr’s.However,
Podemski,ratherthanintermittentlyusingetudesembeddedinbetween
exercisesandtext,providesalargequantityofetudesthatslowlyprogressin
difficulty,essentiallyprovidingtheinstructionalcontentaswell.Fifty‐three
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originaletudes,eachonepageinlength,constitutethemajorityofthemethod
book.Podemskicallsthemexercisestudies,andbeginstoincorporatemultiple
technicalandmusicalideasimmediately.However,thefirsttenexercisestudies
focusonaspecifictechnique;forexample,arudimentornotevalue.Similarto
Harr,Podemskiprovidessupplementalsoloandexcerptmaterialatthe
conclusionofthemethodbook.Thefirstfourexcerptsaremarches,withboth
snareandbassdrumpartsnotated.Thefirstthreeexcerpts,marchtempo,are
anonymouscompositions,andthefinalmarchistheMasaniellooverturebyF.E.
Aubers.Allofthemarchesaresimplebutaccuraterepresentationsofcommon
marchstylesastudentmayencounterinaschoolband.Thenextsixexcerpts
areorchestral,featuringcomposerssuchasFranzvonSuppé,NikolaiRimsky‐
Korsakov,andFranzLiszt.Theseservetocontextualizethefundamentals
studiedinthetextandexposeyoungstudentstoorchestralrepertoire,extra
materialthatHarrdoesnotinclude.
TwoclearapproachesareevidentafteronlyacomparisonofHarrand
Podemski.Oneinwhichetudes,solos,andexcerptsserveasasupplementtothe
instructionalexercisematerial,andoneinwhichtheetudesthemselvesprovide
theprimaryinstruction.Eachisdifferentstylisticallyaswell;Harrfocuseson
therudimentalstyle,whilePodemskiexposesstudentstoorchestralrepertoire.
ManymethodbooksinthestudyfeaturemethodologysimilartothatofHarror
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Podemski.However,someauthorsfurtherdeveloptheirapproach,makingthem
moreeffectiveandthorough.Forexample,DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxonis
similartoDrumMethod,BookTwobyHaskellHarrinthatWilcoxonprovides
exercisesandmusicalmaterialembeddedthroughoutthetext.However,
Wilcoxonusesthetermsoloratherthanstudyoretude.Perhapsthisdistinction
alone,madebytheauthor,isenoughtoencourageamoremusicalperspective.
ModernSchoolforSnareDrumbyMorrisGoldenberg,publishedthefollowing
decade,ismostcomparabletoPodemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethodinthat
Goldenbergprovidesinstructionpredominantlythroughetudes,solos,and
excerpts.
Aninterestingcontrastagainliesinthestylisticdifferencebetweenthese
twomethodbooks.BothHarrandWilcoxonpresentstrongerrudimentalguides
andprovidemoreexerciseswhilefeaturingetudesandsolosperiodically
throughoutthetext,supplementingtheinstructionwithadditionalmaterialat
theconclusion.PodemskiandGoldenbergprovideaconcertororchestral
method,featuringagreaterquantityofmusicalmaterialwithinstructionhinging
ontheexecutionofthatmaterialratherthannumerousexercises.
TheMoellerBookbySanfordMoeller,publishedin1956,isanexcellent
rudimentalinstructorandresourcefortraditionalrudimentalrepertoire.
Moellerembracesexercisesandsolomaterial,providingawealthofboth:195
106
exercisesand67combinedetudes,solos,andexcerpts.However,unlikeHarr,
Moellerdoesnotembedetudesfrequentlythroughouttheinstructionthat
featureasmallerskillset.Instead,heprovidesmusicalcontextualization
predominantlytowardtheendofthemethodbook.
Inthe1960sElementaryDrumMethodandIntermediateDrumMethodby
RoyBurnsexhibitstrongsimilaritiestotheirpredecessors.Burns,although
attemptingtoprovideacomprehensiveapproachthatboththerudimentaland
concertdrummerwillfinduseful,presentsagreaternumberofexercisesfor
eachrudimentthatgivesstudentsandeducatorsmoreoptionsandversatility,
similartoMoeller.ComprehensivestudiesaregroupedtowardtheendofBurns’
methodbook.Thesestudiesaresoloisticinnature,combiningseveral
techniques,absentofanystickingsuggestionsorrhythmicaid;thisisalso
similartoMoeller’smethodbook.Asanorchestralpercussionist,VicFirth
createdmethodbooksfeaturinglessrudimentalinstructionandmoreconcert
embellishmentsandorchestralrhythmsthatprimarilyutilizesinglestrokes,
muchlikeGoldenberg.However,neitheroftheseauthorsusesexcerpts,andsolo
materialislimitedincomparisontoHarr,Podemski,Moeller,orGoldenberg.
Publishedin1987,Alfred’sDrumMethodBook1andBook2byFeldstein
andBlackaretheflagshipmethodbooksofthatdecade.Theyprovideexcellent
soloandetudematerial.Theexercisesandsolosarefocusedonproviding
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materialrelatedtoaspecifictechniqueorotherfacetofmusicalperformance.
Theexercisesthoroughlypreparestudentstoexecutethesubsequentsolosby
combiningrepetitionandthoroughnesswithdiversityandcreativity.Like
HaskellHarr,FeldsteinandBlackembedsolosintotheinstructionbyevenly
featuringmusicalmaterialthroughoutthemethodbooks;eachsolocombines
onlythosetechniquesacquiredintheprecedingexercises.Thelasttwodecades
ofpublicationsinthisstudyshowevidenceofevolutionaswellasinfluencefrom
thepast.Twomethodbooks,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMark
Wessels,andSavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavagearestylistically
distinct,perhapsmostcomparabletothoseofHaskellHarrandSanfordMoeller.
ThisstudypreviouslyestablishedAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumasan
exemplarymethodbookinmanyregards.Likewise,Wesselsuseof
comprehensivemusicalmaterialisvaluableandprogressive.LikeHarr,Wessels
featuresetudesperiodicallythroughoutthemethodbook.Thisbreaksupthe
repetitivenatureofexercisesandenablesthestudenttocombineseveral
previouslylearnedtechniques.However,Wesselsdoesnotpresentlengthy
etudescomparabletoHarr’ssolos.ThetypicaletudeinWessels’bookis
approximatelyhalfapageinlengthbutsynthesizeselementsfromprevious
lessons.Theseshorteretudesmayprovemorevaluableintheclassroomsetting,
asWessels’bookiscommonlyused.Intheprivatesetting,orasaself‐educator,
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hisuseofshorteretudesalsoresultsinquickeracquisitionoflessonsanda
fasterpaceofprogressionthroughthemethodbook.Lengthieretudesare
featuredlaterinthemethodbookasthestudent’sabilityincreases.Additionally,
likeHarr,Wesselsprovidesanappendixthatfeaturestwentyadditional
exercises.Eachexerciseaccompaniesalessonfeaturedinthebodyofthe
methodbook,aswellasmultipleshortexercisesthatfocusonaspecific
techniquethat,althoughcoveredinthelessons,mayneedadditionalwork.
Wesselsuseofshortetudesembeddedperiodicallyintolessons,with
supplementalmaterialavailableattheconclusion,issimilartoHarr.However,
Harrprovidesagreaterquantityofsolosandexcerpts.Wesselsapproachtothis
componentexhibitssimilaritiestoHarr’sdrummethodandaprogression
towardafasterpaceofstudymoresuitablefortoday’sclassroomsetting.
StylisticallydichotomousfromWessels’methodbook,SavageRudimental
WorkshopbyMattSavageis100percentrudimental.Severalrudimental
instructionalguidessurfaceinthe1990s,perhapsasignofrenewedinterestin
therudiments,andSavageRudimentalWorkshopisamongthebest.Savage
contextualizestherudimentscontinuouslythroughoutthemethodbookthrough
theuseofsolos.Onesoloisprovidedforeachrudiment,whichisthefocusof
thatsolo.Herebeliesthefundamentaldifference,ordevelopment,fromearly
rudimentalguidessuchastheMoellerbook.Ratherthanamyriadofexercises
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thatrequirehoursofdiligentpractice,Savagegivesthestudentfrequent
opportunitiestomakemusicthroughcreativesolos.Eachsolonaturally
combinesavarietyofnotevalues,dynamics,etc.,butonlyonerudimentis
featured.Thisapproachallowsforrepetitive,exercise‐likeinstructionwhile
maintainingstudentsinterestthroughacreativeformat.However,similarto
Moeller,Savageusescomprehensivesolosattheconclusionofthemethodbook.
Veryfewprominentmethodbooksutilizeexcerpts.Mostnotableamong
thosethatdoareModernSchoolforSnareDrumbyMorrisGoldenbergandThe
MoellerBookbySanfordMoeller.Thismaybearesultofseveralrecent
publicationsthatfeatureacompilationoforchestralexcerpts,narrowingthe
market.However,achronologicallookatprominentmethodbooksinthestudy
revealsanunderstandingthatmusicalcontextualizationisimportant.Twoclear
stylesseemtoemerge,thosethatprovidemusicalmaterialasasupplement,
compiledintoonesection,andthosethatprovidethematerialthroughout.
Authorsstruggletofindbalancebetweenqualityandquantitythroughoutthe
studiedtimeperiod,asisevidentfromthemicroscopicdevelopmentsand
sluggishprogressionofthiscomponent.Amethodbookthatutilizesadelicate
mixtureofetudes,solos,andexcerptstocontextualizetechniques,pairedwith
applicabletechnicalinstructionaswellasseparatelysoagreaterquantitycanbe
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achievedwithoutdisruptingtheinstructionalsequence,wouldnecessarilybe
themostbeneficialandcomprehensivemethodforstudentsandeducators.
Organization
Thesequencesinwhichtechniquesandideasaredeliveredhavea
profoundeffectonlearningoutcomes.Whilemanyauthorsinthisstudycreated
valuablecomponents,theorganizationofthosecomponentsisoften
inconsistent.Additionalconsiderationregardingthesequenceofindividual
techniques,rhythms,etc.,isimportantaswell.Forexample,itseemslogicalthat
gripandstrokeshouldprecedesolosandexcerpts,andthatsinglestrokes
precededoublestrokes.Althougheachprominentmethodbookinthisstudy
adherestosuchobvioussequentialideas,disagreementsamongauthorsexistas
well.Theresultisthatprominentmethodbooksutilizeapreponderanceof
organizationalapproachestodeliverinformation.
Across‐sectionofmethodbooksthatexhibitedotherexemplary
componentsmayservetoprovidegreaterinsightwithregardtoorganizational
trendsanddevelopments.Also,byhighlightingpositiveandnegative
organizationalattributesincertainmethodbooks,themagnitudeoftheproblem
canbebetterunderstood.
Self‐educatingmethodbooksmustorganizetechniquesandinformationin
awaythatoptimizeslearningandfacilitatesproperexecutionthroughoutthe
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durationofthebook.Methodbooksthatfallshortoffacilitatingtheauthor’s
objectivesthroughexcellentorganizationarefoundpredominantlyinthefirst
fourdecadesoffeaturedpublications.TheseincludeElementaryMethodbyPaul
Yoder,DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon,Podemski’sStandardSnareDrum
MethodbyRogerPodemski,Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle,ElementaryDrum
MethodbyRoyBurns,MethodedeCaisseClairebyJacquesDelécluse,and
PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaley.Eachofthesemethod
booksprovidesundesirableorganizationatthebeginningofthemethod.
Usually,asnotedaboveregardinggripandstroke,exercisesandetudes
commencebeforetheauthorprovidesanymaterialonhowtostrikethedrum.
Forexample,PaulYoderbeginswithalongrollontheinitialpageofhismethod
book,andusesquarternotestoillustratethis.However,atableoftimevalues
andotherrhythmicinstructionisnotprovideduntilsubsequentpages.Drum
MethodbyCharleyWilcoxon,highlyregardedforothercomponents,likewise
featuresquarternotesandrestsinthefirstlessonpriortoactuallystrikingthe
drumwithouttheadditionalstressofreadingrhythms.Poorlyorganizedor
missingmaterialthatlaterpublicationsincludeattheonsetofinstructionis
commoninallofthemethodbooksmentionedinthissection.However,many
alsoorganizeothermaterialinadequately.ElementaryDrumMethodbyRoy
Burnsprovidesacompletelistofthe26rudimentsintraditionalnotationprior
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toanyrhythmicinstruction,strokeinstruction,oranyinstructionontheskills
neededtoexecutethemostelementaryrudiments.Thisforcesstudentstoskip
partsofthebooksandreturnlaterasreferenceinordertocompletethe
instruction.Laterpublicationstendtoproviderudimentlistsandexercisesat
theconclusionofthetextaswellasthroughoutthetextastheyapplytosimilar
rhythmsandstrokes;thisiscommoninpublicationsbyHarr,Wessels,Wylie,
andothers.PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaleyincludes
rudimentsthroughoutthemethodbookbutdoesnotadequatelyorganizethe
correlatingstudies.Theflamisprovidedonpagetwenty‐twobutstudiesand
exercisesonthesamepagefocusonprevioustechniques.Studiesfeaturingthe
flamfirstappearonpagethirty‐seven,afterthestudentpresumablypracticed
theflamontheirowninisolationwithnomaterialtoguidethem,requiringthe
studenttoproceedoutoforder.Onemayfindorganizationalflawsdifficultto
perceiveinthosemethodbooksfeaturingcollectionsofexercisessuchasStick
Control.However,tripletsareintroducedbrieflybeforecontentisshiftedback
todupleeighth‐notesandsixteenth‐notes.Thisorganizationcreatesabreakin
theprogressionoftechniquesthatarepresentedintheremainingportionsof
thetext.Manyoftheauthorspresentrudimentaltechniquesinanordertheysee
fit,oftendisregardingtheorderoftheN.A.R.D.listof26andP.A.S.listof40
rudimentswithoutanyexplanationregardingtheirdecision.
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Severalmethodbooksinthestudy,mostpublishedinthelaterhalfofthe
twentiethcentury,alsodisplayexemplaryorganization.However,publishedin
1937HaskellHarr’sDrumMethodfeaturesafreshapproachtothesequenceof
learningandtheorganizationofinstructionalmaterial.Veryfewmethodbooks
inthestudyfeaturesuchneatlyorganizedmaterialthatwarrantsstrict
adherencetoadailylessonplan.Harrwassignificantlyaheadofhistimeinthe
meticulousinclusionofcertaintechniques,exercises,andsolos.Asignificant
improvementfromYoder’smethodbookandearlierpublications,Harrfirst
featuressimpleexercisesformakingthestroke,omittingbar‐lines,time
signatures,etc.,whichallowsthestudenttobeginplayingthedrumimmediately
withoutmovingaheadtofirstdeciphertherhythmicnotation.Byorganizingthe
methodbookintolessons,fifty‐threeintotal,Harrprovidesobtainabledaily
goalsforstudentswhileincorporatingtechniquesandideasinalogicalsequence
thatpromoteslearningnewskillswhileretainingpreviousones.Harr’s
organizationbecomes,inthisauthor’sopinion,thestandardbywhichallother
methodbooksarecompared.
Alfred’sDrumMethodBooks1andBook2byFeldsteinandBlack,although
publishedfiftyyearsafterDrumMethodbyHaskellHarr,featurenearlyidentical
organization.Bookoneisorganizedintothirty‐ninelessons,andbooktwointo
thirty‐threelessons.Bothvolumesfeaturecontentwhichprogressesindifficulty
114
throughasequenceofvariousnotevalues,timesignatures,rhythmicconcepts,
andrudiments.Newtechniquesareneverpresentedinsolomaterialpriorto
beingpresentedinprecedingexercises.Theorganizationoftheindividual
lessonsalsosupportstheprogressionofacquiredskillsbyfirstoffering
exercisesandexplanationsthensolomaterialforapplication.SimilartoHarr,
FeldsteinandBlack’smethodbookfeaturesonlyafewrudimentsinbookone.
Rudimentsfeaturedinthefirstvolumesofbothmethodbooksincluderoll
rudimentsandtheflam;FeldsteinandBlackincludethedragandfour‐stroke
ruff.Thesequenceofnewnotevalues,techniques,etc.,isidenticalaswell.Both
methodbooksprogresstosixteenthnotesbeforeintroducingtheroll,thengo
backtonewnotevaluesthatincludetripletsbeforeintroducingtheflam.
SeveralorganizationalaspectsdifferfromthatofHarr’ssnaredrummethod,
mostnotablythebeginning.Harrpresentswhathecallsthe“rudimentsof
music”91beforegriporstroke;FeldsteinandBlackpresent“elementsofmusic”92
afterthestudentslearnstickgripandstrokemotion.Theorganizationfeatured
inHarr’sdrummethodmayrequirethestudenttofirstlearnhowtoholdthe
sticks,thenthinkaboutnotevaluesandothermusicaltext,followingthetextout
ofsequence.DevelopmentsapparentintheorganizationofAlfred’sDrum
91HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),6.92SandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack,Alfred’sDrumMethod:bookI(AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.1987),10.
115
Method,Book1alsoresultsinadigressionofpedagogicalcoherency.For
example,HaskellHarrprovidesshortlessonsonvariousinstrumentsincluding
bassdrum,cymbals,tambourine,triangle,andcastanets.Theselessons,fifty‐
one,fifty‐two,andfifty‐threerespectively,arethefinalthreelessonsofbook
one.FeldsteinandBlackfeaturethebassdrumandcymbalsthrough
comparableinstructiontoHarrbutplacethisinstructiontowardthebeginning
ofthetext,immediatelyaftersnaredrumgripandstroke,andbeforethe
elementsofmusic.Althoughitcanbeviewedaslogicaltolearnthebasicsofgrip
andstrokeonallthreeinstruments,FeldsteinandBlack’sapproachalsobreaks
upthesequenceofsnaredruminstruction,hinderingthestudentfromretaining
themostimportantfundamentallessons,gripandstroke.Byplacingadditional
instrumentsattheconclusionofsnaredrumstudy,Harrprovidesan
uninterruptedsequenceofsnaredrumstudy.
AlsosimilartoDrumMethodbyHaskellHarrandAlfred’sDrumMethodby
FeldsteinandBlackisAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels.The
organizationofAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumisoneofitsgreatest
qualities.Eachofthetwentylessonsfeaturesseveralcomponentsthat
complementeachotherwhileoptimizingstudentprogressbymovingquickly
becauseofefficientorganization.Forexample,thesecondlessonfeaturessix
maincomponentsthatincludeatechniqueworkoutusingthepreviouslylearned
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skill,fill‐in‐the‐blankexercisesillustratingmeterandquarter‐notecounting,
playingexercisesfeaturingquarter‐noterhythmsfromthepreviouscomponent,
multiplebouncestroke,playingexercisesformultiplebouncestroke,andthe
down‐stroke.Wesselsuseofthemultiple‐bouncestrokeearlyinthemethod
bookisparticularlyinteresting.Harrandothersinstructallthecommonduple
notevaluesandrestpriortoanyrudimentalideas.Wessels,understandingthis
techniquetobedifficult,decidestoexposethestudentimmediately.Thisstyle
oforganization,althoughfeaturedinDrumMethodbyHaskellHarrdecades
before,ismorecomprehensiveandaccessibleinpartbecauseinstructionis
compressedintoonevolumewhilestillprovidingacomparablequantityof
techniques.WesselsorganizationalsoexhibitsinfluencesfromFeldsteinand
Black,aswellasotherprominentmethodbooksinthestudy.Forexample,
Wesselsalsofeaturestheelementsofmusicafterthoroughinstructionofgrip
andstroke.However,hepromotesthisshiftinorganizationfurtherbyfeaturing
onlyafewelementssuchasmeter,notevalues,stafftext,etc.,intoeachlesson
ratherthanprovidingaone‐pagecollectionofalltheinformation,asisevidentin
previouspublications.AlsosimilartoAfred’sDrumMethodistheplacementof
additionalinstrumentalinstructionattheconclusionofsnaredrumstudy.A
drawbacktothefast‐paced,all‐inclusivelessonsthroughoutWessels’method
bookmaybealackofthoroughnessoneachtechnique.However,headdresses
117
thisbyprovidingadditionalresourcesforthestudent,includingexercisesand
rudimentsatthebackofthetext.
Otherprominentmethodbooksinthe1990sand2000stakeasimilar
approach:organizingmaterialintosectionsthatfosteraquickerpacewhile
attemptingtodevelopinstructionbyusingasequenceofinformationthat
promotesthoroughacquisitionoftechniques.MasteringtheRudimentsbyAlan
Keownisorganizedintoweeksratherthanlessonsorchapters.Furthermore,
eachweekfeaturesexerciseswitharecommendedrepetitiontimeofone
minute.However,each“week”ofstudyislessthantwopagesofmaterial,and
mostintermediatestudentsmayacquirethatquantityofmaterialinashorter
spanoftime.RudimentalLogicbyBillBachmanisorganizedmoretraditionally,
intochapters.However,Bachmanalsocompilesexercises,text,andother
informationtogetherwhilemovingquicklythroughall40P.A.Srudiments.
Whiletheorganizationofrudimentalguidesisnaturallyguidedbythe
rudimentlist,authorsofself‐educatingbeginningmethodbookshavethe
increaseddifficultyofadditionalfundamentals.SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnare
DrummingbyKeenanWylieisoneofthemostrecentlypublishedbeginning
methodbooksintendedasaself‐educator.Wylie’sbookexhibitscharacteristics
ofearlierpublicationsbutalsodevelopsnewwaysofdeliveringinformation.He
featuresanoteratiochartatthebeginningofthetext,similartoHarrandother
118
earlyauthors,butprovidesrhythmicandmusicfundamentalsthroughout
variousearly“steps”,similartoWessles’lessons.Again,weseethefirstplaying
exercisesomittingactualnotevaluesinfavorofR’sandL’s,asinAFresh
ApproachtoSnareDrumming.BothauthorsdevelopedthisapproachfromHarr,
Moeller,andotherswhoillustrateinitialexerciseswithquarternotesandthe
stickingbelow,butomitbarlinesandothermusicaltext.Wylie’sorganization
featuresfewertechniquesperstep,andpromotesthoroughnessoverpace.For
example,anentirestepmaybedevotedtothesixteenthnote,whereasWessels’
lessonsalwayscompilemultipletechniques.Wyliedoesnotincludeother
instrumentsbutdoesprovideadditionalmaterialatthebackofthebook
includingwarm‐ups,etudes,andtempochartsforthewarm‐upsfeatured
throughoutthemethodbook,andaglossaryofterms.
Thelatestpublicationinthestudy,whichreceiveslittleattentioninthis
section,isRudimentalArithmeticbyBobBecker.Thisisduetotheunique
componentsandobjectivesofBecker’sbook,thusnotservingasthebest
exhibitorofchange.However,theorganizationofBecker’smethodbookisboth
uniqueandapplicabletothisdiscussion.Organizedlikeatextbook,Rudimental
Arithmeticprovides176pagesofmaterialdividedintoonlyeightparts.“Parts”
areusedtodefinetheboundariesbetweenmajorconcepts.Withineachofthe
parts,severalsectionsarepresentedthataredelineatedbynewterms,
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mathematicalconcepts,andtechniques.Thelanguagethroughoutthemethod
book,asacknowledgedbyBecker,isacademicandrequiresthestudentto
exhibitpatienceandperhapsreadpassagesmultipletimes,evenstoppingtore‐
acquaintthemselveswithnewterms.Thisisafardifferentapproachfrommost
contemporaryauthorswhodevelopalanguagethatismoreaccessible.
Additionalfeatures,suchasanon‐progressiveapproachtotechnique,setthis
methodbookapartfromothersinthestudy.Inotherwords,althoughthe
mathematicalconceptsincreaseindifficultyanddepth,thetechnicalplaying
requirementsdonot.Instead,thenecessaryrudimentsarepresentedone‐after‐
the‐otherinparttwo,thentheremainingpartspresentthosetechniquesin
variousways.TheobjectiveofRudimentalArithmeticistoprovidetoolsfor
improvisationandcompositionofrhythmicmusic.93Notonlyisthisobjective
satisfied,butmanyotherresultantobjectivesarealsometthroughtheexecution
oftheexercisesandetudes.Byexploringcommonrudimentsthroughthe
concepts,suchasdensity,studentsdevelopathoroughunderstandingofthe
multipleformsofeachrudiment,andthephysicalrequirementsnecessaryin
ordertoapplyvariousdensitiestoonerudiment.Theuniqueapproachand
challengingsubjectmatterofRudimentalArithmeticenablesstudentstouse
fundamentalrudimentalknowledgeinacreativepolyrhythmiccontextwhile
93BobBecker,RudimentalArithmetic(AshburyPark,NJ:KeyboardPercussionPublications,2008),2.
120
combingmathematicalandmusicalconcepts.Amethodbookthatshowcases
music’sabilitytoincreasegeneralknowledgeincurricularsubjectsmayhelp
validateofmusiceducation.
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CHAPTERV
Closeexaminationofthecommoncomponentsinpopularsnaredrum
methodbooksuncoversbothtrendsanddevelopments.Whilemanyauthors
experimentwithneworganizationalfeaturesandmusicalmaterial,others
embraceprominentmethodbooksfromthepast,makingonlyminutechanges.
Highlightingtheseimportantchangeswithinthecontinuumofdevelopment
allowsforgreaterinsightregardingthehistoryofpedagogyaswellasthe
currentstateofsnaredrumeducationintheUnitedStates.Acloserlookateach
componentrevealsadiverseapproachtofundamentalideas.Although
beginningmethodbooksareoftenthesubjectsofthediscussionregarding
trendsanddevelopments,othermethodbooksinthestudythatfeature
compilationsofexercisesexhibitsimilartrendsanddevelopments.These
methodbooksshouldnotbeoverlookedasbearersofprogressandexamplesof
excellencewithintheauthor’sobjective.Educatorsandstudentscannowfilter
throughthevastquantityofavailablesnaredrummethodbookswithefficiency
andbeginutilizingthosematerialsmostapplicabletoindividualneeds.
Additionally,clarifyingnegativeandpositiveattributeswithintheselected
materialfacilitatesthepropagationofdesirableinformationandmakesfuture
developmentpossible.
122
Recommendations
Recommendationsforimprovementstoeachcomponentfeaturedin
chapterIVintendtorenewinterestinsnaredrumpedagogy,andshouldserveas
acatalystforchangewhilenecessarilycultivatingpositivefuturedevelopments.
AsnotedinchapterIV,snaredrumset‐up,maintenance,tuning,andother
informationregardingtheinstrumentissparselyfoundamongprominentsnare
drummethodbooks.AlthoughauthorsHaskellHarrandMarkWesselsare
notablefortheirexcellentinstructionofthismaterial,theirbooks,too,lackthe
breadthofinformationthatisnecessaryandpossiblewithinthescopeofa
comprehensivesnaredrummethodbook.Bothauthorsdevotenomorethan
threepagestothiscomponent.Thisabbreviatedapproachresultsinthe
omissionofcriticalmaintenanceitemsincludingthoseregardingthemarching
snaredrumanditsvariousmechanisms,aswellastuningtheinstrument.
Additionalmaintenanceitemssuchasreplacingsnarestring,lugs,oranyother
componentotherthanthedrumheadarenotincludedinanymethodbooksin
thestudy.WesselsandHarrprovideeffectivedescriptionsoftuning,but
disagree.Harrsaysto“tightenclockwisearoundthedrum,”94turningeach
tensionrod180degrees.Wesselssaystotightentheheadbyusing“quarter
94HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),5.
123
turnsofthedrumkeyinacrisscrossmanner.”95Themorecommonmethodof
tighteningadrumheadistheapproachtakenbyWessels,inacrisscrossmanner,
butotherpatternsarepossibleandeffectivetoo,andworkingaroundthedrum
inacircularpatterniseffectivewhenfine‐tuningorturningthetensionrods
verylittle.Variousimagesofasnaredrumshouldbeprovidedsothataclearer
understandingofthepartsisobtained.Asimilarimageofasnaredrumstand
shouldbeprovidedwithpartslabeledandabriefdescriptionofhowtoproperly
adjustvariousmechanisms.Acomparisonoftheconcertandmarchingdrumis
criticaltoimprovingthiscomponentaswell.Lastly,tuningthedrum,regardless
ofthemethodprescribedbytheauthor,couldbeinstructedprimarilythrough
theuseofvideo.Thiswouldallowforaudioofthedesiredtimbreofthe
instrumentsaswell.
Note‐readingandothermusicfundamentalsreceivethemostthoroughand
consistentinstructionthroughoutthecontinuumofmethodbooksinthestudy.
However,anincreaseinthequantityandqualityofthismaterial,including
exercisesandetudesthroughwhichtoexecutemusicfundamentals,ispossible.
Thiswouldresultinagreaternumberofexercisesfocusingondynamics,time
signatures,form,andindividualnotevalues.Acompromisebetweenthe
approachesofVicFirthandMarkWesselsismostadvantageousforstudents.
95Wessels,Mark.AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Plano:MarkWesslesPublications,2001),3.
124
Forexample,oneortwopagesthatactasaquickreference,combiningmusical
ideas,(terms,expressions,noteratiochart,etc.),inadditiontoproviding
detailedinstructiononvariousmusicalfacetsthroughoutthemethodbook,asin
AFreshApproachtoSnareDrumbyMarkWessels.
Stickgrip,unlikemusicfundamentals,isoneofthemostinconsistentyet
paramountcomponentsofsnaredrumpedagogy.AlthoughMarkWessels,
KennanWylie,MattSavage,BillBachman,andSandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack
presentqualityinstructioninthisarea,greaterfocusonwhatisperhapsthe
mostimportantlessoninasnaredrummethodbookisnecessary.Alarger
quantityofimagesfromvariousangleswouldbebeneficial.However,
informationregardingthesubtlechangesthatoccurwiththegripwhile
executingdifferentpatternsisofgreaterimportance.Alloftheseauthors
providegripinstructionthatallowsforrebound‐strokes,down‐strokes,up‐
strokes,andtaps.However,thegripexhibitedisnotadequateforrolls,either
multiplebounceordoublestroke.Althoughmanyauthorsattempttoexplain
howthegripfeelswhileexecutingrolls,additionalimagesorslowmotionvideo
thatshowsthemanipulationofthegripwouldgreatlyincreasetheeffectiveness
ofinstruction.
Strokeislikewiseinconsistent,withterminologiesinplacethatconfuse
professionalsandstudentsalike.Prominentmethodbooksinthestudycannot
125
agreeonnatural‐stroke,legato‐stroke,orbounce‐stroketodescribethebasic
strokemotioninwhichthestickreboundsnaturallyoffofthedrumhead,
producingoneattack.Thisauthorrecommendsthetermreboundstrokebecause
itmostaccuratelydescribeswhatthestickisdoing,reboundingtoitsinitial
position.Authorsshouldutilizehigh‐qualityvideowithclose‐upimagesinslow
motiontoexhibitexactlywhatthestickandhandsaredoingwhileexecuting
eachstroke.
Rudimentalinstructionisfeaturedthroughoutmostpublicationsfromthe
lasttwodecades.However,authorsarestillstrugglingwiththeamountof
rudimentalinstructiontoprovide.Thisauthorbelievesthemosteffective
approachisthatusedbyHarr,incorporatingbasicrudimentsintoonevolume,
andprovidingin‐depthandthoroughinstructionofalltherudimentsinasecond
volume.Theimportanceofrudimentalinstructionismuchdebated.However,
theimportanceoftherudimentstoprominentauthorsisobvious,andthe
rudimentsarereceivingbetterinstructionnowthanever.
Ahigh‐qualityexerciseshouldprovideexcellentmaterialtowardthe
developmentofaspecifictechniqueormusicalidea.Exercisesshouldprovidea
varietyofmaterialthatisengagingandadherestotheauthor’sobjectiveswhile
beingpresentedsequentiallysothatanincreaseintechnicalandmusical
difficultyispossible.Nomethodbookinthestudysatisfieseachofthesecriteria,
126
andbotholdandnewpublicationscanimproveonthethoroughnessandclarity
ofthiscomponent.However,exercisesinrecentpublicationspossesscertain
qualitiesseparatefromtheseclearpedagogicalideas.Forexample,theuseof
modernmusicnotationsoftwarehasenabledauthorstopresenttechniques
moreeffectively.Studentsareeasilyconfusedbyrudimentalexercisesin
methodbooksbySanfordMoellerorCharlesWilcoxonbecauseofrollnotation
anddrag‐tapnotationthatisuncommontoday.Theymayalsofeeldisconnected
fromsolossuchasTheDownfallofParis.Re‐notatingtraditionalsolosmayhelp
studentsovercomethesehurdlesandexperiencethevalueoftimelesspieces.
Also,recentpublications,includingthosebyWesselsandWylie,organize
exercisematerialmoreeffectivelyandefficiently.Studentstodaywantquick
acquisitionofnewtechniques,andmethodbooksfromthelasttwodecades
effectivelybalancethequantityofexerciseswithpaceofinstruction.
Etudesandsolosareimportantfacetsofinstructionbecausethegoalofany
instrumentalmethodistoprovidestudentswiththeabilitytocreatemusic.
However,excerpts,especiallythosefrombandandorchestrapieces,have
becomelesscommon.Awealthofsupplementalexcerptmaterialexists,but
snaredrummethodbooksshouldexposestudentstolargeensemblesnaredrum
partsfromnotablecomposers.
127
AuthorssuchasHarr,Wylie,andWesselscreatedhigh‐qualitytextslargely
becauseofexcellentorganization.Thisauthorbelievesthatorganizing
informationintoshortlessonsthatcompileseveralcorrelatingideasisthemost
excellentmodelforeffectivesnaredrumstudy.Moredifficultideas,suchas
advancerudimentsthatcannotbequicklymastered,shouldreceivefurther
instructionthoughexercisesattheconclusionofthetext.
Theidealmethodbookmustnotonlyprovidethepreliminarymaterial
necessarytobeginplaying,andmaintaintheinstrument,butalsoprovide
musical,technical,andresourceinformationthattakesintoaccounteach
componentofthestudy.Manymethodbooksinthestudyfeatureexcellent
components,butnosinglebookcoverseachcomponentwiththethoroughness
andclaritythatstudentsneed.Today’sstudents,inordertoreceiveahigh‐
qualityexperience,havetoutilizemultiplemethodbooks.Forexample,after
workingthroughHarrbookone,studentsneedtothenusemethodbooksby
MorrisGoldenbergorSanfordMoellerforadditionaletudesandsolos,orto
thosebyStoneandPetersforadditionalhandstrengtheningexercises.Itmaybe
impossibleforanysnaredrummethodbooktoprovideeverythingastudent
needstomasterthesnaredrum.However,manyimprovementsarepossible.
128
NeedforFurtherStudy
Athoroughunderstandingoftrendsanddevelopmentsinsnaredrum
pedagogyconsequentlyuncoverstheneedforadditionalresearch.By
interviewingauthorsofprominentmethodbooksrepresentedinthisstudy,we
couldgainadditionalinsightregardingobjectives,andifperceivableinfluences
wereconscientiousdecisions.Arepositivedevelopmentsingripandstroke,as
wellasorganization,theresultofpersonalexperienceinthefield,orofasimilar
analysisofexistingmaterial?Understandinghowcertainmarketingaspects
affectwhichsnaredrummethodbooksarepublishedandhowquicklythey
proliferatewouldbehelpfulindeterminingtherelationshipbetweenqualityand
quantity.Forexample,onecommonalitybetweentwoofthemostrecent
prominentpublications,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels
andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKennanWylie,isthe
geographicallocationoftheauthors;whobothteachandpublishinTexas.Do
snaredrummethodbookspublishedinTexasnecessarilyexhibitprominence
becauseofcertainmarketfactorsthatinflatesales?
Ananalysisofchangesinmusiceducationoverthepastonehundredyears
andtheeffectonpercussionpedagogywouldhelpclarifyreasonsforchangesin,
forexample,thetendencyofprominentmethodbookspublishedinthe1950s,
’60s,and’70stoofferlessrudimentalguidance.Lastly,anexpansionofthis
129
studytoincludeallavailablesnaredrummethodbooks,includingthose
publishedinthenineteenthcentury,wouldcreateamorevaluablehistorical
documentandproduceacomprehensiveresourceforeducatorsandstudents.
Conclusion
Prominentmethodbooksexhibitamulti‐facetedanddiverseapproachto
snaredrumpedagogy.Afullunderstandingofthecomplexityanddiversityof
eachcomponentisnowpossiblewithfoundationalknowledgethatinforms
teachingandperformancewhilecreatingaresourceforbetterutilizationof
pedagogicalmaterial.
Thestudyhighlightedthethirtymostprominentmethodbooksinthe
UnitedStatespublishedbetween1935and2008.Theseprominentmethod
booksserveasthebestexamplesofhigh‐qualitysnaredruminstructionand
representacontinuumofdevelopmentsthatinformusabouttheevolutionand
historyofsnaredrumpedagogy.Athoroughreviewofeachmethodbook
createdanecessaryresourceforstudentsandeducatorswhileexaminationof
thematerialallowsforbetterunderstandingofthecontentsaswellas
developmentsandvariancesinsnaredrumpedagogy.Bycreatingmultiple
categoriesanddelineatingbetweenvariouscomponents,abettercomparisonis
possible,andgreaterknowledgeofeachauthor’sobjectivesisgained.
130
Understandingthepositiveandnegativeattributesofeachmethodbookis
importantaswell.Byobtainingknowledgeregardingtheseattributes,students
andeducatorscanusematerialsmosteffectiveandvaluableforspecific
technicalandmusicalsituations.
Theproliferationofsnaredrummethodbookscreatedtheenormousand
perhapsimpossibletaskoffilteringthroughhundredsofpublicationsinorderto
acquirethenecessaryknowledgeforeffectiveinstruction.However,by
examiningaselectgroupofprominentsnaredrummethodbookspublished
from1935to2008,thisstudyinformsreadersnotonlyaboutavailable
pedagogicalmaterial,butalsoaboutpositiveandnegativetrendsand
developments.Bybreakingdownindividualfacetsofsnaredrumpedagogyand
learninghowthesefacetsarerepresentedthroughprominentmethodbooks,a
greaterunderstandingofvariances,commonalities,andthegeneralstateof
snaredrumpedagogyintheUnitedStatesisnowpossible.Additionally,by
illuminatingboththepositiveandnegativeattributeswithintheselected
materialreviewed,newideascanemergethatfosterapositiveprogression
towardacompletepedagogicalsnaredrummethodology.
131
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134
APPENDIXA
CurrentlyAvailableSnareDrumMethodBooks
1.Adams,Daniel TheSoloSnareDrum
2.Albright,Fred ContemporaryStudiesforSnareDrum
3.Albright,Fred PolyrhythmicStudiesforSnareDrum
4.Aleo,Keith AdvancedEtudesforSnareDrum
5.Arnold/Richards ExercisePieces
6.Arnold/Richards ExercisePieces,Gr.2
7.Bachman,Bill RudimentalLogic
8.Bachman,Bill StreetJamsCadence
9.Barrick,Tom ParadiddleWorkbook
10.Bartlett,Keith 60ShortPiecesforSnareDrum
11.Bartlett,Keith 20ShortSolosforSnareDrum
12.Beck,John Flams,Ruffs,andRolls
13.Beck,John TenIntermediateSnareDrumSolos
14.Becker,Bob RudimentalArithmetic
15.Bellson,Louis DrumPrimer
16.Bower,H.A. SystemforPercussion,Vol.1
17.Britton,Mervin CreativeApproach,Bk.1
18.Britton,Mervin CreativeApproach,Bk.2
19.Buggert,Robert RubankIntermediateMethod
20.Burnes/Malin PracticalMethodforDevelopingFingerControl
21.Burns,Roy ElementaryDrumMethod
135
22.Burns/Feldstein IntermediateDrumMethod
23.Buyer,Paul MarchingBandsandDrumlines
24.Campbell,James ChampionshipTechniqueforMarchingPercussion
25.Campbell,James RudimentsinRhythm
26.Campbell/Cuccia/Pratt TheFavoriteRudimentalSolosofCampbell,Cuccia,andPratt
27.Capozzoli,Paul RudimentalPracticeGuide
28.Cappio,Art SystemofRudimentalDrumming
29.Carroll,Raynor OrchestralRepertoireforSnareDrum
30.Caruba,Alain LesAccents
31.Casella,Jim FreshPerspectives
32.Ceroli,Nick SpeedandEnduranceStudies
33.Chauviere,Joel 17EtudesforSnareDrum
34.Chauviere,Joel 27EasyStudiesforSnareDrum
35.Chauviere,Joel StudiesfortheBeginner
36.Chauviere,Joel TambourlaCaisseClaire
37.Christian,Bobby ChristianDrumMethod,Bk.1
38.Christian,Bobby ChristianDrumMethod,Bk.2
39.Christian,Bobby ChristianDrumMethod,Bk.3
40.Christian,Bobby ModernDrumStudies
41.Cirone,Anthony MasterTechBuilders
42.Cirone,Anthony OrchestralSnareDrummer
43.Cirone,Anthony PortraitsinRhythm
44.Clago,Ronnie NaturalDevelopmentofDrumTechnique
45.Colin/Bower SnareDrumRhythmsComplete
136
46.Colonnato,Frank InnerRhythms
47.Cox,Joe SnareDrumPlayAlong
48.Crockarell/Brooks SnareDrummersToolBox
49.Delécluse,Jacques 12StudiesforSnareDrum
50.Delécluse,Jacques Initium,Vol.1
51.Delécluse,Jacques Initium,Vol.2
52.Delécluse,Jacques Initium,Vol.3
53.Delécluse,Jacques Initium,Vol.4
54.Delécluse,Jacques KeiskleirianaI
55.Delécluse,Jacques Keiskleiriana2
56.Delécluse,Jacques MethodforSnareDrum
57.Delécluse,Jacques Studio'M,VolumeI
58.Delécluse,Jacques Studio’M,VolumeII
59.DeLucia,Dennis DrummersDailyDrill
60.Derrick,Frank FocusonTechnique
61.Deschler,Jim EightStudyWorks
62.Dodge,Frank DodgeDrumChart
63.Dupin,Francis 28Min.forSnareDrum
64.Eyler,David 22ProgressiveStudiesforSnareDrum
65.Famelart,Regis AChacunsonRhythme,Vol.1
66.Faulkner,Steve SnareDrumBasics
67.Feldstein,Sandy DrumSoloistLevel1
68.Feldstein,Sandy DrumSoloist,Vol.1
69.Feldstein,Sandy DrumStudentLevel1
70.Feldstein,Sandy DrumStudentLevel2
137
71.Feldstein,Sandy DrumStudentLevel3
72.Feldstein,Sandy SnareDrumRudimentDictionary
73.Feldstein,Sandy StudiesandEtudes1
74.Feldstein,Sandy StudiesandEtudes2
75.Feldstein,Sandy StudiesandEtudes3
76.Feldstein/Black Alfred’sBeginningSnareSolos
77.Feldstein/Black Alfred'sDrumMethodBookI
78.Feldstein/Black Alfred'sIntermediateSnareDrumSolos
79.Feldstein/Black BeginningSnareDrumDuets
80.Fink,Ron AccentonAccents2
81.Fink,Ron ChopBusters
82.Fink,Ron SightReadingforAuditionEtudes
83.Fink,Siegfried SolobookforSnareDrum,Vol.1
84.Fink,Siegfried SolobookforSnareDrum,Vol.2
85.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.1
86.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.2
87.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.3
88.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.4
89.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.5
90.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.6
91.Fink,Siegfried RhythmStudies,Vol.1
92.Fink,Siegfried RhythmStudies,Vol.2
93.Firth,Vic DrumMethodBookI
94.Firth,Vic DrumMethodBook2
95.Firth/Feldstein SnareDrumMethod
138
96.Freytag,Edward JustDesserts
97.Freytag,Edward RudimentalCookbook
98.Fundis,Greg ContemporaryAuditionSolosforPercussion
99.Gaetano,Mario CompleteSnareBook
100.Gardner,Carl MethodforDrums,Cymbals,andAccessories
101.Gardner,Carl ProgressiveStudiesforSnare,Vol.1
102.Gardner,Carl ProgressiveStudiesforSnare,Vol.2
103.Gilbert,David LearntoPlaySnareandBassDrum,Vol.1
104.Gilbert,David LearntoPlaySnareandBassDrum,Vol.2
105.Glasser,Gerhard ALittleParadiddle
106.Goldenberg,Morris ModernSchoolforSnareDrum
107.Goldenberg,Morris SnareDrumforBeginners
108.Goldenberg,Morris TwelveProgressiveSolosforSnareDrum
109.Goute,Robert Tambourd'Ordonnance,Vol.2
110.Goute,Robert Tambour,Vol.3
111.Graham,Bill StudiesinRhythm
112.Grant,Phil AllAmericanDrummer
113.Guil/Foyle RhythmicReadingforDrummers
114.Hannum,Tom ChampionshipConceptsforMarchingPercussion
115.Hans,Ben 40IntermediateSnareDrumSolos
116.Harr,Haskell DrumMethodBookI
117.Harr,Haskell DrumMethodBookII
118.Hartung,Friedrich SchoolforSideDrum
119.Hathway/Wright GradedMusicforSnareDrum1
120.Hathway/Wright GradedMusicforSnareDrum2
139
121.Hathway/Wright GradedMusicforSnareDrum3
122.Hathway/Wright GradedMusicforSnareDrum4
123.Heim,Alyn DrumClassMethod,Bk.1
124.Heim,Alyn DrumClassMethod,Bk.2
125.Hernandez/Schietroma ListentoSnares
126.Hochrainer,Richard DuetforTrommler
127.Hochrainer,Richard UbungenforKleinTrommel
128.Johnson,Jeffery TheLevelSystem
129.Kastuck,Steve RhythmicDesigns
130.Keown,Allen MasteringtheRudiments
131.Keune,Eckehardt KleineTrommel
132.Keune,Eckehardt TrommelDuet
133.Kinyon,John BasicTrainingCourseforDrums1
134.Kinyon,John BasicTrainingCourseforDrums2
135.Kinyon,John BreezeEasyMethodI
136.Kinyon,John BreezeEasyMethod2
137.Knauer,John KleineTrommelschule
138.Knauer,John PraktischeSchuleforKleineTrommel
139.Kopetzki,Eckhard 13SnareDrumStudies
140.Kopetzki,Eckhard EasyStudiesforSnare
141.Kopetzki,Eckhard SnareDrum
142.Kvistad,Richard AccentStudiesandEtudesforPercussion
143.Lane/Walker RudimentalSnareDrumGrooves
144.Lang,Morris BeginningSnareDrummer
145.LaRosa,Michael ContemporaryDrumMethod
140
146.LaRosa,Michael ContemporaryDrumMethodBook2
147.Larson,Keith ArtisticStudiesforSnareDrum
148.Lauren,Michael UnderstandingRhythm:AGuidetoReadingMusic
149.Lefevre,Guy 20EtudesforSnareDrum
150.Lefevre,Guy DrumSuperiorTechnique
151.Lefevre,Guy ProgressiveTechStudies,Vol.1&2
152.Lepak,Alexander 50ContemporarySnareDrumMethods
153.Leroux,Philippe 20ProgressiveStudiesforSnareDrum
154.Leslie,Nat ElementaryMethodofDrumming
155.Liagre,D’Artagnan TheoryManualofSnareDrum,Vol.1
156.Liagre,D’Artagnan TheoryManualofSnareDrum,Vol.2
157.Liagre,D’Artagnan TheoryManualofSnareDrum,Vol.3
158.Lonardoni,Markus TechnikfurKleineTrommel1
159.Lonardoni,Markus TechnikfurKleineTrommel2
160.Lonardoni,Markus TechnikfurKleineTrommel3
161.Ludwig,William DrumandBugleManual
162.Ludwig,William DrumMethod
163.Lynch/Brown FieldLevel
164.Macarez,Frederic SnareSystem,Vol.1
165.Macarez,Frederic SnareSystem,Vol.2
166.Macarez,Frederic Stickin'Stock
167.Maroni,Joe 50ElementaryDuetsforSnareDrum
168.Maroni,Joe 50SyncopatedSolosforSnareDrum
169.Maroni,Joe 100RhythmEtudesforSnareDrum
141
170.Maroni,Joe DrumRudimentChart
171.Maroni,Joe FundamentalsofRhythmfortheDrummer
172.Maroni,Joe RudimentalDrumMethodfortheIntermediateDrummer
173.Martinez,Maria RudimentalWarm‐Ups
174.Marucci,Matt DrumRudiments:ASimpleApproach
175.Mattingly,Rick SnareDrumMethod
176.McMahan,John Readin,Writin,andRudiments
177.McMillan,Thomas 20thCenturyOrchestralSnareDrumStudies
178.McMillan,Thomas ContemporaryMethodforSnareDrum
179.MelBayPublications BasicsofDrummingWallChart
180.Memphis,Chuck TheContemporaryPercussionist
181.Moeller,Sanford MoellerMethod
182.Moore,J.Burns ArtofDrumming
183.Moore,J.Burns SoloTimefortheIntermediateSnareDrummer
184.Morello,Joe MasterStudiesforSnareDrum
185.Morello,Joe MasterStudies,Vol.I
186.Morello,Joe MasterStudies,Vol.II
187.Morgan,Tom SequentialApproachtoFundamentalSnareDrum
188.Morgan,Tom SequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum
189.Moser,Karl VomEinschlagen
190.Muller,Horst 50EtudesforSnareDrum
191.Nied,Johannes NiedforSpeed
192.Olmstead,Gary SnareDrumRollandRudimentInterpretation
193.Ostling,Acton ThreeR'sforSnareDrum,Book1
142
194.Ostling,Acton ThreeR'sforSnareDrum,Book2
195.Payson,Al BeginningSnareDrum
196.Payson,Al SnareDrumintheConcertHall
197.Payson/Folker IntermediateSnareDrum,Vol.1
198.Pearson/Elledge/Hagedom StandardofExcellence
199.Pease,Donald Pro‐ArtDrumMethodBook
200.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoRhythmicNotation,Vol.1
201.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoRhythmicNotation,Vol.2
202.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum
203.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,Vol.1
204.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,Vol.2
205.PermusPublications KnowYourDrumRudiments
206.Peters,Mitchell AdvanceSnareDrumStudies
207.Peters,Mitchell DevelopSightReadingforSnareDrum
208.Peters,Mitchell DevelopingDexterityforSnareDrum
209.Peters,Mitchell ElementarySnareDrumStudies
210.Peters,Mitchell EtudesforSnareDrum
211.Peters,Mitchell HardTimes
212.Peters,Mitchell IntermediateSnareDrumStudies
213.Peters,Mitchell OddMeterCalisthenics
214.Peters,Mitchell OddMeterRudimentalEtudes
215.Peters,Mitchell RudimentalPrimer
216.Podemski,Roger StandardSnareMethod
217.Pratt,John 14ModernContestSolos
218.Pratt,John 26TraditionalAmericanDrummingRudiments
143
219.Pratt,John 128RudimentalStreetBeats
220.Pratt,John NewPrattBook
221.Prescott SnareDrum
222.Price,Paul BeginningSnareDrum
223.Putnam,W.J. RudimentalABC's
224.Queen,Jeff TheNextLevel
225.Rieppi,Pablo SnareDrumTechnique
226.Rosauro,Ney CompleteMethodforSnareDrum,Vol.1
227.Rosauro,Ney CompleteMethodforSnareDrum,Vol.2
228.Rothman,Joel BasicDrumTechniqueandBeyond
229.Rothman,Joel RollControl
230.Rothman,Joel Rolls,Rolls,Rolls
231.Rothman,Joel TeachingRhythm
232.Santangelo,Antonio ProgressiveMethodforSnareDrum
233.Schinstine,William 17Plus1PercussionPieces
234.Schinstine,William AdventuresinSoloSnareDrumming
235.Schinstine,William DrumTunes,Vol.2
236.Schinstine,William DrumminDuets
237.Schinstine,William DrummingTogether
238.Schinstine,William DuetsandDrumsetTunes
239.Schinstine,William FourHandsAround
240.Schinstine,William FuturisticDrumSolos
241.Schinstine,William LittleChamp
242.Schinstine,William SnareDrumPocketBook
243.Schinstine,William SouthernSpecialDrumSolos
144
244.Schinstine/Hoey BasicDrumBook
245.Schinstine/Hoey DrumMethodI
246.Schinstine/Hoey DrumMethod2
247.Schinstine/Hoey IntermediateDrumBook
248.Schmitt,Matthais EasyPercussion:SnareDrum
249.Sholle,Emil Big230
250.Sholle,Emil Here'stheDrum,Vol.1
251.Sholle,Emil Here'stheDrum,Vol.2
252.Sholle,Emil TheRoll
253.Shlimovitz,Harold DrumMethodSpeller
254.Sicchio,Gianni LesRhythmsSousFormedEtudes,Vol.1
255.Silverman,Rob DrumLessonsforKidsofAllAges
256.Silverman,Rob SnareDrum101
257.Skinner,Michael SnareDrumRudiments
258.Skowera,Wlodzimierz 70ExercisesfortheSideDrum
259.Smales,Joel Warm‐UpsandMindReadingfortheSmartPercussionist
260.Solomon,Samuel AdvancedRhythmicStudies
261.Solomon,Samuel VariationsonthefirstthreepagesofStone'sStickControl
262.Sousa,JohnPhilip TrumpetandDrum
263.Spagnardi,Ron ModernSnareDrummer
264.Spiers,Gerard CaisseClaire
265.Steinquest,David Life'sLittleRudimentBook
266.Sternburg,Simon ModernDrumStudies
267.Stilke,Dennis SnareTime
145
268.Stone,George AccentsandRebounds
269.Stone,George MilitaryDrumBeats
270.Stone,George StickControl
271.Stoutamire/Henderson DuetsforAll
272.Street,William ParadiddlePatter
273.Stronach,Doug Stronach'sPipeBandSnareDrumTutor,Vol.1
274.Sweet,Walter CompMusic/FifeandDrum
275.Tantchev,George BeginningSnareDrum,Vol.1
276.Tantchev,George BeginningSnareDrum,Vol.2
277.Tavernier,Jean‐Claude EveilAuxRhythmesetalePercussion
278.Tavernier,Jean‐Claude ExercisesandEtudes
279.Tompkins,Joe TenStyleStudiesforSnareDrum
280.Torrebruno,Leonida MetodoperStrumentiaPercussione
281.Various Ziggadabuzz
282.Vose,David DrumStudies:Concepts,Reading,Phrasing,Technique
283.Vose,David TheDevelopingDrummer
284.Vose,David TheReadingDrummer
285.Wanamaker,Jay CorpsStyleDrumDictionary
286.Wanamaker,Jay InternationalDrumRudiments
287.Wanamaker,Jay RudimentalDrumPack
288.Werson,Louis RhythmicFoundationThroughDrumming
289.Wessels,Mark FreshApproachtoSnareDrum
290.Whaley,Garwood BasicsinRhythm
291.Whaley,Garwood FundamentalStudiesforSnareDrum
146
292.Whaley,Garwood MoreAuditionEtudes
293.Whaley,Garwood MoreBasicsinRhythm
294.Whaley,Garwood MusicalStudiesfortheIntermediateSnareDrummer
295.Whaley,Garwood PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum
296.Whaley,Garwood RhythmReadingforDrums,Book1
297.Whaley,Garwood RhythmicPatternsofContemporaryMusic
298.Whistler,Harvey ReviewingtheRudiments
299.Whistler,Harvey RubankAdvancedMethod
300.Wilcoxon,Charley AllAmericanDrummer
301.Wilcoxon,Charley DrumMethod
302.Wilcoxon,Charley JuniorDrummer
303.Wilcoxon,Charley ModernRudimentalSwingSolosfortheAdvancedDrummer
304.Wilcoxon,Charley RollinginRhythm
305.Wilcoxon,Charley WristandFingerStrokeControl
306.Wooton,John Dr.Throwdown'sRudimentalRemedies
307.Wooton,John DrummersRudimentalReferenceBook
308.Wylie,Kennan SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming
309.Wylie,Kennan TwentySolosfortheYoungSnareDrummer
310.Yaus,Grover 40RhythmicalEtudes
311.Yaus,Grover 40RhythmicalStudies
312.Yaus,Grover 101RhythmicRestPatterns
313.Yoder,Paul RubankElementaryMethod
314.Zivkovic,Nebojsa 10EtudesforSnareDrum
147
APPENDIXB
TopSellingSnareDrumMethodBooksAccordingToDistributors
SteveWeissMusic
1. Stone–StickControl2. Goldenberg–ModernSchool3. Peters–DevelopingDexterity4. Whaley–FundamentalStudiesForSnareDrum5. Podemski–StandardSnareDrumMethod6. Stone–AccentsandRebounds7. Feldstein/Black–Alfred’sDrumMethodBookI8. Delecluse–MethodForSnareDrum9. Whaley–PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum10. Sholle–TheRoll11. Burns–ElementaryDrumMethod12. Rieppi–SnareDrumTechnique13. Harr–DrumMethodBookI14. Feldstein/Black–Alfred’sDrumMethodBookII15. Burns/Feldstein–IntermediateDrumMethod16. Sholle–Here’sTheDrum17. Harr–DrumMethodBookI18. Perkins–LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum19. Becker–RudimentalArithmetic20. Moeller–MoellerMethod21. Morgan–SequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum22. Peters–DevelopSightReadingforSnareDrum23. Firth–SnareDrumMethodBook124. Yoder–RubankElementaryMethod25. Wilcoxon‐DrumMethod
RudimentalBachman–RudimentalLogic
WithRecording1. Wessels–FreshApproachtoSnareDrumW/DVDandCD2. Savage–RudimentalWorkShop3. Wylie–SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming
148
LoneStarPercussion
1. Wessels–AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum2. Stone–StickControl3. Wylie–SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming4. Goldenberg–ModernSchool5. Podemski–StandardSnareMethod6. Whaley–FundamentalStudiesforSnareDrum7. Feldstein–Alfred’sDrumMethod8. Wilcoxon–DrumMethod9. Burns–IntermediateDrumMethod10. Morgan–ASequentialApproachtoFund.SnareDrum11. Burns–ElementaryDrumMethod12. Whaley–PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum
PercussionSource
1. Feldstein/Black‐Alfred’sDrumMethodBookI2. Whaley‐PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum3. Goldenberg‐ModernSchoolforSnareDrum4. Morello‐MasterStudies5. Stone‐StickControl6. Bachman‐RudimentalLogic7. Wiley‐SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming8. Wessels–AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum9. Harr‐DrumMethodforBandand...BookI10. Keown‐MasteringTheRudiments11. Firth‐SnareDrumMethodbookI12. Podemski‐StandardSnareDrumMethod
149
APPENDIXCSnareDrumMethodBookComparisonChart
0-5 Rudim
ents
5-10 Rudim
ents
10-15
Rudim
ents
15-20
Rudim
ents
Standard 26
Rudim
ents
Standard 40
Rudim
ents
Additional/Hybri
d Rudim
entsGrip
Stroke
Notation
Fundamentals
Exercises
Etudes
Solos
Band/Orchesra
Exerpts
Significant
Textual Content
Illustrations &
Pictorials
Additional
Instruments
Media
Bachman -
Rudimental
Logic! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Burns -
Elementary
Drum Method
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Burns -
Intermediate
Drum Method
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Becker -
Rudimental
Arithmetic! ! ! ! ! ! !
Delecluse -
Method for
Snare Drum! ! ! ! ! ! !
Feldstein -
Alfreds Drum
Method Book
I
! ! !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Feldstein -
Alfreds Drum
Method Book
II
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Firth - Snare
Drum Method
book I
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Firth - Snare
Drum Method
book II
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Goldenberg -
Modern
School for Sn
are Drum
! ! ! ! !
Harr - Drum
Method book
I! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Harr - Drum
Method book
II! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Keown -
Mastering the
Rudiments
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Moeller -
Moeller
Method! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Morgan - A
Sequential
Approach to
Fundamental
Snare Drum
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Peters - Odd
Meter
Calisthenics! ! ! !
Peters -
Developing
Dexterity! ! ! !
Perkins -
Logical
Approach to
Snare Drum
! ! ! ! ! ! !
Podemski -
Standard
Snare Drum
Method
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
150
APPENDIXC(Continued)
0-5 Rudim
ents
5-10 Rudim
ents
10-15
Rudim
ents
15-20
Rudim
ents
Standard 26
Rudim
ents
Standard 40
Rudim
ents
Additional/Hybri
d Rudim
entsGrip
Stroke
Notation
Fundamentals
Exercises
Etudes
Solos
Band/Orchesra
Exerpts
Significant
Textual Content
Illustrations &
Pictorials
Additional
Instruments
Media
Rieppi -
Snare Drum
Technique! ! ! !
Savage -
Rudimental
Workshop! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Sholle - The
Roll ! ! ! ! !Sholle -
Here's The
Drum! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Stone - Stick
Control ! ! !Stone -
Accents and
Rebounds! !
Wessels - A
Fresh
Approach to
Snare Drum
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Whaley -
Primary
Handbook for
Snare Drum
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Wilcoxon -
Drum Method! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Wylie -
Simple Steps
to Successful
Snare
Drumming
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Yoder -
Elementary
Drum Method
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
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